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Banish Mealybugs From Your Plants With TikTok's 2-Ingredient Solution
By CLAIRE DANGALAN
Mealybugs often target plants such as succulents, ornamentals, and citrus trees, infesting their leaves, stems, and fruits, and causing wilting, yellowing, and stunted growth.
To fight these pests, which can be identified by their waxy, cotton-like appearance, TikTok user @tannertheplanter recommends a natural solution: a mix of Castile soap and water.
For this method, gather the infested plants and cover the pots with plastic. Then, hose each plant down, targeting heavily affected areas, like the leaves, stems, and crevices.
While hosing, gently rub the infested parts to get rid of the mealybugs. Afterward, submerge the plants in a mixture of clean water and unscented Castile soap for a few minutes.
Next, rinse or hose down the plants thoroughly and let them drain. It's advised to treat the plants in the morning to avoid afternoon sun exposure, which can stress the plants.
Depending on the severity of the infestation, you may need to repeat this treatment weekly. This solution can also help get rid of other plant pests like aphids and
spider mites.