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Use This Kitchen Ingredient To Keep Mealybugs Out Of Your Hydrangeas
By CHRISTY RAE AMMONS
Mealybugs drink the sap from the hydrangea leaves, making them prone to diseases. Luckily, vinegar can not only remove these pests, but it's also safe for hydrangeas.
Combine one part of either white or apple cider vinegar with three parts of water in a spray bottle. Diluting vinegar with water ensures it won't scorch the plant's leaves.
Since hydrangeas prefer more acidic soil, vinegar is safe for these plants. Now, simply spray the solution on hydrangeas in small amounts and repeat it a few times each week.
The acetic acid in vinegar removes the waxy coat in the bugs' bodies and disrupts their molting, preventing entry into their life cycle's next stage and killing them over time.
Increase the amount of vinegar in the solution if the pests persist, but not too much that can hurt the plant. Once the bugs are gone, keep spraying weekly to prevent their return.