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cacti colour change

cacti66

By cacti66

3 comments


Had a panic attack yesterday when mealy bugs set up home on a couple of my cactus…one cactus had to go in the bin and the rest got blitzed with bug spray… I checked the gang out this morning and noticed that my bright blue pilocereus azures has now got a marbled effect pattern from spraying…it seems i may have damaged the blue waxy epidermis.
The lesson here is not to use bug sprays but a more natural alternative.(somewhere in my mind i hear witch hazel but im not sure if ive read that or just made it up ?)

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Comments

 

I've never heard of using witch hazel. I think I'll try to find out about it. Have you tried dabbing the bugs with meths. It does work. - dip the end of a little bit of wood (a match stick or something) or a cotton bud, into the meths and dab it on the bugs. It will kill them :o)

6 Apr, 2012

 

I didnt know that then...but will try next time thanks

6 Apr, 2012

 

In our nursery we use a pure alcohol (ethenol ) spray,leave for a few seconds, then spray off with water.Mealy bug is a nuisance on cacti but not as bad as spider mite.

9 Apr, 2012

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