What is the best way to pre-attack my tropicals for bugs

[Rubberbandman]

I have 3 trees, fukien tea , powder puff and grewia star flower.
All of these are famous for having the sticky white puffy bugs over winter indoors under t-5 grow lights.
What can i be spraying them with now to kill before bringing indoors.
Everything i tried last winter had no effect......whether it was foliar sparays or the bayer liquid that gets absorbs thru roots.
Help!
Bryan

 

[armetisius]

systemic

 

[Rubberbandman]

systemic

Can you elaborate some...names etc .
Thanks!

 

[cbroad]

Are you talking mealy bugs? Use horticultural oil spray, though it can take a few applications to get them all. Drench the hell out of the foliage and make sure to get the undersides of leaves.

At my work, the tropical department recommends mixing a quarter cup of bleach per 1 gallon of water (tap water that's sat out for 24hrs) to kill soil insects before bringing them in for the winter. This is for plants in potting soil so if you have some in bonsai soil this may be a bad thing. I don't know that much about tropicals or tropical bonsai, I'm more of a woody outdoor tree and shrub guy

Good luck

 

[Rubberbandman]

Are you talking mealy bugs? Use horticultural oil spray, though it can take a few applications to get them all. Drench the hell out of the foliage and make sure to get the undersides of leaves.

At my work, the tropical department recommends mixing a quarter cup of bleach per 1 gallon of water (tap water that's sat out for 24hrs) to kill soil insects before bringing them in for the winter. This is for plants in potting soil so if you have some in bonsai soil this may be a bad thing. I don't know that much about tropicals or tropical bonsai, I'm more of a woody outdoor tree and shrub guy

Good luck

I really dont know what they are but by march here in Va....my fukien tean and powder puff are covered in the little white puffs and everything within its surroundings are sticky....tables , pots, etc.
Bryan

 

[Eric Group]

Can you elaborate some...names etc .
Thanks!

Bayer

 

[cbroad]

You could try the ole' q-tip and rubbing alcohol trick if nothing else is working for you...

 

[Bonsai Nut]

Dormant Oil.

 

[Anthony]

If you had the time to test.
Plant a chive bulb in the soil at edge of your bonsai pot.

What was observed down here was a Serissa cutting was planted in a container of Chives.
Nothing would touch it.
Replanting in a separate pot and everyone bit it.

Now testing with a chive in the pot.
We use Basil to control bugs on tomatoes. No bugs.
Companion Planting.

No sprays.
Good Day
Anthony

 

[Rubberbandman]

Bayer

i used the bayer product last winter and i didnt get the results i was hoping for.
It was the green liquid i added to the soil with watering, so the trees would draw it up thru the roots for protection.
I am think dormant oil may be more helpful?
Bryan

 

[aml1014]

If you had the time to test.
Plant a chive bulb in the soil at edge of your bonsai pot.

What was observed down here was a Serissa cutting was planted in a container of Chives.
Nothing would touch it.
Replanting in a separate pot and everyone bit it.

Now testing with a chive in the pot.
We use Basil to control bugs on tomatoes. No bugs.
Companion Planting.

No sprays.
Good Day
Anthony

My Co worker and I call these bait plants.
Pineapple sage will attract just about anything near your house, but they only go for that sage so your garden can be safe.

Aaron

 

[coh]

i used the bayer product last winter and i didnt get the results i was hoping for.
It was the green liquid i added to the soil with watering, so the trees would draw it up thru the roots for protection.
I am think dormant oil may be more helpful?
Bryan

My sequence before bringing tropicals in for the winter includes
(1) 1 or 2 applications of bayer systemic (imidacloprid is the active ingredient). Keep in mind this is not an immediate cure, it takes some time for the chemical to move through the plant. You may not have applied enough.
(2) 1 or 2 sprays with horticultural oil

I'll also visually check for critters and spray with water daily to reduce/eliminate mites.

Then you just have to be vigilant during the winter, I usually have to deal with scale at some point. I'll often do another application of bayer during the winter, and maybe oil if it seems necessary.

 

[Rubberbandman]

What are the sticky white puffs called?
Going to do some research to get to better know these little devils!

 

[coh]

probably mealy bugs.

where are you located? it would be helpful to people trying to give advice to have at least a general idea.

 

[aml1014]

A picture of the critters would help, but mealy bugs is the probable candidate.

Aaron

 

[Rubberbandman]

probably mealy bugs.

where are you located? it would be helpful to people trying to give advice to have at least a general idea.

My apologies...just updated info.

 

[Rubberbandman]

A picture of the critters would help, but mealy bugs is the probable candidate.

Aaron

Luckily i dont have them on my plants yet!