Every day for the last month I have ventured out into the greenhouse armed with a bottle of meths (note its no substitute for a good malt! ) and cotton wool buds. Lifted every pot and checked every plant for mealy bugs. (they live on the staging) A lot have been dispatched however today I have been and checked all nooks and crannies, not one of the pests to be seen anywhere. At last I seem to have won the battle!
BTW For the benefit of those who have lived a sheltered life and not had to deal with the less fortunate in society, back in the day meths was drunk by down and outs/tramps. Not recommended but it sure does kill mealy bugs stone dead instantly.
Ernie wrote: ↑Fri Apr 16, 2021 3:23 pm
Every day for the last month I have ventured out into the greenhouse armed with a bottle of meths (note its no substitute for a good malt! ) and cotton wool buds. Lifted every pot and checked every plant for mealy bugs. (they live on the staging) A lot have been dispatched however today I have been and checked all nooks and crannies, not one of the pests to be seen anywhere. At last I seem to have won the battle!
BTW For the benefit of those who have lived a sheltered life and not had to deal with the less fortunate in society, back in the day meths was drunk by down and outs/tramps. Not recommended but it sure does kill mealy bugs stone dead instantly.
Ernie
My bottle of meths lives in the GH. It's a spray bottle. I take no prisoners!
Endeavouring to grow Aylostera, Echinocereus, Echinopsis, Gymnocalycium, Matucana, Rebutia, and Sulcorebutia. Fallen out of love with Lithops and aggravated by Aeoniums.
Currently being wooed by Haworthia, attempting hybridisation, and enticed by Mesembs.
Ernie wrote: ↑Fri Apr 16, 2021 3:23 pm
Every day for the last month I have ventured out into the greenhouse armed with a bottle of meths (note its no substitute for a good malt! ) and cotton wool buds. Lifted every pot and checked every plant for mealy bugs. (they live on the staging) A lot have been dispatched however today I have been and checked all nooks and crannies, not one of the pests to be seen anywhere. At last I seem to have won the battle!
BTW For the benefit of those who have lived a sheltered life and not had to deal with the less fortunate in society, back in the day meths was drunk by down and outs/tramps. Not recommended but it sure does kill mealy bugs stone dead instantly.
Ernie
My bottle of meths lives in the GH. It's a spray bottle. I take no prisoners!
I wear my spray bottle in a low slung holster like cowboys do in the westerns.
el48tel wrote: ↑Fri Apr 16, 2021 3:55 pm
It's a spray bottle. I take no prisoners!
Taking no prisoners would be lighting the spray
As you wish!
Endeavouring to grow Aylostera, Echinocereus, Echinopsis, Gymnocalycium, Matucana, Rebutia, and Sulcorebutia. Fallen out of love with Lithops and aggravated by Aeoniums.
Currently being wooed by Haworthia, attempting hybridisation, and enticed by Mesembs.
JonNo wrote: ↑Sat Apr 17, 2021 1:11 am
So is meths better than white spirit (and no, I don't mean to drink!)?
There was some confusion last time we had this discussion. Meths is ethanol laced with methanol and dyestuff and something to make it taste nasty. Whereas white spirit can be used as a label to cover several products used in DIY, and has different meanings according to which side of the pond you are on.
Endeavouring to grow Aylostera, Echinocereus, Echinopsis, Gymnocalycium, Matucana, Rebutia, and Sulcorebutia. Fallen out of love with Lithops and aggravated by Aeoniums.
Currently being wooed by Haworthia, attempting hybridisation, and enticed by Mesembs.
JonNo wrote: ↑Sat Apr 17, 2021 1:11 am
So is meths better than white spirit (and no, I don't mean to drink!)?
It's like the common names for plants, right?
A slightly diluted IPA (isopropyl/isopropanol, not India pale ale, don't dilute the latter!) works well and seems to be safe for plants so far, I've used it at about 66% with a dash of liquid soap as both a direct spray for the more infested or just hard to reach with a cotton bud plants (think Crassula 'Moonglow'), and on a bud to wipe mealy b*** with it.
JonNo wrote: ↑Sat Apr 17, 2021 1:11 am
So is meths better than white spirit (and no, I don't mean to drink!)?
It's like the common names for plants, right?
A slightly diluted IPA (isopropyl/isopropanol, not India pale ale, don't dilute the latter!) works well and seems to be safe for plants so far, I've used it at about 66% with a dash of liquid soap as both a direct spray for the more infested or just hard to reach with a cotton bud plants (think Crassula 'Moonglow'), and on a bud to wipe mealy b*** with it.
Absolutely correct.
But at my local village hardware store IPA is called "rubbing fluid" or "rubbing alcohol" .... just to add to the confusion.
Neat IPA is excellent for cleaning grease stain from CD and DVD ... for oldies like me who still have them. For SHALLOW scratches you can use very very carefully T-cut.
Endeavouring to grow Aylostera, Echinocereus, Echinopsis, Gymnocalycium, Matucana, Rebutia, and Sulcorebutia. Fallen out of love with Lithops and aggravated by Aeoniums.
Currently being wooed by Haworthia, attempting hybridisation, and enticed by Mesembs.
) and cotton wool buds. Lifted every pot and checked every plant for mealy bugs. (they live on the staging) A lot have been dispatched however today I have been and checked all nooks and crannies, not one of the pests to be seen anywhere. At last I seem to have won the battle!
