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How to save my Hoya Plant

Judy,I have a Hoya that had a mealy bugSee a picture, learn to identify and treat Mealy Bugs, a houseplant pest that leaves sticky,white, cottony residue on houseplants. infestation, I tried the green solutionIf you don't want to use a commercial chemical product to treat plant pest problems try the “Green Solution.” This is a mixture of water, alcohol, biodegradable liquid soap, and mineral oil. Always test any spray on one or two leaves to be sure it won’t damage the plant. Depending upon how severe the infestation is, you can use these ingredients in varying proportions. If there are only a few pests, dip a Q-tip in alcohol and gently swab them off. For a more widespread problem, start by using a spray of warm water mixed with a few tablespoons of biodegradable soap. If that doesn’t cure the problem, make a solution using 8oz. water & 8oz. alcohol, add two tablespoons of biodegradable soap and two tablespoons of mineral oil. Spray all areas of the plant. Use this solution on leathery leafed plants (except palms), never on fuzzy leafed plants like African Violets or Begonias. For palms, omit the alcohol from the Green Solution. Never spray a plant that’s sitting in the sun or one with very dry soil.     first but it was in bad shape so I tried Neem OilLearn about Neem Oil, a natural, organic, non-toxic product for treating houseplant insects and diseases. and followed the directions on how to use it. They after effects of the Mealy BugsSee a picture, learn to identify and treat Mealy Bugs, a houseplant pest that leaves sticky,white, cottony residue on houseplants. has damaged the leaves, will it be okay to cut of the dameged leves, will they grow back? I have never had bugs on my plants before so anything you can tell me would be a help. I like the Hoya if I could get it back to healthy. Thanks, Susan

Hi Susan,

Pink Hoya Plant

Hoya Plant

You can certainly remove the damaged leaves, but the plant would grow back better if you cut the entire stem that had the damaged leaves on it. That way, the plant would become bushy and full. When you treat Mealy BugsSee a picture, learn to identify and treat Mealy Bugs, a houseplant pest that leaves sticky,white, cottony residue on houseplants., whether using the Green Solution, Neem Oil, or a commercial insecticide, you need to repeat the treatment every 10 days for a month in order to catch any new bugs that might hatch. Be sure to keep checking your other plants to make sure the Mealy BugsSee a picture, learn to identify and treat Mealy Bugs, a houseplant pest that leaves sticky,white, cottony residue on houseplants. have not spread to them.