How I’m treating mealy bugs on my plants!

PLEASE READ‼️Lacewings are so smart and they are an amazing beneficial pest for your plants.
I purchased these from @arbicoorganics and I purchased 5,000 eggs to cover about 2,000 square feet. Please read the instructions on the bottle with how to use.
Green lacewings are omnivores which means their diet is based on the plants and animals and they feed on soft bodied insects which included aphids, mites, thrips, mealybugs, etc. Green lacewings aren’t very strong flyers, so they will stay in your plants/garden during their life cycle which is 37-60 days.
I’m personally making the switch to treating my plants as naturally as I can and have stopped using systemic granules for some time because:
1. It reduces the resistance that the harmful pests will develop from these chemicals and attack my plants in a harsher way when they do attack.
2. I want to avoid harming the beneficial pests that our plants have along with affecting the pollinators/insects/and birds with our plants outside.
🫧Leaf cleaner I use is just water and a few drops of Castile soap and for the isopropyl rubbing alcohol, be sure to use no more than 70 percent!

[@PlantswithKrystal]

PLEASE READ‼️Lacewings are so smart and they are an amazing beneficial pest for your plants. I purchased these from @arbicoorganics and I purchased 5,000 eggs to cover about 2,000 square feet. Please read the instructions on the bottle with how to use. Green lacewings are omnivores which means their diet is based on the plants and animals and they feed on soft bodied insects which included aphids, mites, thrips, mealybugs, etc. Green lacewings aren’t very strong flyers, so they will stay in your plants/garden during their life cycle which is 37-60 days. I’m personally making the switch to treating my plants as naturally as I can and have stopped using systemic granules for some time because: 1. It reduces the resistance that the harmful pests will develop from these chemicals and attack my plants in a harsher way when they do attack. 2. I want to avoid harming the beneficial pests that our plants have along with affecting the pollinators/insects/and birds with our plants outside. 🫧Leaf cleaner I use is just water and a few drops of Castile soap and for the isopropyl rubbing alcohol, be sure to use no more than 70 percent!

[@emilymack8060]

Have you ever tried ladybugs? What are your thoughts about using them?

[@lindseysgreencanvas]

Would you be able to link where we can buy these? I am so interested in trying this for my next outbreak.

[@TheOnlyKontrol]

@@emilymack8060lady bugs are great as long as they end up liking the environment you put them in…I’ve heard many stories of even the native species just leaving after a few days because who knows why…probably not enough food or not the right plant or environment. Also a lot can end up dying. Lady bugs love aphids. I actually had them come to my garden naturally this year because of my aphid infestation. Their larva form eats way more aphids then even the lady bugs themselves.

[@LaurylSydney]

I had mealybugs and could NOT get rid of them! I tried neem oil paired with inspecting the plant daily with rubbing alcohol. The thing is that the newly hatched ones are barely visible and not even white yet! Thankfully, I only had them on one plant that came infested. So I unpotted her, soaked her in a hydrogen peroxide/water/natural soap/neem oil bath for about 3 hours in a sealed tupperware filled to the brim. Sounds like overkill, but so far, it worked and my hindu hoya really didn't seem to care. I think I'm already seeing new growth, but this was about 10 days ago. Hopefully, those terrible fuzzy buggers are really gone. And it gave me an opportunity to try pon. Love it!😊

[@Sabrina-sc1db]

Don't they eat the plants?

[@TheLady05]

Girl I found ONE mealie, ONE time on my Hoya Linearis.......🤦‍♀️ It was a whole crime scene! I grabbed the plant! Threw up the caution tape! There was rubbing alcohol everywhere! I kept yelling at my fiance to, "STAY BACK!!! We have an infestation here!!" Lost my whole entire mind! 😂😂

[@frannypie.]

sounds like me 😂 dramatic twins!

[@TheLady05]

@@frannypie. Heyyyyy dramatic twin!!! 👋🤣

[@neenaspeakstruth]

🤣🤣🤣 not a whole infestation

[@stephaniegregorin9327]

😂😂

[@NaturallyThick08]

Currently me!!

[@chrissiemulligan3436]

“Yea….You’re welcome for that information.” Fades out…. 😂😂😂 Thank you for the info while also always keeping me laughing!!!

[@PlantswithKrystal]

🫣😂 I gotta keep it real. Thank you so much for your support here!

[@aedalam]

Can we have longer videos about natural pest treatments?? I’m super curious and I’d like to learn more

[@spreid_]

Girl you are my fav plant youtuber, I am continuously so impressed with your collection!!

[@PlantswithKrystal]

Thank you so much!!!! 🫶

[@christineworsfold7431]

Wanted to let you know, tobacco tea sprayed on your plants works amazingly well. I'm not sure how long or labour intensive your way is, but this way, you spray once and done. No harm to your plants. Bugs of all sorts hate it. Just thought I'd let you know about this too if you didn't already know. My boyfriends grandad was a horticulturist and used this method and taught it to us. ;) Cheers girl! Love your content.

[@phenixwars1]

Does it have a smell?

[@alexsummers1897]

I’ve been used a cotton bud with my isopropyl alcohol BUT A PAINT BRUSH IS A GENIUS IDEA

[@princessdi6021]

I love the lean out at the end!

[@PlantswithKrystal]

Got to tell the truth here =)

[@melax3gir]

I’m going to start charging them rent then! This is unacceptable

[@averybudny6008]

That last comment made my skin crawl but I still love your videos😂

[@PeachesAndDeath]

Yeah!!!! I love bugs! And I'm always so shocked how grossed out people are by bugs, like, they are everywhere man. You *can not* get rid of them you live with them, they help life, they keep you you're pets your plants and the earth alive. How are you grossed out by something thats taking care of you, protecting you even. (y'all dont know about the fact there is a spider within five feet of you at all times. They protect you the most too, spiders kill a large *large* amount of pests bugs. Big or small.) I love the natural route, I'm doing that with my plants right now and so happy to see a way to take care of pests. Definitely saving this to get these later for my plants.❤ Thank you

[@pinstripesuitandheels]

Those hundred insects are why I welcome spiders in my home. Enjoy the buffet, my leggy friends!

[@lindseysgreencanvas]

same! well, the small ones, bigger ones get the door, but I have been known to allow one big one to camp out in my laundry room in the winter, definitely didn't name them 😏

[@pinstripesuitandheels]

@@lindseysgreencanvas the big ones and I have an understanding. I won't get in their way of they don't get in mine. If they do get in my way, I let them crawl up a tea towel, which I then gently shake out outside. This is usually accompanied by little shrieks.

[@sommyxox]

This is perfect timing as I just got a Hoya Compacta mailed to me that already has mealy bugs on it 😭 it's in solitary isolation

[@eponawarrior7492]

Thank you for this!!! I've been trying to figure out natural pest control because my cats like to eat my plants. The whole reason all my plants are non toxic is because of their shenanigans 😂

[@fuguwa]

just remember that many plants are toxic to cats and eating them will cause even death

[@PlantswithKrystal]

And the lacewings are not toxic for your pets either 🙌🏽

[@giraffles]

I knew the bug fact only because my cats love to hunt them 😂 pour one out for all the spiders that have become snacks

[@tpaige4890]

I have a spider colony. I live in the carribean. Mosquitos on another level. Lovely And elvin stay in their cornor helping me out!!!

[@personneici2595]

Rubbing alcohol didn't help me. I sprayed with 2 cups filtered water and 1 tsp unscented Castile soap once a week for 4-6 weeks and that did it. ❤

[@karlareyes4688]

I love your eco friendly pest control 😊 I'm a beginner plant mom and any help I can get is very welcomed 😊😅

[@justinamontgomery2618]

You are giving me lots of good bug options!

[@socksaisillesofargoz]

I needed this 3 weeks ago before i bought 500 adult ladybugs lmfao 😭😭😭😭😭

[@phantomkate6]

For indoors? Brave.

[@jennifergeorge7280]

Oof

[@frannypie.]

i almost did the same 😂 luckily i found one outside and kidnapped her and omg she ate all the thrips in less than a week!!

[@rugbycarebear]

😂 you're not the first plant parent to do this!

[@priscillayg]

@@frannypie.I should’ve done this. a ladybug landed on me today and I’m currently fighting a thrips infestation 😂

[@user-vd6sl7lt6y]

I love your content soooo much! You inspired me to get so many plants! I really want to get a monstera but I don’t really know how to care for it.

[@meganthings]

Go for it!! Look up a few videos, they're easy all you need is a stake or moss pole for stem support as they grow 🪴😊

[@user-vd6sl7lt6y]

@@meganthings thank you so much! I will look into it. I have been trying to find a small one so I can watch it grow.

[@stephanievineyard2249]

My mom's alocasia got mealies recently, I spent like 30 minutes with her just hitting all of them with rubbing alcohol. It's a big plant!

[@daliciamatos8114]

I will never sleep again 😂😅 I'm absolutely terrified of bugs

[@francoiseperez21]

Thank you for the information! Me 🏃‍♀️ on my way to start cleaning every corner of my house.🏡 🤣 seriously though I hate them little bugs. Love the videos girl.🤍

[@emilymirandaluz]

I'm in Florida, 100 is a modest number.

[@xclusivegrower]

You taught me something new today thank you. 😁👍

[@modaciouslav4792]

I think I learn something new every video she posts. I’d love to be her neighbor/friend! ( not in a weirdo creepy way tho 😂)

[@xclusivegrower]

@@modaciouslav4792 I agree... she would definitely be a fun neighbor to have around.

[@shit_tiger]

Mealy bugs are the bane of my existence. The war with them will never end. Ever since i found out that the males have WINGS I've just felt defeated.

[@PlantMom470]

Omg WHAT!

[@nativesrilankan7545]

Those are the tiny, white, moth like bitches right? I have so much hate for them!!!!!

[@sandracolon4600]

Oh my goodness you're a lifesaver! I've been having problems with this same issue and using the 70% alcohol method. However, I get so tired of doing it because they seem to come back. But I'm definitely going to try out the little critters that you were talking about in this video. Thanks a million Krystal! ❤🥰😇🤗

[@PenguinLlama]

Her "oh no" señora voice is my favorite, makes me so happy.

[@cafedetaza83]

I have two super crowded aloe vera pots outside (they have been in the house way long before we bought the house, so I guess they have around 20 years). This year, I was watering them with the other crassulas and I saw this little white fuzzy bugs all in the aloe's crowns and other planta. The only solution I found was to pull out the dirt, separate every plant, clean the dead leaves and damaged roots and clean the healthy parts with alcohol and a lot of patience. I just did it on one pot to try the effectiveness and now I have 14 aloe veras living in a salad bowl with no soil BUT no pests 😊 I still remember all the cuts I got for trying to clean them to quickly :'D

[@rhiannonm8132]

i don’t think i could get my roommate on board, but i’m definitely interested in this form of pest management!! do they really not spread to the rest of your house…? i would love to see more updates :-) thanks for covering this topic!!!

[@melaniekeeling7462]

Spiders! I love 'em.

[@vanessawhitneypro]

Thank you for ALL of your tips!

[@ExhaustedScarf]

I use Regal Jumping Spiders for my pests! I have pet Jumpers, so a few extras for pest managment isn’t bad at all. I do have a dedicated plant room, though, to keep everything contained. Guests don’t like my employees wery much, so I keep them and the spiders safe by separation. Plants in the rest of the house get lacewings and others, lol. Also, there are humid little lighted cloches with Drosera in them next to each plant, because f**k fruit flies.

[@NightmareGlitchFox]

Wait there are about 100 bugs in my house? Yay more things for me to talk to :D

[@Sylvia_15]

There’s also eyelash mites so even if you don’t wanna deal with THOSE mites you’ll always have more friends living on you at all times :)

[@rachellandis7011]

Keep spreading that good good info!

[@bowieSears]

Me eho owns a Tarantula: I see this as a complete win

[@Sheree_Monique]

I didnt need to know that last lil bit of info, now I'm itching

[@NaS94612]

My outdoor petunias have spider mites and after treating them I toss out the outfit I wore outside in the trash and take a loooong shower and even then I feel like I have bugs crawling on me. I’m not an indoor plant girlie but love your content

[@minikvarghese1499]

Thanks for the information ❤

[@beingagift]

Yes!

[@kalina2443]

One time a green lacewing landed on my hand while I was walking home from work so I brought him home to my apartment and we were best friends while I ate my snack and then I put him on one of my plants and never saw him again I miss him

[@stephanylopez9017]

Thanks for the reminder 😂

[@PlantswithKrystal]

Anytime 😊

[@Ultraa_ray]

Dealt with mealy bugs for the first time with my 3 orchids a week ago… I FLIPPED OUT bc I’ve never seen them in person before so I went crazy with the alcohol, 3% HP & soapy water. Lost some blooms in the fight but the babies will survive! 😂❤

[@mtc1801]

Awesome trick!

[@bestofworld90]

Thank you I’m having the worse pest issue with my plants and this is very helpful!! Lollll at the ending!!

[@Missashliem]

I’ve been meaning to get these

[@shadeinthedesert]

Oh my God. I just threw out two plants that had this bizarre white fuzzy stuff on the leaves. I had never seen it before, that was mealy bugs? Had no idea it was fixable!

[@Popedishsoap]

Will the lacewings become a flying pest problem in the house tho? Also, if they're omnivores, is there a concern about them going for the plants that you're trying to save? 😭 I'm very curious and would love to try these, but I am a bit hesitant for these reasons!!

[@Sabrina-sc1db]

I wonder the same thing

[@erin9868]

Idk about whether or not they'll all survive to adulthood but I do know that green lacewing larvae are aggressive little bastards that bite. Hard. There's a 0% chance I would dump them into my house.

[@eidtnaci]

Thanks for the information

[@dylanndzero]

Pro tip: Jumping Spiders are your Ally in the bug wars.

[@bateham90]

Fades out at the end 😂☠️

[@jennifergeorge7280]

When I first got into plant I had my brothers beautiful jade plant and it got mealie bugs bad. I got so horrified I threw it out. REGRETS. Now I know I could have solved it. I was too new. I didn’t know. RIP lil brudder’s jade.

[@taylorsaquatics]

Thanks now I’m terrified.

[@jyvaineorchids2255]

There is more lol What about the spidermites in our bed ?

[@PlantswithKrystal]

So sorry 🫣

[@ryanstardust_]

​@@jyvaineorchids2255or the mites that live on your eyeballs

[@nyashajones4198]

Thank you for the alcohol info. Tried Neem oil and it just stinks and triggers my son's asthma.

[@PlantswithKrystal]

Oh it reeks so badly!

[@anneboostrom2810]

I'm fighting them right now! It came from a succulent I didn't check before buying. It slowly spread from plant to plant. Once I get one healthy after quarantine I find another!!! Now my two biggest plants are quarantined. Say a prayer!

[@munkeybutt]

So once they become grown lacewings, are you able to keep them in your house? Or do they need to be moved back out into the yard?

[@jessicacalderon-rico89]

"You have over a hundred insects living in your home right now." Thanks for the nightmares, Krystal. I won't be sleeping for the next week.

[@PlantswithKrystal]

So sorry 🫣😂

[@jessicacalderon-rico89]

@@PlantswithKrystal 🤣

[@rjoni123]

ive been looking a lot into this because i am afraid of bugs being in my house (i know they are there, but choose to believe they are not) I just bought some Neem oil. Im not sure how toxic it is, but it smells terrible. this is what i was reccomended by a few plant friends and a few garden shops that are local. the idea of using bugs to kill bugs makes my skin crawl :( I have only used it on one plant to spray the dirt due to a white mold starting to develop. It quickly solved that issue and i made sure to put the plant up away from others for a few days after. I have also heard that cedar shavings will help deter bugs from your plants id you place it on the top of the soil. We did this in the salon i worked at and we never had issues with pests in there outside the norm.

[@maggielandrey7232]

Make sure they are native or non-harmful invasives!!! Always, always check!😊

[@cat0holic]

I'm in Central Texas, mid- drought. I'm sure it's close to 1827372746483 bugs in my house right now. They search for water!

[@MrFox23]

Ive thought about ladybugs, but never thought of other types of bugs. You are a genious. *side note, i have no idea how this became a thing, but some people will make a water mixture with their tampons. They use their menstration as a fertilizer. I'd rather the bugs 😂

[@PlantswithKrystal]

Im going to skip doing that myself 🫣

[@PSYCHDEGREE63]

😮😮😮 no thanks, hard pass 🤮🤮

[@denuitsmoongardens8474]

Wtf is this for real??

[@TeenaGonzalez-id7tw]

OMG I saw that white stuff on my pepper leaves I thought it was Paint because I was getting my house done but then after it was done I still was seeing the white stuff

[@kerrihiggins2106]

Right now I'm battling gnats and ALL of my plants and stupid aphids on my daughters hibiscus... We had been dealing with spider mites all winter with her hibiscus and when it was summer, I put it outside and treated it and finally got rid of them. After being out in the sun and heat all summer and not having spider mites, the plant has flourished and got massive and looks beautiful and very healthy! I treated it multiple times before bringing it in so we didn't bring anything inside as well as inspected it... Well... Apparently that didn't work and I missed something 😡😩😭 so, now it appears we will be battling aphids. Which are causing leaves and blossoms to grow wonky 😑 I. Can't. Win! 😩 But I refuse to give up!!

[@sousafamilygarden]

Thank you from. 💚#sousafamilygarden💚

[@MonicaElena310]

Girrrrrl why you do me like that😭 i don’t want to know about all those bugs in my home. Ima spend the whole week in deep cleaning.😂😊

[@Salamander_Slander]

I know about those spiders in the corners tho. I leave them there for protection from the bugs I rlly don’t like…like house centipedes **shivers and pretends not to cry**

[@diazcz2697]

I probably have more than that since i live in the country 😂 got tired of fighting spiders so were roommates now 😂

[@Greenteabook]

Well I DID see the giant spider in the corner yesterday, but now that I DON'T I really want to know where it WENT!

[@Birchlead]

My spiders pay rent in the form of eating all the other bugs lol!

[@Vampiress01]

I've noticed my big bucket of soil has a small colony of centipedes! I've checked my plants and can confirm there is at least 1 in every pot. I think they are responcible for keeping my gnats in check 😈

[@jessicapower8585]

😂 oh yeah... thanks so much for the 100 insects information 😳🫣😬❤

[@N8SAY]

We have bugs on our face for that matter. .

[@PlantswithKrystal]

Yes! Very true too!

[@latrisewilson2619]

😂 Sis! i won’t be able to sleep tonight 🤣

[@PlantswithKrystal]

So sorry 🫣😂

[@S3XYdriver]

And I’m never going to sleep again 🎉🎉

[@alexisyork1544]

You can also use neem oil, follow dilution instructions on bottle. It smells weird, but it leaves a nice shine on the leafs.

[@phantomkate6]

My coleus and bush beans didn't like the neem oil solution very much. Lost LOTS of leaves after the first application. Also it only worked on spider mites. The fungus gnats are unaffected. YMMV.

[@autumnrain1892]

I have wild spider friends that handle that for me. 😂

[@Lorvay]

I might not no all of them on a first name basis but I am aware of those insects!

[@katiemeloche1607]

Our house is probably over 1000 because we live in the middle of nowhere and we have bugs everywhere.

[@SailorCatWashu]

wow my lantana died from the mealy bugs. I need to purchase the lacewings

[@kaylavaldivia7903]

Her:100 bugs Me:… ÆÆÆ

[@begarza8218]

Mealy bugs showed up in my yard at the beginning of the summer. I have no idea where they came from. We’ve lived here 18 yrs have never had a problem. I mixed alcohol, Dawn, and water. I would spray my house plants that were outside that’s where they showed their little white fuzzy faces 😡 Then I noticed them in the backyard A LOT OF THEM. Not sure how many batches I made in my spray bottle but they met their maker when they stepped into my yard and started suckin my plant babies dry. Think again.

[@MissBibi2000]

Thx!! I hear rubbing alcohol and the live little buggies to eat the pest. But your sound is almost gone after your voice over..... 😶😧 What do you use as a leave cleaning solution? Thx again!! Absolutely love your video's!!💖

[@lynneviti5124]

GURL!! I have 4 flies flying around my apartment right now, and I don't know how because ALL my windows are locked and closed. I live on the ground floor😢😢 Over a hundred?!! Please say it isn't so!

[@Patrickhashxpatty]

Beneficial Insexts don’t mess with humans. The only ones that ever bother me are the harmful ones. Been wanting to get lacewings for a bit. Have a good amount of rove beetles and good mites that eat any bad bugs up. But damn gnats just never stop breeding it’s so hard to get rid of them.

[@modaciouslav4792]

PLEASE HELP!! I have ‘assassin bug nymphs’ all over my plants outside. So far they don’t seem to be doing any damage but I also can’t seem to kill them or at least repel them, which is what I’d prefer to do.. suggestions pleeeeeease!! 🙏🏼

[@angelakeal1476]

Yup!

[@ssar2857]

I spray Tea tree oil and peppermint oil on soil even centepede is gone in patio

[@ellakitty4458]

I KNEW IT Okay so I had a plant in my room and it had this white glob on it but it didn’t look normal and I didn’t know what to do so I just took it off and kept it away from my other plants

[@timetravelkitty425]

Def way more than 100😂 spiders are useful and I try to leave them alone lol

[@CanopysGlow]

Fun fact: You are never more than 6 feet from a spider at any point in time... 24/7 365 days a year. 🕷️

[@beastmode-ht8ou]

Mealy bugs are the absolute worst. I've been going after them with isopropyl alcohol and neem oil, but they still keep coming back

[@nativesrilankan7545]

I always get a sick kick out of putting alcohol on mealy bugs. 😈 I also hate ants who cultivate them. I had to give up hardening cause it caused me so much heartache to see my beautiful tomatoes being killed by nasty mealies.

[@donnaleesoucy]

I genuinely don’t know if I can say thank you for that information. 😂😂😂😂😂

[@rdrgz6217]

I wonder if that amount of insects is counting the ones we eat without knowing…

[@JennyoftheAK]

My dear I did not need to know that. How am I supposed to sleep tonight?! 😵

[@sheiselwilliams1]

How often do you add more lacewings? That's why I never kill spiders!🕷 (non-poisonous anyway)

[@paigens0725]

Help!!! I have a jade succulent that I’ve kept alive for a whole year! BUTT a spider made a home all over it and I’m too scared (arachnophobia) to touch it! How to I prevent spiders from claiming my baby as it’s home??

[@priscillayg]

I need those 100 bugs to start paying a dollar each for rent 🤨😂