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Jul 5, 2017 7:10 PM CST
Thread OP
Name: Cheryl
North of Houston TX (Zone 9a)
Region: Texas Greenhouse Plant Identifier Plant Lover: Loves 'em all! Plumerias Ponds
Foliage Fan Enjoys or suffers hot summers Tropicals Garden Ideas: Master Level Garden Sages Million Pollinator Garden Challenge
I have a massive flag grass plant in the ponds edging with mealy bugs. How can I treat it without harming the water?
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Life is short, Break the rules, Forgive quickly, Kiss slowly, Love Truly, Laugh
uncontrollably, And never regret anything that made you Smile.
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Jul 6, 2017 1:22 AM CST
Moderator
Name: Paul Anguiano
Richland, WA (Zone 7a)
GW & DG: tropicalaria
Forum moderator Charter ATP Member I was one of the first 300 contributors to the plant database! Garden Ideas: Master Level Garden Sages Garden Photography
Enjoys or suffers hot summers Tomato Heads Organic Gardener Greenhouse Native Plants and Wildflowers Herbs
I hate mealybugs. They get down in between the leaf sheaves, making them near impossible to eradicate. Most things that will kill insects will also kill fish, so be careful with any sprays. If you can submerge the plant for a day to suffocate them, or remove the plant temporarily to treat with a short-lived product like soaps or azamax, that can help. Wiping down each leaf with a soap or oil product can knock them back, but besides being ridiculously tedious, it won't get the ones at the base of the leaves (or even around the roots!) where they are known to hide. Lots of things eat mealybugs, if you have a healthy predator population. I don't know of any way to deal with them in situ around fish besides a war of attrition.
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Geodesic Greenhouse
Years ago my mother used to say to me, she'd say, "In this world, Elwood, you must be" - she always called me Elwood - "In this world, Elwood, you must be oh so smart or oh so pleasant." Well, for years I was smart. I recommend pleasant. You may quote me.


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Jul 6, 2017 1:35 PM CST
Thread OP
Name: Cheryl
North of Houston TX (Zone 9a)
Region: Texas Greenhouse Plant Identifier Plant Lover: Loves 'em all! Plumerias Ponds
Foliage Fan Enjoys or suffers hot summers Tropicals Garden Ideas: Master Level Garden Sages Million Pollinator Garden Challenge
Thanks @psa I guess it's safe to say the part that is submerged isn't affected. There are no fish in that pond but there are tadpoles. I don't care about them but I don't want kill them outright either. I think I will try ladybugs and hope they hang out and enjoy a BIG feast.
Life is short, Break the rules, Forgive quickly, Kiss slowly, Love Truly, Laugh
uncontrollably, And never regret anything that made you Smile.
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Jul 6, 2017 3:08 PM CST
Moderator
Name: Paul Anguiano
Richland, WA (Zone 7a)
GW & DG: tropicalaria
Forum moderator Charter ATP Member I was one of the first 300 contributors to the plant database! Garden Ideas: Master Level Garden Sages Garden Photography
Enjoys or suffers hot summers Tomato Heads Organic Gardener Greenhouse Native Plants and Wildflowers Herbs
If you're actually rooted down under that water, that is a big help. At that point, any kind of mechanical cleaning you can do to decrease their numbers on the top will help. Good luck.
Mid-Columbia Gardens
Geodesic Greenhouse
Years ago my mother used to say to me, she'd say, "In this world, Elwood, you must be" - she always called me Elwood - "In this world, Elwood, you must be oh so smart or oh so pleasant." Well, for years I was smart. I recommend pleasant. You may quote me.


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Jul 6, 2017 3:18 PM CST
Name: Kurt
Woodbridge , Va (Zone 7a)
Jai guru deva om
Region: Ukraine Bird Bath, Fountain and Waterfall Overwinters Tender Plants Indoors Wild Plant Hunter Hummingbirder Butterflies
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you can knock the mealy bugs off with with a good blast of a hose , but not the egg sacs
A pint can't hold a quart , If it is holding a pint it is doing the best that it can.
and it is written ,
if the evil spirit arms the tiger with claws , brahman provided wings for the dove.
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