Natural remedies against cochineal

Its attack can be deadly to any type of plantFrom a vegetable to a flower. And its activity closely resembles that of aphids, others sworn enemies of our crops.

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What

The cochineal is a doubly insidious insect. It is small, with a slender, elongated body, and thanks to these characteristics it can camouflage itself extremely easily. It is very sexually active, and therefore reproduces continuously and with enormous numbers of individuals ready to attack any type of plant. Yet, even against such a treacherous enemy, we can overcome it with some very effective natural remedies.

They are the bane of anyone who cultivates a vegetable garden, a garden, or a terrace. These insects attack leaves or stems, seeking the sugars contained within. These tiny parasites, ranging in size from half a millimeter to a few centimeters, are truly devastating to plants, especially young ones, which attack the leaves, but also the shoots and roots. Yet scale insects can be tackled and eradicated, especially with careful prevention, based on natural, organic cultivation techniques, and without the use of herbicides.

How to recognize cochineal

They are actually a relative of aphids, in the Rhynchota family, and as many as 7 species have been recorded. They are easily distinguished from other insects by their waxy covering, a shield-shaped cap that can be either rigid or rubbery, depending on the species. Male scale insects have wings, while females do not, and sometimes, after laying eggs, they also lose their wings. Reproduction occurs sexually.

Remedies to stop cochineal insects

To stop cochineal insects, you need to know that these insects prefer very warm and humid environments, and their most ferocious attack season is summer. When should we take preventive action? Ensure your plants are well hydrated and expose them to sunlight: cochineal insects dislike the sun's rays.

Natural water for washing the leaves

Wash the leaves with natural water and prune them regularly. Another essential thing is to pay attention to the vases, an object that scale insects use as a gateway to attack plants. Pots should be cleaned especially at the base, where the scale insects emerge, and at the top edge, where sunlight doesn't reach.

Marseille soap

If yours plant If you've already been attacked by cochineal insects, you'll need to take drastic action. And even in this case, you can use a very effective natural remedy. Here's the recipe we offer: results, if you act promptly, are guaranteed.

Necessary

Natural Marseille soap 85 g
1000 ml hot but not boiling water
Spray bottle, wooden or glass rod, kitchen grater

Method

Grate the soap.
Place it in the water and let it dissolve using a chopstick and stirring frequently (it may take several hours).
Pour the solution into the spray bottle.
After about 24-48 hours the solution is usable.
Spray the plant every other day until the scale insect has disappeared.

How to tell if your plant has been attacked by cochineal insects

The symptoms of scale insect attack are clear and obvious. First, the leaves turn yellow, losing their freshness and color. Then, various spots appear that cover the leaves. leaves, generally wrinkled by these insects. Watch out for ants: they are an important thermometer for signaling the arrival of scale insects. Ants, in fact, are very fond of the honeydew produced by scale insects.

Natural remedies

There are also other natural remedies you can try to stop cochineal insects. Let's start with various oils.

white oil, which you can spray with a spray bottle, but not to be used in summer;
tea tree oil, which has a repellent function;
linseed oil obtained by cold pressing flax seeds;
Alternatively, use denatured alcohol, soaking a small brush in it and then brushing it over the affected leaves, one by one.

Another option: you can try removing scale insects with a toothpick and a damp cloth. Again, this should be done individually on each leaf. If the attack affects the roots, the natural treatment becomes more complex. First, you must remove the soil from the roots with warm water, then cut off the infested parts and immerse the unaffected parts in a solution. insecticideOnce they look clean, you can repot them in clean pots with new soil.

Lemon plants and cochineal

Lemon plants and leaves are among the main targets of cochineal insects. You can notice this quickly, and hopefully in good time, by the yellowing of the leaves, the white spots that appear on the underside of the leaves (like small pieces of cotton thread), the siege of the antsWhat to do? First, try water, thoroughly, and then remove the most affected leaves. Finally, if any scale insects are still resisting, use our Marseille soap recipe.

When to do the treatment

Plant treatment against cochineal works better if it is preventive, and not after the infestation has already arrived. The ideal time to intervene is early spring or fall, before winter arrives and its frosts. These are the ideal times to treat plants with white oil, which will stop both adult insects and larvae. Obviously, it's best to thin out the foliage and prune the outer branches before applying this highly effective natural remedy against scale insects.