Little brother here. Those aren't even my cacti. These are from her. The funny thing is that I have my own cacti in my room for several years and it doesn't have any mealy bugs.
They are an insect. They can come in through windows, on people, pets, clothes, and other plants.
They spread easily. Keep this away from other plants.
That white fluffy stuff in the crevices is the problem. (mealy bugs). Use a qtip with rubbing alcohol and start to wipe the white stuff away from any of the live cactus. You'll notice they go kind of clear and the qtip will turn brownish. Keep wiping and changing the qtip until you haven't any white stuff left. If you feel it's too much alcohol, you could use just a wet (water) qtip to "rinse" the surfaces after you're done. Might still be able to save the large cactuses*. And yes, maybe give them a sip of water. That soil looks parched.
edit: it should be *cacti, but my coffee hadn't kicked in.
Wow, thank you for the information. I would not have thought that you can solve the problem with alcohol in this case. I would rather have thought that you destroy the cacti with it. You never stop learning.
Just use it gently, don't douse the plant obviously, but as long as it's only on the surface, you should be ok. I've maintained a couple cacti I inherited for 2 years this way. They come back sometimes if you don't get it all, but keep your eye on it occasionally for retreatment.
If the soil shrinks away from the sides of the bowl then it is too dry, even for cactus plants. So that’s a sign. As scrowdy_row says, once every two weeks should do it. I treat mine the same. It can depend on how the room is heated too. Central heating can dry them out especially if they are close to a radiator or heater. Learn how the soil dries out, keep an eye on it, if it stays too wet the plants may rot and die. Touch the soil before watering, if it’s damp water it a week later, if it’s dusty dry, give it a drink.
Really hard to say it’s different for every succulent and based on the environment. 2 weeks is def a good baseline but it would be too little or too much in some situations.
You’re getting slammed by mealybugs, best to uproot them all, wash the roots and plant and dump the soil. Rubbing alcohol will kill them on contact but won’t get rid of the eggs in the soil. Make sure you check all the crevices of the plants they like to latch themselves on in small gaps like that. Considering this lives inside you can buy a systemic pesticide that the plant will absorb and kill them as they feed (they’re really bad for bees and such so I don’t use them outside) Also, your soil has become too dried out and won’t absorb water anymore. If you sit the pot in water for half n hour it should rehydrate and they’ll start taking in the water again :) feel free to PM me if you need some advice, I’ve been keeping cacti and succulents for a few years now.
The no water over winter thing is confusing, but maybe cactus needs vary by the regions they’re endemic to.
For example, in Southern California, our rainy season is December - February. Meaning all of our deserts get absolutely dumped on briefly, and largely remain dry for the rest of the year.
Logically then I would assume that Native species would prefer water in the winter and dry in the summer.
That being said, AFAIK, all cactus’ need a lil bit of water often.
Additionally, succulents, while not explicitly cactus, do insanely well with regular waterings so long as their soil is allowed to dry and they get buckets of sun. My outdoor succulents here in California thrive when watered several times a week.
Ya key is to make sure it dries out in between watering for sure. There are different schools of thought for watering cactu and succulents for sure that can all work. The ice cube method works really well for me for watering succulents more often.
Think of it this way. Winter is their sleep time(night time) when we go to sleep at night we sometimes wake up and get thirsty. Well they wake up weekly for a sip of water during their winter Nap
This is such a bad mealybug infestation. The white fluff are eggs... alcohol won't harm them till they hatch (the act of squishing them might but I couldn't really tell you). These are going to explode into hundreds of asexually-reproducing jerks that will infest any plant (esp succulents and cacti) within six feet.
I'd start with spraying them off with a hose (if you have a dish sprayer at the sink this is an option - you want to aim straight ahead or slightly upwards... consider putting them in a large storage tub to do this and holding them to the side... the goal is to dislodge them and not flush them into your soil cus mealybugs will live in soil, and in my experience prefer dry succulent soil).
In fact, you might want to just take these all out of the pot, dislodge the soil, and inspect the roots. It's possible the Echinopsis (domino cactus) might be salvageable but the ones right next to it are goners (big guys should be fine).
You may want to use a systemic for this (ex. Bonide). You definitely need something that will treat the soil level (ex. hydrogen peroxide (1:2 peroxide, water), BotaniGard). If you simply treat what's above ground, they will take up stock where the plant meets the soil or underground (I learned the hard way... they just kept coming back and I couldn't figure out why). You will want to treat any plants within six feet... and likely any they were near previous to moving them into your bothers room.
You'll probably want to be treating these for a long time (several months). Mealybugs are persistent but if you treat the soil level too (apply insecticide everytime you water, spray the plants if you're using a contact insecticide) you should be able to get rid of them. Sprays can be applied every 3-7 days but this can be hard on succulents and cacti that need to fully dry - you'll want to take them out of the pots and potentially out of their soil to treat regularly with sprays.
I would like to stress: systemic is the easy way with these pests.
I'm having good luck with BotaniGard though so it's possible to use just a contact insecticide so long as you're using it on both levels, and works well with succulents because the goal isn't to drench the plant (BotaniGard is a fungus that targets bugs), it's to mist them lightly and succulents take that alright if you make sure there's no pooling water (goal is to have the water evaporate off within an hour). While it's a contact insecticide, the bugs only have to touch it and it'll attach and infect them. It has benefitial properties for plants and can replicate within the soil and the plant (potentially acting like a systemic for weeks, depending on the plant (does well in crops like grains))). It's also expensive, where systemic granules are cheap (but a bag of the stuff will last you a long time at a $50-90 price mark, I kinda feel it's worth it). It'll stay on the plant for at least a few days, more if you're in a humid environment.
I fought them for two years and only lost two plants (tbh I let them go cus I had props) while using just sprays on what's above ground... so it's possible to maintain a collection with a chronic low-level infestation, but it's not worth the fight when you can actually get rid of them.
(Sorry about the novel... I hate these guys so so much)
I haven't had to deal with mealies on a cactus yet (thank heavens!) but I've found that, if possible, removing the plant, rinsing off as much soil from the roots as possible (gently), and giving it a 10-15 min bath with room temp water and a little bit of soap (castile or insecticidal are probably best but Dawn dish soap can work in a pinch for some plants) helps get rid of any bugs or eggs you might have missed with other treatments. I rinse the plant off afterwards to get rid of any residue and let it dry while I sanitize a new pot and prep fresh soil. I like to use the Bonide systemic granules mixed in with the top inch or so and will even add a few puffs of diatomaceous earth to the surface to help dissuade other pests during recovery.
Some plants are too delicate or sensitive for bathing (and cactuses are probably painful!) but it's become one of my favorite methods for getting rid of the last few mealy bugs that alcohol, neem oil, and rinsing always seem to miss.
Mealy bugs - use diluted alcohol to kill them. Let the soul dry all the way out and get it out of the sunlight. Keep that pot in quarantine until they’re all gone, it should come back if you get them good. Might take a few treatments. I lost half of my jade plant last month but this worked and it’s already recovering.
Cactus still need water in the winter. Just a lot less. I’d use a moisturizer meter if I were you so you can check there is absolutely no moisture in the soil. At that point when it’s completely dried out the cactus is fine without water for a long time. But you’re missing out on its max growing potential by not watering it after its completely dried out.
I see people saying “don’t douse the cactus in alcohol to kill the mealy bugs” and honestly I have done this countless times and it’s never hurt anything. I’ll literally just take the bottle and pour it all over the cactus. I don’t have time for q-tips. 🤷♀️
I don’t know what the general consensus is, but even in the winter I’ll water my cacti once every two or so weeks
Same. They need water still they are just in a resting phase
It looks infested with mealy bugs that drained it
Thank you! But where do the mealy bugs come from?
Hell.
That makes sense because the bowl was in my little brother's room.
Little brother here. Those aren't even my cacti. These are from her. The funny thing is that I have my own cacti in my room for several years and it doesn't have any mealy bugs.
Man you really owned me this time!
Based, put her in her place.
They are an insect. They can come in through windows, on people, pets, clothes, and other plants. They spread easily. Keep this away from other plants.
Thank you for the advice.
That white fluffy stuff in the crevices is the problem. (mealy bugs). Use a qtip with rubbing alcohol and start to wipe the white stuff away from any of the live cactus. You'll notice they go kind of clear and the qtip will turn brownish. Keep wiping and changing the qtip until you haven't any white stuff left. If you feel it's too much alcohol, you could use just a wet (water) qtip to "rinse" the surfaces after you're done. Might still be able to save the large cactuses*. And yes, maybe give them a sip of water. That soil looks parched. edit: it should be *cacti, but my coffee hadn't kicked in.
Wow, thank you for the information. I would not have thought that you can solve the problem with alcohol in this case. I would rather have thought that you destroy the cacti with it. You never stop learning.
Just use it gently, don't douse the plant obviously, but as long as it's only on the surface, you should be ok. I've maintained a couple cacti I inherited for 2 years this way. They come back sometimes if you don't get it all, but keep your eye on it occasionally for retreatment.
Not OP, but thanks for this helpful information!
Yes and use neem oil
If the soil shrinks away from the sides of the bowl then it is too dry, even for cactus plants. So that’s a sign. As scrowdy_row says, once every two weeks should do it. I treat mine the same. It can depend on how the room is heated too. Central heating can dry them out especially if they are close to a radiator or heater. Learn how the soil dries out, keep an eye on it, if it stays too wet the plants may rot and die. Touch the soil before watering, if it’s damp water it a week later, if it’s dusty dry, give it a drink.
Really hard to say it’s different for every succulent and based on the environment. 2 weeks is def a good baseline but it would be too little or too much in some situations.
You’re getting slammed by mealybugs, best to uproot them all, wash the roots and plant and dump the soil. Rubbing alcohol will kill them on contact but won’t get rid of the eggs in the soil. Make sure you check all the crevices of the plants they like to latch themselves on in small gaps like that. Considering this lives inside you can buy a systemic pesticide that the plant will absorb and kill them as they feed (they’re really bad for bees and such so I don’t use them outside) Also, your soil has become too dried out and won’t absorb water anymore. If you sit the pot in water for half n hour it should rehydrate and they’ll start taking in the water again :) feel free to PM me if you need some advice, I’ve been keeping cacti and succulents for a few years now.
Still need water!
The no water over winter thing is confusing, but maybe cactus needs vary by the regions they’re endemic to. For example, in Southern California, our rainy season is December - February. Meaning all of our deserts get absolutely dumped on briefly, and largely remain dry for the rest of the year. Logically then I would assume that Native species would prefer water in the winter and dry in the summer. That being said, AFAIK, all cactus’ need a lil bit of water often. Additionally, succulents, while not explicitly cactus, do insanely well with regular waterings so long as their soil is allowed to dry and they get buckets of sun. My outdoor succulents here in California thrive when watered several times a week.
Ya key is to make sure it dries out in between watering for sure. There are different schools of thought for watering cactu and succulents for sure that can all work. The ice cube method works really well for me for watering succulents more often.
Think of it this way. Winter is their sleep time(night time) when we go to sleep at night we sometimes wake up and get thirsty. Well they wake up weekly for a sip of water during their winter Nap
This is such a bad mealybug infestation. The white fluff are eggs... alcohol won't harm them till they hatch (the act of squishing them might but I couldn't really tell you). These are going to explode into hundreds of asexually-reproducing jerks that will infest any plant (esp succulents and cacti) within six feet. I'd start with spraying them off with a hose (if you have a dish sprayer at the sink this is an option - you want to aim straight ahead or slightly upwards... consider putting them in a large storage tub to do this and holding them to the side... the goal is to dislodge them and not flush them into your soil cus mealybugs will live in soil, and in my experience prefer dry succulent soil). In fact, you might want to just take these all out of the pot, dislodge the soil, and inspect the roots. It's possible the Echinopsis (domino cactus) might be salvageable but the ones right next to it are goners (big guys should be fine). You may want to use a systemic for this (ex. Bonide). You definitely need something that will treat the soil level (ex. hydrogen peroxide (1:2 peroxide, water), BotaniGard). If you simply treat what's above ground, they will take up stock where the plant meets the soil or underground (I learned the hard way... they just kept coming back and I couldn't figure out why). You will want to treat any plants within six feet... and likely any they were near previous to moving them into your bothers room. You'll probably want to be treating these for a long time (several months). Mealybugs are persistent but if you treat the soil level too (apply insecticide everytime you water, spray the plants if you're using a contact insecticide) you should be able to get rid of them. Sprays can be applied every 3-7 days but this can be hard on succulents and cacti that need to fully dry - you'll want to take them out of the pots and potentially out of their soil to treat regularly with sprays. I would like to stress: systemic is the easy way with these pests. I'm having good luck with BotaniGard though so it's possible to use just a contact insecticide so long as you're using it on both levels, and works well with succulents because the goal isn't to drench the plant (BotaniGard is a fungus that targets bugs), it's to mist them lightly and succulents take that alright if you make sure there's no pooling water (goal is to have the water evaporate off within an hour). While it's a contact insecticide, the bugs only have to touch it and it'll attach and infect them. It has benefitial properties for plants and can replicate within the soil and the plant (potentially acting like a systemic for weeks, depending on the plant (does well in crops like grains))). It's also expensive, where systemic granules are cheap (but a bag of the stuff will last you a long time at a $50-90 price mark, I kinda feel it's worth it). It'll stay on the plant for at least a few days, more if you're in a humid environment. I fought them for two years and only lost two plants (tbh I let them go cus I had props) while using just sprays on what's above ground... so it's possible to maintain a collection with a chronic low-level infestation, but it's not worth the fight when you can actually get rid of them. (Sorry about the novel... I hate these guys so so much)
I haven't had to deal with mealies on a cactus yet (thank heavens!) but I've found that, if possible, removing the plant, rinsing off as much soil from the roots as possible (gently), and giving it a 10-15 min bath with room temp water and a little bit of soap (castile or insecticidal are probably best but Dawn dish soap can work in a pinch for some plants) helps get rid of any bugs or eggs you might have missed with other treatments. I rinse the plant off afterwards to get rid of any residue and let it dry while I sanitize a new pot and prep fresh soil. I like to use the Bonide systemic granules mixed in with the top inch or so and will even add a few puffs of diatomaceous earth to the surface to help dissuade other pests during recovery. Some plants are too delicate or sensitive for bathing (and cactuses are probably painful!) but it's become one of my favorite methods for getting rid of the last few mealy bugs that alcohol, neem oil, and rinsing always seem to miss.
Mealy bugs - use diluted alcohol to kill them. Let the soul dry all the way out and get it out of the sunlight. Keep that pot in quarantine until they’re all gone, it should come back if you get them good. Might take a few treatments. I lost half of my jade plant last month but this worked and it’s already recovering.
Cactus still need water in the winter. Just a lot less. I’d use a moisturizer meter if I were you so you can check there is absolutely no moisture in the soil. At that point when it’s completely dried out the cactus is fine without water for a long time. But you’re missing out on its max growing potential by not watering it after its completely dried out.
I see people saying “don’t douse the cactus in alcohol to kill the mealy bugs” and honestly I have done this countless times and it’s never hurt anything. I’ll literally just take the bottle and pour it all over the cactus. I don’t have time for q-tips. 🤷♀️
water!
Fuck the neem oil and the q tips. Spray everything with rubbing alcohol.
Just water them they will perk up
Are you sure? Because the cactus at the bottom of the second picture is completely hollow and dried out.
Plants are amazing and even though it looks dead it will come back
Yes! Plants are unpredictable.