Hello; I have a selection of lithops (10 plants) in 2 pots which have been infested with mealy bugs. I have removed the plants, trimmed the fine roots being careful not to damage the tap root and sprayed them confidor (to kill the mealy bugs). How long should I wait until replanting? I am of the thought that I should wait until the roots have calloused - maybe 3 weeks or so. Advice appreciated as I've had these lithops for over 8 years! Thank you, WilloW
Hey willow, hope your lithops are OK. Just discovered this forum LOL. Have you tried sprinkling some cinnamon powder on and around it after repotting? Most bugs and fungus HATE cinnamon, and it doesn't hurt the plants at all. I'd recommend you microwaving the new pot of soil (wet it first so it'll steam, of course) for 10 mins or so to sterilise it and kill any bug eggs. Let it cool, then move them lithops.
Hi Lithops... Thanks for your note. I ended up removing the lithops from the soil, spraying with confider 3 times over time, letting them dry out, re potting and watering. They seem to be a lot heather now. I'm in the southern hemisphere so the growing times are the opposite to the northern hemisphere. I think cinnamon may loose its potency relatively quickly requiring frequent reapplication - but I will try this in future as I do mot like chemicals Iain
