Small white bugs on indoor gardenia. No effect on the plant at all, but loads of itty bitty white bugs. A few leaves have a sticky residue and few have tiny bits chomped out of them, but the plant looks heathy. Offten find them in dish under plant pot. Have tried: soap and water and Garden Safe Schultz insecticidal soap, I even washed the outside of the pot and dish several times.
It sounds like it might be aphids. Try liquid seven. they sell the ready mixed spray bottles now. Spray the entire plant top and underneath the leaves, and also the top of the soil. Follow the directions for frequency on the bottle.
Small white bugs that look like little blobs of cotton would be mealy bugs and mealy bugs also secrete honeydew, which is sticky. The other small white bug would be white fly, but white fly does fly when the plant is disturbed, so if you don't see the bugs fly, your plant probably has mealy bugs. Mealy bugs are one of THE hardest pests to get rid of. I would get a systemic insecticide and also continue treating the plant with insecticidal soap every 7 to 10 days. Also, check around the plant to see if the insects have laid any egg masses on or near the plant (small cotton-like blobs in the axils of the leaves, more than likely). Good luck, Mike
the initial poster of this thread is unregistered so their location is unkown but, in Canada there are no systemic insecticides registered for use by consumers. And soon to be no systemic fungicides either I hear. In such case an insecticide with pyrethrin would be a good choice, some of the soap products have pyrethren mixed in.
Generally, I use Orthenex to rid my gardenia and other tropicals of pests. Once done, I will follow up with a mixture of Dawn detergent (2 tablespoons original blue) mixed with 2-3 cups water and two tablespoons cooking oil after a few days. Then use the soap mixture again in 3 more days. In my Zone 10 area, it is not uncommon for mealy bug to re-occur. If I keep on top of it with the soap solution, the problem is no problem. Sherry Port Charlotte FL
We too have a gardenia that has mealy bugs. I wonder if the receipe for 2tablespoons dawn to 2-3 cups water isn't too strong? does nay one have another idea on this? We are located 150 miles south of PV in Mexico so the plant is outside. Thanks Heading back to BC in 2 weeks hope to bring the sun with us
If the pot is small enough, I'd wrap the base in plastic wrap to hold the dirt in, tip the thing sideways on the edge of the bath tub, then gently rinse it under the shower while gently rubbing any part of it I could. Hopefully you'll be able to wash off most of the bugs and eggs, so there won't be as many to get rid of with the various suggestions everyone else has posted.