The Desert Rose is immune to the attacks of many pests. Scale insects are unfortunately an exception. But how do you recognize an infestation and how do you get rid of the pests?
Scale insects are on the underside of the leaf[/caption] As the name suggests, the desert rose is a plant that comes from a very warm homeland. To be precise, it comes from the steppes of Africa and Arabia. The desert rose is correspondingly robust. After all, it has to survive the dry season here.
And even though she has to endure it, she still blooms beautifully all summer long. The desert rose is virtually indestructible. But something can bother her a lot. We're talking about scale insects. If you spot an infestation, act quickly.
How to recognize an infestation
A single female scale insect can lay an incredible 2000 eggs a year. Even with a very low survival rate, population growth is the rule. The be-all and end-all of successful defense is therefore early detection of the infestation.
The most common crime scene for scale insects is the underside of the leaf. If you notice a sticky, colorless to whitish substance there, this is a serious warning sign. These are probably scale insect excretions, the so-called honeydew. The scale insects themselves can only be clearly seen with a magnifying glass as brownish or greenish bumps on the leaf tissue. These are the protective shells, i.e. the shields of the female animals, to which the pests owe their name.
Once you have recognized the early symptoms, you need to act immediately. Isolate your desert rose from all other ornamental and crop plants to prevent rapid infestation. And then do the following.
What you can do in case of an infestation
❏ Use beneficial insects:
Beneficial insects are your natural allies in the fight against scale insects. The predators of scale insects include parasitic wasps, lacewings and ladybirds. You can get the larvae of these beneficial insects cheaply in theGarden trade. However, their use is only effective indoors. If you simply place the little animals on desert roses that are standing free in the garden, a large proportion will emigrate and look for food elsewhere. You can find out how to use beneficial insects in the garden here.
❏ try proven home remedies:
If you cannot or do not want to keep your desert rose in a closed room together with beneficial insects, we recommend using tried-and-tested home remedies first. Chemical control methods are still available as a last resort. However, the chemical bludgeons usually kill pests and beneficials indiscriminately. So please try these home remedies first:
➜ Nicotine Broth:
Pour 100 grams of tobacco into half a liter of hot water, wait an hour and then strain the broth. Then paint this onto the desert rose with a brush. Repeat this procedure for at least three days in a row.
➜ Tea Tree Oil:
Apply some tea tree oil neat to the desert rose with cotton swabs. Coat the pests if possible.
➜ Soapy water:
Make a sud of curd soap and warm tap water and use it to wipe the desert rose over a large area. You should repeat this procedure every day for at least a week.
➜ Alcohol:
Put some denatured alcohol in a spray bottle and spray a large area on your desert rose outdoors. Be careful not to inhale the fumes. Repeat the procedure no more than three times.