Hey everyone! I'm currently dealing with a bad mealybug infestation on my indoor plants, and I'm planning to do a thorough clean-up. My strategy is to remove all the soil, rinse the roots to get rid of any pests, spray them with 70% isopropyl alcohol to kill any lingering bugs, wash it off again with water, change the soil, and then add some systemic granules to help with long-term health. I'm wondering if using isopropyl alcohol directly on the roots could cause any unexpected damage. Any insights would be greatly appreciated! By the way, my plants are on a windowsill with a grow light most of the day.
2 Answers
You could try using diluted Castile soap instead! I came across a video showing how well it works for pests without damaging roots. It seems pretty safe to use since it doesn’t have harsh chemicals like alcohol. Plus, it’s always good to soak the plants completely like they show in the video to really get to the bugs.
I've used isopropyl alcohol in the past, and it can be effective against pests, but I wouldn't recommend soaking the roots directly. It might cause some stress to the plant. Since you're cleaning off the soil, you might want to consider using diluted hydrogen peroxide instead, as it's generally safer for the roots. However, if you're careful with the application, it may work without too much trouble!