Content

• Steps
• Method 1 of 4: Removing small clumps of insects with rubbing alcohol
• Method 2 of 4: Using neem oil for potted and shaded plants
• Method 3 of 4: Using insecticides
• Method 4 of 4: How to Prevent Felting Infestations

Felting insects are small white insects that feed on plant sap. Although felts are small, if not removed, they can cause significant damage to plants and the garden. If the plants begin to wilt and die, felt makers may be the culprit. To keep your plants green and healthy, use one of the felting methods.

Steps

Method 1 of 4: Removing small clumps of insects with rubbing alcohol

1. 1 Dip a cotton swab in 70% rubbing alcohol. Do not use other types of alcohol to avoid further damage to the diseased plant.
2. 2 Wipe the surface of the infected plant with a cotton swab. Be sure to wipe the back of the leaves and between the branches. Felters, as a rule, hide in hard-to-reach places, so it is so important to treat the entire surface of the infected plant with alcohol.
3. 3 Use a spray bottle to spray large plants with alcohol. Fill a spray bottle with rubbing alcohol and spray over large plants infested with felts.
4. 4 Remove all felts from the plant. Outwardly, felt like small white sponges with a waxy shell. Pick up insects with your hand and discard them in the trash can.
   • Felts will not bite, but wear garden gloves to prevent the waxy coat from remaining on your fingers.
5. 5 Repeat this procedure every week until the insects are gone. Since felters hide in hard-to-reach places, you will likely have to process the plant several times before they are all killed. Even if the insects are no longer visible, treat the plant a couple more times in case you missed something.
   • You will understand that the felts are finished when they stop appearing on the plant, and the plant itself turns green again.

Method 2 of 4: Using neem oil for potted and shaded plants

1. 1 Mix water, liquid dish soap, and neem oil in a spray bottle. Take 1 teaspoon (5 ml) neem oil and 2-3 drops of dish soap. Neem oil is a vegetable oil that is obtained from the seeds of the neem tree and can be used to kill felt felts.
2. 2 Treat the infected plant until it is completely saturated with the resulting solution. Spray under the leaves, at the base of the branches and on the top of the soil where the plant is planted. Felts must be completely covered with neem oil.
3. 3 Move the plant to a shaded area to dry. Do not leave the plant in direct sunlight or heat, otherwise it may "burn". If you need to treat plants that are planted in the ground outdoors, wait for an overcast day when the temperature drops below 30 ° C.
4. 4 Spray the plant weekly until the felts are gone. Treating with neem oil alone will likely not kill all of the felters on the plant. Since felted insects have a short life cycle, you will have to regularly kill newly hatched insects until they are all destroyed.
   • If the plant looks healthy, and felt no longer appear on it, most likely you have coped with them.

Method 3 of 4: Using insecticides

1. 1 Prune all infected branches before applying the insecticide. Infected branches can be identified by their white waxy coat. Pruning will help get rid of some of the felt and increase the effectiveness of the insecticide, since then the insects will have nowhere to hide.
2. 2 Use an insecticide designed for ornamental plants. If you are not sure what the insecticide is for, check the package label. Do not use insecticides that are not intended for ornamental plants to avoid damaging the infected plant.
   • Here is a list of ornamental insecticides that can be used to kill felts: acephate, malathion, carbaryl, and diazinon.
3. 3 Spray the plant with insecticide. Leaves and branches must be soaked with insecticide. Be sure to spray the insecticide under the leaves and at the base of the branches.
   • Follow the instructions that came with the insecticide for the best results.
4. 4 Process the plant regularly until all felts are killed. More than one spray may be needed to kill all insects on a plant. Read the instructions for the insecticide to find out how often you can apply it without harming the plant.
   • If the plant looks healthy, and felt no longer appear on it, then they are most likely done with.

Method 4 of 4: How to Prevent Felting Infestations

1. 1 Inspect new plants for felts before planting them in the garden. Look for small, round, white insects. If you see any felt felts on a new plant, pick them up and discard them. If the plant has a lot of insects, discard it or return it to where you bought it.
   • Never plant a plant infected with felt insects in the garden, otherwise the infection will spread to other plants.
2. 2 Check your plants regularly for felts. Systematically address small outbreaks of infestation to prevent large felted infestations. If you find felts on one of the plants, pick them up by hand. If the plant is heavily infested, remove it from the garden to prevent the infestation from spreading further.
3. 3 Throw away gardening tools that are contaminated with felts. Felters can gather on garden tools such as shovels, pruners, and pots. Check your tools for felts and do not use them to prevent insects from spreading to other plants.
4. 4 Try not to fertilize plants with nitrogen. High nitrogen levels can lead to faster spreading of felts. If the plants do not need nitrogen fertilization, use fertilizers that do not have it.