I don’t mean to be a Debbie Downer, but today’s post is about a big, fat whomp, whomp.
Just a few weeks ago, I bragged about my new fiddle leaf fern and how I loved it and how it added some color in the great room, and how it softened the space, and on and on.
Well, here she is today. I know…… Fern failure…..Not only did I bring home a fern, but I also brought home a fern full of mealybugs. About a week after she arrived, big brown spots and holes started appearing on the leaves. At first I thought maybe she just didn’t like the new surroundings, and she was adjusting. Afterall, sometimes ficus trees lose all of their leaves when they are moved. After another week, I started looking a little closer and spotted some little furry white dots. I did some research and identified them as mealybugs.
I mixed a detergent and water solution and washed every. single. inch. of every. single. leaf. A week later, it was worse. At this point I called the locally-owned nursery whom I bought it from, and they said clean the leaves with an insecticide oil. That didn’t work either. (And as an aside, I might add that I have never had any problems with plants I have purchased in the past from big box stores, but this time I bought it from a local company, and it is now bug city).
Cindi says
Put it in your garage.
Donnamae says
Since I’m an email subscriber…I just got your post this morning. What did you do? I hope you took Cindi’s advice and pit it in your garage. I have a fiddle leaf too…and while it does have brown spots…it doesn’t have bugs. They are one finicky plant though…I’ve managed to keep mine alive for 7 months. Good luck! 😉
Janette says
Donnamae, I put it in the garage. I have decided to cut off the damaged leaves, give it a big ole drink of water with plant food, and cross my fingers. When I am certain the bugs are dead, it can come back in.
Alicia@ eco friendly homemaking says
We have owned several Fiddle Leaf Figs over the years and they all have done this. It didn’t seem to matter where we purchased them from, they all had either mealy bugs or scale. They are so pretty and unique looking but it seems that this plant is very susceptible to this happening.
Kim Hites says
That’s a bummer to buy a plant locally and this happens. The garage was a good idea. I for one wouldn’t bring it back into the house either…..I hate mealybugs.