I bought an Echeveria as a cutting through online, and after unboxing I found some infestation. I noticed some mealybugs walking around and some blackish colored insects, most probably spider mites, on the cracks of the leaves. I rescued the plant from the infestation and ended up with a healthy rooted plant.
I kept the process simple and careful because succulent type plants can be sensitive. Here is exactly what I did from unboxing to recovery. Follow these steps to clean, treat, and repot safely.
Succulent Pest Control: Unboxing Check
This was the look of my plant after unboxing. You can see something black stuck on the cracks of the leaves, and it looked like some molds were formed. I also found some mealybugs.
Succulent Pest Control: Step 1 – Fungicide Wash
First of all, I washed the cutting using fungicide mixed water to remove the molds or other fungus if it has. I generally use man concept containing fungicides. I mixed up half teaspoon amount of fungicide powder in one liter of water.
Then I poured the plant into the solution and left it for about five minutes but not more than seven minutes, and then took out the plant. Keep the plant in a bright and cool place under a ceiling fan to allow water to dry. Make sure that no water gets stuck in the cracks of the leaves.
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Succulent Pest Control: Step 2 – Insect Treatment
The next day I took precautions to remove the mealybugs and spider mites. To remove insects I used imidacloprid, which is an all-purpose insecticide. It is used to control sucking insects such as mealybugs, aphids, spider mites, and it is used to remove termites, nematodes, and some soil insects.
I made a mixture by adding three drops of imidacloprid in 20 ml of water. Then I took some water with a thin hair paintbrush and with it cleaned the colonies of mealybugs and the black insects. Usually I do not use two types of pesticides at the same time because I think it can cause damage or can weaken the plant, mostly the succulent type plants.
Now you can see the plant is looking clean enough after using the pesticide. Once again I dried the water with the help of air. Keep the leaves dry and clean at this stage.
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Succulent Pest Control: Repotting and Recovery
I ultimately repotted the plant. This is the present situation – now the plant has roots and has new growth on the top. A gentle routine and patience helped the cutting settle and recover.
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Final Thoughts
Wash for fungus first, dry carefully, then treat pests the next day with a targeted mix. Avoid using two types of pesticides at the same time on succulents. Keep airflow high, keep water out of leaf cracks, and repot once the plant is clean and dry.