Many families prefer to grow papaya trees in their home gardens or terraces, which both helps bring a green space and can harvest lush green fruits. However, mealybugs or white patches like flowers clinging to the leaf stem and fruit are common conditions that make papaya trees stunted and fruit dark.
Accordingly, housewives can refer to how to handle the above situation with a few simple but highly effective tips.
How to identify mealybugs
Cicadas on papaya trees are easily recognizable because of the white powder covering them, usually concentrated on the underside of the leaves and fruit intersections to absorb sap. Another recognizable sign is the appearance of ants. Ants protect the caterpillars from natural enemies and help them move to other branches in exchange for fresh juice.
When seeing ants crawling all over the tree, it is highly likely that mealybugs are hiding nearby. At the same time, the black soot layer clinging to the leaves is also a consequence of the discharge of the mealybugs, making the papaya tree less developed.
Treat bedbugs with dish soap
This is a simple way that housewives can do quickly but bring immediate results. Mix about 10ml of dish soap with 1 liter of water, shake well and spray directly on white bedbug nests.
This solution breaks the waxing layer, causing bedbugs to suffocate and die quickly. After about 2-3 hours, use a strong spray bucket to wash with soap foam. This method saves costs and ensures that papaya after harvest is always fresh and safe to eat.
Killing aphids with a mixture of alcohol, garlic and chili
If aphids attack a lot, housewives can kill them with a mixture of wine, garlic and chili. Puree fresh garlic and chili, soak in white wine for a few hours, then filter out the diluted juice to spray on the plant.
The pungent smell and antiseptic properties of the mixture will wipe out mealybugs and ants. This method is quite safe for living space, especially for families with young children or pets to help protect the garden in the most natural way.
Prune and clean the roots regularly
Housewives should pay attention to regularly pruning old and diseased leaves and clearing weeds around the base of the papaya tree. Creating a ventilated space not only helps the tree easily catch the sun but also detects aphids as soon as they appear.
A clean tree root helps prevent pests and diseases from returning as well as ensures that the fruit crops are always plump and sweet for the family.
