Root Awakening: Papaya plant has mealy bugs

Sucking insects infesting papaya leaves

How do I get rid of the white spots on my plant?

Chia Teck Wah

The white masses could be mealy bugs, a type of sap-sucking pest. Use a strong jet of water to wash them off and a pesticide like summer oil to suffocate them.

Apply the pesticide thoroughly and repeatedly on all parts of the plant, as mealy bugs multiply and spread very quickly.

Prune and discard badly infested leaves, as the pests hide inside the crinkled portions, which are very difficult to remove.

Papaya plant is diseased

My papaya plant’s leaves have started turning yellow, but its trunk and fruit still look healthy. What is wrong?

Lee Yau Hoon

Your papaya plant looks to be in the advanced stages of a fungal disease and should be disposed of.

Check the upper part of the plant, near the growing tip. Does it look dehydrated?

Also, the roots are likely rotten or diseased.

This issue often manifests during the rainy season, as excessive moisture can cause roots to become infected and rot. It is best to grow your plant in well-draining soil in a raised bed or large pot.

Pandan plant infested with sap-sucking pests

My pandan plants’ leaves have been turning yellow and brown. The plants are located in my flat’s corridor and are watered almost daily, and should be getting sufficient sunlight. What is wrong?

Joyce Chern

Inspect your plant for pests such as scale insects and spider mites. These two pests are commonly seen on pandan plants in high-rise gardens.

You can use a cloth soaked in diluted soap solution to wipe them off. After this, spray the plant thoroughly with summer oil pesticide to suffocate any remaining pests. Ensure thorough coverage of the plant and do so only during the cooler part of the day. Repeated applications are often needed.

Pandan likes to be grown in a sunny spot and moist soil, with at least six hours of direct sunlight daily. Stressed plants are prone to disease and pest attacks.

Growing media can be reused if treated correctly

How many times can the soil in plant pots be reused? I use the soil to grow short-term edibles such as vegetables, cucumbers, long beans and melons.

Teo Chia Hsia

Growing media, especially soil, is a finite resource and should be sustainably managed.

In your case, after every crop, remove all remaining plant material from the previous crop, especially diseased parts. Some gardeners find it useful to fallow their growing media for several months, especially if the previous crop had a disease. By not using the growing media during that period, the growing media can dry out.

Where possible, keep the growing media in a clear, closed container where it can get full sun, so the greenhouse effect can take place. This is a form of soil solarisation that uses heat to kill pests and disease-causing organisms.

Check the growing media’s structure. Dense, heavy mix will need fresh organic matter such as compost, which will help to improve drainage and aeration. Fertilisers can be added to increase the nutrient pool for the subsequent crop.

Always practise crop rotation – that is, grow a crop that is different from the previous one, preferably from another botanical family. This will reduce the likelihood of pests and disease.

Dracaena can be propagated from stem cuttings

How do I propagate the iron plant in the first picture? Also, what is the plant in the second picture and how do I grow it?

Mary Tan

The plant with a long, lanky stem is a Dracaena. This species can be propagated via stem-cuttings.

You can cut the stem into sections about 20 to 30cm in length with foliage, and cut any large leaves in half to reduce transpiration loss. These stem sections can be then planted in well-draining soil in a bright, cool location. Keep the soil moist and they should root in a month or two.

Do not cut the plant too close to the ground, but leave the stump standing at least 50cm high so it can produce new growth.

The potted plant looks like a dragonfruit plant. These can grow quite large and heavy.

It will need a strong wooden post or another vertical support structure, as it will produce aerial roots that attach to the structure. The plant also needs to be grown in a sunny spot and well-draining soil.