If you have a turtle vine plant, you may have noticed small, white, waxy bumps on the leaves. These are called lerps, and they are actually the protective covering of a tiny insect called a psyllid. While lerps won’t usually harm your turtle vine plant, they can be unsightly and may attract other pests. Here’s how to get rid of lerps on your turtle vine plant.
The first step in getting rid of lerps on your turtle vine plant is to prune any affected leaves. Use sharp, clean scissors to cut off any leaves that have excessive lerps or that are heavily damaged by the psyllids. Dispose of these leaves in the trash, not in your compost pile.
After pruning, use a strong blast of water to wash off any remaining lerps and psyllids. A hose nozzle attachment with a strong jet setting works best for this task. Aim the water at the underside of the leaves, where the psyllids tend to congregate.
Once you’ve pruned and washed your turtle vine plant, it’s time to apply a natural insecticide like neem oil. Neem oil is derived from the neem tree and is a safe and effective way to control psyllids and other garden pests. Mix one tablespoon of neem oil per quart of water in a spray bottle and shake well before use.
Spray the neem oil mixture directly onto the turtle vine plant, making sure to coat both sides of each leaf thoroughly. Repeat every seven to ten days until the infestation is under control.
To prevent future lerp infestations on your turtle vine plant, it’s important to maintain good plant health. Make sure your plant is getting enough sun, water, and nutrients to stay strong and healthy. Avoid over-fertilizing, as this can attract pests like psyllids.
Even after you’ve eradicated the lerps from your turtle vine plant, it’s important to monitor the plant for re-infestation. Check the leaves regularly for signs of new lerps or psyllids, and take action immediately if you see any.
Lerps are small, white, waxy bumps that appear on the leaves of plants. They are actually the protective covering of a tiny insect called a psyllid.
Lerps won’t usually harm your turtle vine plant, but they can be unsightly and may attract other pests.
Look for small, white, waxy bumps on the leaves of your turtle vine plant. You may also notice tiny insects flying around the plant.
Chemical insecticides can be effective against psyllids and other garden pests, but they can also harm beneficial insects and pollinators. It’s best to use natural insecticides like neem oil instead.
Apply neem oil every seven to ten days until the lerp infestation is under control. After that, you can use neem oil as a preventative measure every two to four weeks.