Marseille soap against cochineals

Marseille soap against cochineals

Among the most harmful and often damaging infestations for the quality and quantity of citrus fruits we remember the cochineals (improperly coccidia (Coccoidea Handlirsch, 1903), a superfamily of phytophagous insects included in the order of Rhynchota (suborder Homoptera, section Sternorrhyncha).
In order to fight these insects, we often attack with dangerous insecticides, for human health and for the ecosystem (among which we remember the phosphorganics) without taking into account that many infestations arise from a bad use of chemical fertilizers (especially nitrogen), from an unbalanced pruning of the plant, by overly-developed specializations, etc.

However, when this occurs we can adopt natural remedies. These include Marseille soap, which proves to be an effective natural method against cochineal infestations, acting as a suffocating agent for the parasite that can no longer breathe.
To prepare this insecticide do it yourself just dissolve 20 grams of soap in flakes in a liter of water, and once perfectly emulsified, spray it on the plants (in the evening) repeating the operation 3 times every 3 days. You can also create a solution with 150 grams of Marseille soap flakes and 150 grams of sunflower oil to be sprayed with the same process. In the absence of Marseilles soap, equivalent quantities of liquid soaps used routinely for cleaning dishes can be used, but Marseille soap is the most environmentally friendly.