Question
I got a beautiful bougeinvilla plant that is bloomomg indoors but suddenly there are small round fluffy cottony balls at the base of and underside of leafes.I suspect it's a fungus and I don't think that a soapy solution would be helpful Any suggestion? The available green products don't usually work and I feel it's not effective.Have any special recipes, that I could use.The flowers are beginning to shrivel. Thanks for any help You van provide me with.Marianne from Canda

Answer
Hi Marianne, there are a few things you can try..
Many natural ingredients also repel cottony aphids if you want to simply get rid of the aphids without killing them. Pepper is a natural repellent that can be sprayed onto leaves by mixing 2 cups of water with 2 tsp. of any pepper powder (chili, cayenne or jalapeno).
Peppermint also repels aphids as well as a host of other insects. Mix 2 cups of water with 20 drops of peppermint oil in a spray bottle, and spray onto plant leaves and surrounding areas. Alternately, crush a few handfuls of peppermint or mint leaves and sprinkle throughout the lawn and garden.  This should help you out.  Also if it is raining and you can put your plant out for a quick rain shower to get some good nutrients into the soil and wash off the leaves also helps.  kathy