This blog post is written by guest Marisa Siegfried, owner of The Plant Bar. Marisa and her husband, Jaret, took a dream and created a thriving business. Marisa provides tips on how to care for houseplants in this blog.
When it comes to houseplant pests, the best preventative measure is good regular care and thoroughly checking the plant weekly.
Improper care or growing conditions can make a plant weak and more susceptible to pests. Over or under watering, little to no humidity, and extreme temperature changes can all weaken a plant.
Your first step to preventing pests (and keeping your plants healthy in general) is to always identify your plants and do research to make sure you are providing the specific care that your plant needs. Good lighting and consistent watering are key!
Houseplant pests are usually very small and often difficult or impossible to see. it’s easy to miss a pest problem until it’s too late! Which is why frequent inspection of your plants is so important! Look closely at the stems and leaves, undersides of leaves, and any new growth, which is usually where you will find them hiding. Webbing, drooping, yellowing, small new growth, and spots on the leaves are all common signs of pests and need to be addressed right away!
Make sure you are isolating new plants for a couple weeks after purchasing before adding them to your collection. Just to make sure they’re not carrying any pests! When it comes to your precious plant collection, it’s much better to be safe than sorry!
When pests are discovered – first, remove as many pests as possible (either by spraying them off with water or removing them with a Q-tip) Second, treating with some form of insecticide.
We’ve created a product called Leaf Wellness which is a natural & organic peat preventative and leaf shine! We recommended using it weekly on all your houseplants to keep them pest free, and looking their best! The ingredients are: Neem oil, distilled water, Castile soap, peppermint oil, and silica. It not only smells good, but it is effective against preventing and fighting spider mites, thrips, aphids, mealy bugs, and scale.
Neem oil (which is the main ingredient in our Leaf Wellness spray) is a plant-derived oil that makes insects’ hormones go haywire, interrupting their appetites. but it is natural, organic, effective, and gives the foliage a beautiful shine!
You can find out more about the Plant Bar by visiting https://www.theplantbarco.com/.