I set my houseplants outside every summer.
They love it and thrive but it seems some of
them always bring assorted bugs in with them,
when they come back in the house for the winter.
What is a good way to get plant pests off your houseplants?
P.S. does anybody know what would case a sticky residue
to form on your house plants which also gets on the pot
and where ever its setting??
The residue is honeydew - the excreta from assorted pests - aphids, scale, whitefly, mealybug .....
I dose/spritz my plants 2 weeks before they come in, and again JUST before they come in with a mix of:
1 pint rubbing alcohol
1 pint very hot water
1 tsp pure, cold-pressed neem oil
3-4 drops Murphy's oil soap
Add neem & soap to hot water & shake well. Add alcohol. Spritz plants thoroughly, covering all surfaces - especially underside of leaves & leaf axils. Be sure to shake vigorously as you use the spritzer to keep the neem mixed with the solution. Works great - the neem oil renders all the insects it contacts unable to complete metamorphosis or reproduce, while the alcohol provides reasonable knock-down for current generations.
Al
Thanks Al!
I will definately try your recipe.
Hi Cottage_Rose, Is the plant in your picture a begonia? It sure it pretty :)
Yes its a begonia but I no longer have that one.
I haven't seen one like it since.
Wish i would of saved it.
Thank you for sharing tapala, I will use your recipe
Thanks, for the receipe. None of my plants were treated before coming in. We had been traveling for several weeks and my son & DIL brought them in for me. De-bugging just wasn't in the picture at the time. I have found a few bugs here and there and am in the process of spot treating.
I noticed that there is a neem co-op going on right now. I'll be ordering some tomorrow. Most of my plants are looking very good but I still see some small signs of a few insects here and there.
