Posts Tagged ‘indoor plants’
Oh those mealy bugs…
Neem Oil
Last week, our blog about Neem oil mentioned how the latter was not necessarily a good remedy to get rid of pest insects such as mealy bugs or aphids affecting indoor plants (Trevor Thomas did point out, though, that once a plant is treated for such pest insects, Neem oil was effective in keeping them from returning.) How, then, does one get rid of pest insects such as mealy bugs or aphids?
To answer that question, we are reposting our blog from last year offering very concrete, step-by-step advice on how to go about treating pest insects, mealy bugs in particular on indoor plants:
“If you notice a little ball of white fluff on one of your plants, take a closer look. You may have a mealy bug problem. There are many kinds of mealy bugs but the one that seems to be most common in houseplants in North America is the citrus mealy bug. In as far as your houseplants are concerned, the name has nothing to do with citrus fruit, nor with the fact that you may enjoy eating oranges and grapefruits.
Mealy bugs
Adult citrus mealy bugs are not very mobile and especially like to congregate tightly in protected parts of the plants such as in the crevice where leaves join the stem. You will also find them on leaves, especially young tender ones. The adults are covered in a hairy waxy coating that has a slight pinkish hue. Younger mealy bugs are very mobile, darker, not covered in hairy wax, and can easily move from one plant to another in search of tender leaves and stems where they latch on and start draining fluids from the plant.
Mealy bugs are difficult, but not impossible, to get rid of.
The first thing you should do is isolate and treat the infected plant. You should also isolate the neighboring plants as they may be infected too. Be sure to wipe down any surfaces like window ledges in between the plants to kill any stragglers with insecticidal soap.
To get rid of mealy bugs, be sure to wet all surfaces of the plant including any crevices or cracks in the stems where they may be hiding with insecticidal soap. Be sure to retreat again with insecticidal soap after 3 or 4 days. One of my biologist friends dabs the mealy bugs he find with a Q-Tip dipped in rubbing alcohol. This is VERY labor intensive and, he says, has never helped him to completely get rid of the problem completely. In a recent blog post, I recommended neem oil as an alternative to insecticidal soap. Several people wrote to me to suggest that a combination of insecticidal soap and neem oil works best. I.e. apply the insecticidal soap, repeat the application a few times and then take the neem oil approach. The advantage of neem oil is that it stays on the plants and makes them unpalatable to new croppings of mealy bugs or other pests as they hatch. Soap is generally not effective once it has dried up.”
Insecticidal Soap
http://www.biofloris.com/blog_en/2010/02/treating-mealy-bugs-on-indoor-plants/
More about the advantages of Neem oil
One of our readers, Trevor Thomas of Burnaby, British Columbia, recently sent us this text about Neem oil.
“I was first introduced to Neem oil through the Vancouver Orchid Society as an insect repellent. Neem oil is derived from a tree that grows in India. It is a brown oily substance and from what I know, it is extremely bitter, hence its insect repellent qualities. It is non-toxic which makes it ideal for indoor plants.
Pure or mixed?
You can purchase Neem oil in its pure form and mix this with liquid soap or you can purchase it in a mixed concoction. In the past, when I’ve looked for Neem oil, it was hard to find in its pure form. I have seen it sold and marketed as a spray that you can use to enhance the texture of the leaves on your plants.
Desirable effects
A desirable side effect of Neem oil is that it leaves a shiny waxy texture on the leaves of plants that you spray it on. However, I find it is best suited as an insect repellent. If your plant is infected with mealy bugs or aphids Neem oil may not be your best bet in killing these pests, but once you’ve eradicated the bugs then I would definitely recommend a weekly regimen of Neem oil.”
Neem Oil
Write to us
Let us know when, how and in what form you use Neem oil. We’d love to hear more on the topic! Also, you can read or re-read or post from last year:
http://www.biofloris.com/blog_en/2010/02/neem-oil-for-indoor-plants/
Dying to go outside but indoor plants need care (Part 2)
Indoor Plants
Today’s blog is a continuation of Tuesday’s blog about fertilizing indoor plants. Enjoy the reading and let us know if you have any further ideas on ensuring your indoor plants are getting the right nutritional elements, properly.
It really is a good idea to tend to our indoor plants now if we want to fully enjoy gardening outdoors in the spring!
“In my blog last week, I closed off by saying that the best types of fertilizers for indoor plants are those which come in liquid or powder form.
Of course, to choose a fertilizer, you must take into account your plant’s needs. For example, if your plant is about to flower, then a fertilizer with a stronger concentration of potash will encourage plant vigor. On the other hand, if you find that the leaves of a given plant are beginning to look anemic, a fertilizer with a stronger concentration of nitrogen would be better.
Also, of course, organic fertilizers are what I recommend.
Natural Fertilizers
Fertilizers which come in pellet form, used for outdoor gardening, are not recommended for indoor plants because they take too long to dissolve.
There are no strict rules when it comes to the frequency at which you should fertilize indoor plants, except in those cases when artificial lighting is widely used. Because plants exposed to artificial light are constantly exposed to light, they cannot really differentiate between seasons and/or day and night. Therefore, they can be fertilized once a week; however, be sure to water them with clear water at least every four to six weeks in order to get rid of excess fertilizing matter present in the soil.
Plants exposed to natural (sun) light do not need to be fertilized as often. A good time to fertilize is when you start noticing that your plant star to form new leaves. It is not always necessary to follow product instructions. Many times, you will be the best judge of when it is opportune to apply fertilizer. It is a good idea to fertilize a flowering plant repeatedly when buds start to show, right until the actual appearance of the flower. Plants with large leaves tend to grow more slowly and require fertilization only about every three months or so. However, the sudden yellowing of these plants’ leaves may be a signal that fertilization is called for.
For more information on fertilizers, simply click here.
The contents of this blog were inspired by a section in a book written by Joan Lee Faust given to me as a birthday present some years ago.”
Here are some additional links about fertilizing indoor plants:
http://organicgardening.about.com/
http://www.ehow.com/how_2091464_fertilize-indoor-plants.html
Dying to go outside but indoor plants need care
Indoor Plants
Photo : wallpapergratis.net
Most of us are just dying to get outside and start gardening. However, for many of our readers, this is not possible…there is way too much snow and it is frrrrreezing out there!
So take advantage of the moment and see to your indoor plants. One of the first things to do is to think about fertilizing them. Therefore, we are reprinting our post from last year on the subject:
” We often tend to think of fertilizers as being important for outdoor plants without taking into consideration that indoor plants too need to be “fed”.
Watering plants allows nutritional elements inherent in the soil to dissolve in water and be absorbed by the roots. These nutritional elements come from a wide range of sources, including the water itself, organic material, the air, etc. These elements are important for plant growth. However, after a while, these nutrients run out and need to be supplemented with the help of fertilizers.
Indoor - Outdoor Fertilizer
Certain plants require large quantities nutrients while others require less; in fact, too much fertilization can sometimes be harmful. Those nutrients which are not absorbed immediately by a plant’s roots tend to accumulate and become toxic and in some cases burn the roots. Excess fertilizers leads to an accumulation on flower (plant) pot walls of the salts filtering through the pot pores. These salts are also often seen on the sides of plastic pots or on the surface of the soil.
Such accumulations of fertilizers in fact demonstrate that the plant did not need them and that over feeding is of no use.
In general, plants require three main nutritional elements: nitrogen, phosphorus and potash. Different fertilizers contain different amounts of these elements, the percentage of which is often indicated in three numbers on fertilizer containers. The first number indicates the percentage of nitrogen (N), the second of phosphorus (P) and the third of potash (K). Certain fertilizers also contain small amounts of other elements not included in the numbering such as calcium, copper, or zinc.
Nitrogen is absorbed very rapidly and enhances the green coloring of a plant’s leaves. Phosphorus helps develop the strength of a plant’s stem and it encourages healthy roots. Potash, in turn, encourages flower formation and ensures vigorous plant growth.
For indoor plants, the best fertilizers are those which come in liquid or powder form and dissolve in water. Often, positive results can be seen within days.
In my blog next week, I will describe how to choose the best type of fertilizer for indoor plants.
The contents of this blog were inspired by a section in a book written by Joan Lee Faust given to me as a birthday present some years ago. ”
Here are some additional links about fertilizing indoor plants:
http://organicgardening.about.com/
http://www.ehow.com/how_2091464_fertilize-indoor-plants.html