I have the ultimate treatment for spider mites. I have a red striped maranta and it had THE WORST spider mite infestation I had ever seen, and it was my first time dealing with them... It's one of my first and most loved plants so I was really sad about it, but I didn't let it go. I took a cotton swab, put some rubbing alcohol, and took off the literal mite covered spiderwebs off it to the best of my abilities. There were still some roamers around so I diluted some more alcohol (it was around 5%) and misted the leaves HEAVILY until they were soaked. Then I took a cotton disk from makeup and cleaned the leaves and stems from the literal corpses of the mites. To take off the alcohol and the remaining whatever mites were left I diluted neutral soap in water (3% or so) and sprayed the leaves again, dried the leaves a bit and that was it. This sounds like a brutal treatment, and it was, but the plant wouldn't have lasted three more days with that amount of pests... I never ever saw spider mites again on the plant. The plant didn't seem to have suffered AT ALL. No leaves falling, new growth after a while, moving with light normally...Nothing at all, like it had never happened. I now do keep an eye on it, but it gave 0 problems after that whatsoever, so if anyone is struggling with this same situation I think this is the ultimate solution.
@@nicolej2972 As a chemist it just made sense so I did it very randomly really xD For the maranta it's easier since the leaves are so big. And also if your plant is very nitpicky it could not work, but if you're in that situation that it's the last resort I think that it's worth a try. There's not really much to it. The alcohol dissolved the bugs in contact, but it didn't damage the plant. So just take your time spot treating with rubbing alcohol the heavier affected parts and cut off wilted leaves. Just rub the bugs off the plant with it, the bigger clusters of bugs or where there's more. Then take a mister or atomizer, but of like half a liter or 250ml, fill it with water and dilute in it like a spoonful or two spoonfuls (depending on the L) of rubbing alcohol. Then basically shower the leaves with it, move the leaves around to reach every spot if you need. Then empty it and do the same with soap (neutral liquid soap like Lagarto) and water. Mix it well and do the same as previously. This is gentler than the alcohol but still was effective to remove any remaining bug. Then if your plant is more sensitive empty it, fill with plain water and do it again, to wash off excess ethanol and soap. The bugs are basically all dead by now. Pro tip: it's easier to see the webs when misting so pay attention to that to know where to inspect with more attention! Hope yout plant does well in the end ♡
I have been going CRAZY with pests lately. You seem so chill about just having some of them around, I think I need to embody some of that energy and just accept that my collection is never going to be perfect and 100% pest free. However I am never buying alocasia again hahaha and i'm also side-eying calatheas.
I haven’t had pest on my plants for years. I live in an apartment, they are never outside or by an open window. When I get a new plant I keep it away from from the other plants until I’m sure it’s ok.
Mary L Robinson same! But I’m also a realtor and have a weird protocol for all bugs/pests since I’m in a lot of homes. So I take crazy precaution. The only pests I’ve gotten thus far was from an alocasia bought in a fb group..which I’ll never do again. This time of year ppl sell off all their porch plants riddled w pests and infections.
I had 3 ivy's and they seemed healthy when i purchased them but several months later each one got hit hard with spider mites... so i gave up on ivy lol
I also purchased a very expensive Hoya Linearis. It too, had a mealy bug issue from another plant I brought home. I was not willing to lose my Linearis! I took it out of the pot and washed it totally, including roots until there was absolutely no soil left on the plant. I left it just in water for a month or so, watching it carefully. When I was convinced it was pest free I potted it in a plastic pot. It’s been pest free ever since, and I’m thrilled to watch it grow....it’s really taken off! It was successful, I keep checking it, the only thing I find is new growth!
I can’t thank you enough for showing us your plants that are prone to various pests. I started growing houseplants again after decades away from houseplants (someone back in the’90’s accidentally killed every plant I had with insecticide & I didn’t have the heart to get more until 2 years ago). But my new Arrowhead plant became infested right away and it’s been a constant battle ever since. I would love to see Part 2 to this video and I’m sure there are many others who would too. Thanks again for sharing!
Hi Nick. Here is how I have been fighting pests and it really works better than anything (with that being said, I live in Norway where you cannot shop any more or less strong pesticides if you're not a certified professional): Water your plant with a room temperature water, after 30 minutes or so begin to slowly add hot water in the pot, 50-55°C (I simply put the pot in the big pan and fill it with hot water, while it is placed on an electrical stove to not lose the temperature). Measure the temperature inside the soil with a kitchen or alcohol thermometer. Once it reaches 50°C all the pests in the soil are dead. Same with leaves and stems. Douche them with a hot water thoroughly and all the bugs will boil. Do it now and then and you will get rid of the pests. (try on one plant first to see how it does after). The problem I am struggling with is mold in the soil. Seems to be not harmful, but makes me sick. Thank you for your videos!
I guess I’m lucky? I have only been houseplant crazy for under 2 years, and only had one pest issue, a kalanchoe I cut back and propagated...the new baby was fine, but when I lifted the original plant’s grower pot out of its pot, there were 2 little bugs, so I just threw the whole thing in the garbage! I do not like bugs! Funny thing is I have almost all the plants you highlighted...and no bugs, thank heavens! My Hoya linearis was very expensive, but if it gets bugs, out it goes. Maybe I won’t be a crazy plant lady for long!!?? 🤣🇨🇦
But how exactly do you gets these pests in the first place. How do they magically appear on your plants? Are you taking them outside and bringing them back in? Leaving the windows fully open?? Did you receive them with the mites already on them?
I have the same experience with my ficus elastica, but have never had any issues with my hoya linearis. Now I'm going to look it over more closely. I had no idea it was a pest magnet. Thanks for the info!
Same, Peggy. I’m eyeing mine with suspicion now! But so far so good and I will keep on top of it. At least mealybugs don’t usually kill the plant if you catch them early enough.
I've found that if I keep my Calatheas in high humidity and if I give them a shower every other week that it keeps them relatively pest free. I had a Heliconia Rostrata which was just spidermite heaven, I had to get rid of it.
I watch these videos then have literal nightmares. And in that nightmare, I didnt have alcohol. Only peroxide. I cried. Then woke up. I gotta stop watching videos on pests 😅
rootedinplants same same same! Bought one from a fb group- inspected it and saw spider mites- it never came in my home. No alocasias will ever come in after heavily researching how notorious they are.
I mentioned in another video comment that using Mycorrhizae in the soil really helps with plants becoming inoculated if you will against disease and pests. It strengthens the roots where of course everything starts from and builds a wall of sorts around the plant to protect it.
Just had a BAD mealybug incident.. moved into a new apartment and It was of course hot and humid. Lost one aglaonema silver queen.. I noticed them too late, and by the time I started treatment they were already in the stalks.. saved my aglaonema silver bay(mealybug), ivy, and my croton petra(spider mites).... honestly I have found the best and most effective way to get rid of all the creepy crawling nasty things is.. don't judge.. dawn dish soap.. kills everything except the plant.. lost one or two leaves on my aglaonema silver bay, but I think that was from over watering to get the soap down in the soil. Really thought my croton would've bit the dust, but not one single leaf dropped and it's happier than ever and actually has 12 new leaves!! Never had thrips or scale thankfully.. fungus nats are definitely a thing tho... but it comes with the territory of owning 40 plants counting .. 😅
Colocasia!!! Especially the thin leaf varieties (coffee cup, mojito, etc). Also alocasia! (zebrina, tiny dancer, stingray, etc.) I check all of almost daily and I scrub the leaves about once a week. Then I just cross my fingers. 🤞🤞
Omg....yeah...mealybugs...started from hoya carnosa compata, then went to my syngonium, maranta (green one) , then strings of pearls and of course hoya linearis, hoya pubicalyx and so on. Picking those nasty bugs one by one as now doing daily cheking on those plants.
A customer: Why does your hoya linnearis cost That much?? A seller: Because a half of the price you pay for a plant itself, and another you pay for the pets - mealybugs. They always go together.
I had a corner of my apartment that was a constant spider mites battle(centered on my maranta leuconeura). I finally upped the humidity enough that I was able to successfully neem oil them to death. Apparently I did too well with my humidity, as I made it perfect for mealybugs 😅 FML
My ficus triangularis variegata is home to a huge colony of mealybugs and they have spread to one of my begonias and my alocasia cuprea while thrips have consumed my calathea orbifolia and now want to annihilate my monstera deliciosa. I know having plants means having pests and the only thing you can accomplish is to keep them contained to an extent that means your plants can live on but sometimes it's just so devastating to lose a beloved plant because you've not caught them on time.
My Cymbidium orchid has been a truly nightmare.Tiny little snails (which I was able to manage with a hidrogen peroxide bath) and spider mites too. This might sound crazy but hairspray did the job
Very good information on houseplant pests! I got a Hoya linearis a few months ago and I haven’t seen any pests yet! My schefflera had mealy bugs, the most common house plant pest here in California. One more thing, you’re my favorite plant person here in UA-cam!
Hi Nick!!!!! I'd like to hear what you recommend for prevention? I want to start collecting plants and want to be as prepared as possible. Unfortunately releasing green lace wing flies wouldn't be an option for me as my roommate would freak out. Is there a product or home-made solution you recommend for cleaning the leaves or spraying on the plant for prevention.
Thanks for sharing this information. Ugh pests! Just hearing about them makes me cringe. I think I will refrain from buying more plants. It’s addicting; however I don’t care for all the types of bugs. Love the plants, would hate the bugs. I can’t take it. I have a diffenbachia, maranta, and ficus tineke that we’re mentioned and now I am thinking about “what if”. I think I need to start using preventative measures. 😷😫
For fungus gnats I use “Mosquito Bits”. My other pest problem is spider mites which never fail to kill my Amazonica Alocasia. This year I want to try predatory spider mites which are available from a company called Arbico Organics. These mites hunt and eat other mites. I’ve purchased nematodes from this company for fungus gnat control but found the Mosquito Bits easier to manage them with. I hope this is helpful to folks in this never ending bug battle.
I hate thrips. Never had problems with the *blanks* (and didn't even know what they were) until I brought in a white and a black aglaonema. Lost my begonia that I had had since my adult girls were little, almost over night. Am struggling to save my arrowhead and homalamena. Dieffenbachia seems to not be a target yet. Knock on wood. Doing neem and cinnamon. So far so good.....but man! 😣
I ordered a butterwort plant because I got a lot of fungus gnats because of my prayer plants and the yellow sticky traps are not that pretty to look at, so hopefully this natural approach will help as well
Hey! Have you noticed any I’ll effects on the green lacewings from also using systemic pesticide? I low key wonder if eating bugs that have ingested the toxin hurts them. I know I asked you about that in person when I got to visit hour store last fall, and you said you had to considered it yet-I thought maybe you’ve kept an eye out for any issues. I wanna use lacewings for things but I def used systemic to beat thrips a while back.
The worst pests I've ever had to deal with would have to be scales. I see them most often on my citrus trees when I bring them in for the winter. The trees were totally covered with them and they left a gross sticky residue all over my furniture. I still try to grow citrus trees, though, because they are some of my favorite plants.
I gave up on palms because of the spider mites. I tackle mealy bugs with rubbing alcohol: either spray or meticulously (though time consuming) swabbing the leaves, stems and axils. Still, spider mites are a biggie here as I am in the dry southwest. Thank you for sharing, Nick! I love your videos!
I just got my first thrips outbreak. I have been using systemic and spinasoidal spray and they wont die. I also switched all my plants to leca in Hope's they wont give birth in the soil. They seem to also really LOVE monsteras. I'm about to lose a 24 in pot. 😓😫
Girl I was just thinking why didn't he say Monstera!! I threw my Monstera away I had the itchies bugs little white bugs walking along the sides of my pot it was nasty.
The same here! Two big monsteras😥and a bunch of other plants. Absolute nightmare! Spinosad is forbidden here in the Netherlands, so trying out other things. But the damage by thrips seems irreversible
@@lyalyuk I have decided I have to be at peace with that one dying. The tragic thing is you cant just take a piece to propagate like w rot because the thrips are still on the leaves.
Hey,same here!!!! My first thrips outbreak...scary...and obviously..on my Monsteras !!!!!I hate these bugs...they're the worst!!!!They cause so much damage !!!I took everything out of the pot ,threw the pot mix away and put the plants just in water...(of course,before That,I washed them under water+sprayed a solution of water+natural soap -savon noir in French- + alcohol ) Good Luck to everybody😊
Mealy bugs are the stuff of nightmares. I have one plain green hoya that seems to always have them. I've tried everything, including removing all the soil and planting in leca. Damned thing still has mealy bug. I should probably just throw it away.
Hi Nick! This was another great video! The only plant I have that you mentioned is the Hoya Bella and I keep a close eye on it since you mentioned it in another video. So far, so good. 🤞I bought it from a vendor on Etsy and it wasn't doing very good. I put two small pieces in water and they have roots, so I put the long stem in water in hopes it will do better. 🤞I would love to see a video on the plants that you won't grow in your apartment because of pests. I've been pretty lucky and have not had to deal with a lot of pests, nd would like to keep it that way! LOL! Years ago my Mom and I each bought a large China Doll and they ended up covered in mealy bugs. I won't buy another one of them, ever! Do you isolate those plants? If not, do you have problems with the pests migrating to your other plants? Also, what granules do you use? I just purchased some Captain Jack's, but hope I won't need it. Thank you so much for sharing!
Colocasia and Alocasia ... it seems to be worse with colocasia. I put them all outside for the summer (they sure do love the heat) and it was like a spider mite open buffet. I ultimately ended up chopping them all and starting fresh since the mites had severely damaged the leaves. Thankfully the Alocasia wasn't as bad and that did get attacked had very little long-lasting damage. I keep a bottle of 50% water/alcohol with dish soap and liberally spray them as well as the top of the soil about once a week.
Interesting information. I’ve never had a pest problem and now I’m thinking I need to pay even closer attention to my small linearis and my Bella. I’m going to have to google thrips as I’m not very familiar but do hear y’all of them in other videos.
I have only ever had spider mites on my ficus elastica and my calathea ruffibarba. The calathea couldn't be saved, it's very hard to shower them bc they have fuzzy leaves and the water doesn't reach the actual leaves and mites when you try to wash them off
I have heard ivy is prone to pests. I have a small cutting, but no pests so far. I have only had problems with spider mites on a croton, but I got rid of them with what I learned from the Heart Shaped Leaves youtube chanel ( 1:1 rubbing alcohol+water and a drop of dish soap applied with a brush on every leaf and stem). Now my croton has 4 new leaves 💚
Hi I just found your channel and you are so informative! Just purchased a ficus elastica tineke two weeks ago...uh oh. Yes, please consider doing a segment on what plants you wouldn't even bother with, and also what plants are the most resistant to pests -- that would be interesting too! Thank you.
My T. bipinnatifidum's new foliage always attracts thrips :( & demolished my Alocasia macrorrhizos. But luckily out of my 18 species of Philodendron; I haven't had any issues so far with thrips (: it could possibly be because I'm growing a. veggie / fruit garden in my walkin closet that has them all at bay slowly munching down on my tomato plants hahah.
One of my first plants, an alocasia, has a reaallyyy bad case of spidermites 😩 I tried so many things but I just can't seem to get rid of them.. I'm so desperate to safe it, so I bought a chemical pesticide this weekend. I think I'm going to give it away to one of my friends though, for some reason I don't really feel comfortable using stuff that's so heavy
I feel like I’ve been pretty lucky with pests; HOWEVER, my ficus Elastica ruby gets spider mites BAD. I wash the leaves constantly with water, dish soap, and neem, and they’ve come back maybe three times now. Think it’s weird because my burgundy ficus is right next to it but I’ve never seen a single pest on the burgundy. Maybe they just have a preference
I had spider mites on my hoya bella. It was just four tiny cuttings in a pot and was just starting to shoot out some new growth. Lost some leaves. GRRRRR. I have had mealybugs on a golden pothos and a lemon lime maranta. Oh those spaces in the leaves where they can hide. I totally get you on that one. But the worst was scale. I had it on a dwarf schefflera and a diffenbachia, but worst of all on a radermachera sinica, which was bushing out so nicely this spring. I took it outside and just put the safer's soap spray to it. So far so good but I am watching this girl daily. Oh well, the reward we get outweighs the inconvenience.
lucky you you're not into orchids ahahah I have an orchid collection and let me tell you, from mealy bugs to mites, that really like to munch on the dendrobiums and are a sucker to eliminate cause they hide on the crevices, to even what to me are still unknown bugs that fiercely attack all the oncidium type ones and vandacious as well.... it's basically a full time job guess the only thing I can do is to keep them under close control cause completely getting rid of them is just impossible best of luck, xo from portugal
I live in NY and every time I purchase a monstera pests appear and kill them. First a browning discolorization on leaves but so far the pesticide that you mix in top of soil has been working.
My 6-year-old Thai Constellation had a mealybugs infestation last year. Worst experience ever! I now check all leaves twice a week and spot treat with neem oil
A few plants that you didn't mention are probably not considered houseplants to many, but they are to a lot of people also 1. citrus; scale, mealies, and spider mites love them, and because they are edible people are less prone to use a systemic on them so they suffer a lot more. 2. ivy. spider mites again. I will never have an ivy in my house again. 3. Hibiscus, once again spider mites and aphids. 4. edible fig, ficus carica, once again spider mites. 5. Brugmansia, spider mites again. I can't tell you how many brugs I've lost to spider mites. 6. miniature roses, spider mites, aphids, and scale. Spider mites like dry conditions so a humidifier would work wonders at combatting them.
Thank you for this. My marantacae guys are ALWAYS dealing with some spider mites. I keep them under control but it’s annoying. They don’t seem to damage them but MAN ALIVE ARE THEY ANNOYING
Spider mites have caused me the most problems. Last time I think I found the final solution; predatory mites that specialize in hunting spider mites. Yes, I've had spider mites kill plants, but I prefer to speed up the process to avoid spreading it to other plants (if all hope is gone for that one plant).
oh boy! You just made me look on my Hoyas! The only ONE for now I'm having issues is with the Hindu rope. Not extremely bad yet as I've treated it a few times but it feels like I'm Q-tipping my ears!
I'm currently treating all my friggin plants against fungus gnats, I feel like once you notice them, they're almost everywhere .... luckily they're a rather mild pest so it's not too bad I guess
Spider mites make me crazy. I see them more outside In The garden. I have been really fortunate that my current indoor plants haven’t had many problems. Now to get my pothole up on my homemade moss poles. Those have been done for weeks. Lol!
I struggle with: Thrips: on my ficus altissima, monstera Thai constellation, anthurium veitchii. Scale: on my platyceriums. It's never ending. Mealybugs: on my Stapelia gigantea. Easiest to treat. Spider mites: on my citrus when I bring them in to overwinter. I had to give up on citrus completely.
Would love to know what plants you steer clear of. For me it’s calathea white fusion. They get spidermites the moment I bring them inside but do alright outside. Maybe because there are natural predators outside.
yeah Calatheas are spider mite heaven. I'm keeping my White stars and Picturatas alive just by sheer willpower. I clean their leaves every two days with clove water. I probably wouldn't be able to leave my house for more than 1 week. Not that that would be possible these days, so I'm not too upset.
My fatsia japonica is my pest magnet lol. Green cleaner miticide works great for both mites and thrips, and alcohol killed the mealy bugs i had on my jade plant.
Have you ever used insect frass (bug poop) fertilizer? I mix it in the soil when repotting plants, it's a mild, organic fertilizer, but it contains chiton, which triggers the plants natural immune system. It doesn't necessarily make plants pest-proof, but more pest resistant.
Do you have a Decursiva? I just went to Brian's Botanicals (an hour away! Absolutely amazing jungle he has, and he's so cool) and got a nice mature one for $50 but there are no care videos for them
Against gnats - yellow sticky stripes (papers) they really help. And it is a satisfaction of some kind when i can see, that all my fairy-flies are traped. You will be surprised, how much there will be caught. Try!)
@@greenthumb1658 thanks a bunch! i gave the yellow stickies a try and happy to report fungus gnats are down by 95%. also treating the larvae with various methods :)
(scratching hoya linearis from my wish list)... Spider mites and fungus gnats are the only two pests I've ever had to deal with on my houseplants. My Calathea majestica Whitestar was just getting them all the time, they would come back 3-4 months after each battle and I got fed up with it! One-way ticket to the compost heap and all's good now. I've vowed to myself that any plant that ends up a pest magnet is gone... Bugs. Ugh. 😑
The linearis is an amazing plant! If you pay enough attention it won’t get pests :) trust me, it’s such a lovely plant, and it grows so much! Get yourself one!
@@elsafrt5540 it's definitely beautiful 😍 Maybe I can find a spot where it can stay away from everyone else and give it a try 🤞 I'm also enamoured by Hoya carnosa compacta, again I've not bought one 'cause every one I see or hear about has mealybugs... 😕
Found thrips on my philodendron shangri la and its neighbor, a monstera deliciosa and lost my mind. I found them while I was pest hunting so no noticeable damage thus far…because of that, your shirt was so distracting 😂 green like a leaf with little white spots of thrips 😂
When I first started growing plants, I thought for sure I had no pests bc I couldn't see them... I didn't realize spider-mites are so small you can barely see them Ahhhh! No wonder my plants were yellowing. Learned my lesson.
I fear that I have root mealies on all plants planted in soil. Keeping plants in hydro with leca or similar medium seems to be the only way to have them go away. Mostly in my 'geraniums' but I have it on lots of different plants. My Alocasia stingray has spidermites. My staghornfern were bought with scale but the outbreak is very small and I have a killing spree every so often and they don't bounce back up. Haven't had any mealies (apart from the root version) but I place all new fruit in the refridgerator or keep it in a plastic bag so the mealies can't get out. I want to have an hibiscus, even if I've heard they are very prone to spidermites.
Now we need "The most pests resistant plants video"! 😊❤️
i second this majorly!!
YESSSSS DO TELL ALL!
Yes, please!!!!
Yup
Yessssees please
I’d love to see a video on “plants that are so pest prone you don’t grow them in your house”, Nick!!
#1 for me is ivy xD
I have the ultimate treatment for spider mites.
I have a red striped maranta and it had THE WORST spider mite infestation I had ever seen, and it was my first time dealing with them... It's one of my first and most loved plants so I was really sad about it, but I didn't let it go. I took a cotton swab, put some rubbing alcohol, and took off the literal mite covered spiderwebs off it to the best of my abilities. There were still some roamers around so I diluted some more alcohol (it was around 5%) and misted the leaves HEAVILY until they were soaked. Then I took a cotton disk from makeup and cleaned the leaves and stems from the literal corpses of the mites. To take off the alcohol and the remaining whatever mites were left I diluted neutral soap in water (3% or so) and sprayed the leaves again, dried the leaves a bit and that was it.
This sounds like a brutal treatment, and it was, but the plant wouldn't have lasted three more days with that amount of pests... I never ever saw spider mites again on the plant. The plant didn't seem to have suffered AT ALL. No leaves falling, new growth after a while, moving with light normally...Nothing at all, like it had never happened. I now do keep an eye on it, but it gave 0 problems after that whatsoever, so if anyone is struggling with this same situation I think this is the ultimate solution.
Can you share a video on how you do it? I would be so grateful! My plant is covered with it and I'm so sad to throw it out without trying..
I see you, smart! Thank you for the advice, it’s needed!
@@nicolej2972 As a chemist it just made sense so I did it very randomly really xD For the maranta it's easier since the leaves are so big. And also if your plant is very nitpicky it could not work, but if you're in that situation that it's the last resort I think that it's worth a try. There's not really much to it. The alcohol dissolved the bugs in contact, but it didn't damage the plant. So just take your time spot treating with rubbing alcohol the heavier affected parts and cut off wilted leaves. Just rub the bugs off the plant with it, the bigger clusters of bugs or where there's more. Then take a mister or atomizer, but of like half a liter or 250ml, fill it with water and dilute in it like a spoonful or two spoonfuls (depending on the L) of rubbing alcohol. Then basically shower the leaves with it, move the leaves around to reach every spot if you need. Then empty it and do the same with soap (neutral liquid soap like Lagarto) and water. Mix it well and do the same as previously. This is gentler than the alcohol but still was effective to remove any remaining bug. Then if your plant is more sensitive empty it, fill with plain water and do it again, to wash off excess ethanol and soap. The bugs are basically all dead by now. Pro tip: it's easier to see the webs when misting so pay attention to that to know where to inspect with more attention! Hope yout plant does well in the end ♡
I go for less effort - I just release predators.
@@sakimiakoto8786 Thanks, will definitely give this a try!
I have been going CRAZY with pests lately. You seem so chill about just having some of them around, I think I need to embody some of that energy and just accept that my collection is never going to be perfect and 100% pest free. However I am never buying alocasia again hahaha and i'm also side-eying calatheas.
I really appreciate the way you talk about the pests. It’s so calm it makes me feel calm about it 😂
I haven’t had pest on my plants for years. I live in an apartment, they are never outside or by an open window. When I get a new plant I keep it away from from the other plants until I’m sure it’s ok.
Mary L Robinson same! But I’m also a realtor and have a weird protocol for all bugs/pests since I’m in a lot of homes. So I take crazy precaution. The only pests I’ve gotten thus far was from an alocasia bought in a fb group..which I’ll never do again. This time of year ppl sell off all their porch plants riddled w pests and infections.
The technical term for the bit where the leaf meets the stem is "axil" - which is Latin for armpit.
the German word for armpit is Achsel, which is pronounced exactly like the Latin word :D
Hence the brand Axe (deodorant)😉
Also you wiggling around your infested pepperomia around your other plants gave me so much anxiety 😂
I had 3 ivy's and they seemed healthy when i purchased them but several months later each one got hit hard with spider mites... so i gave up on ivy lol
I also purchased a very expensive Hoya Linearis. It too, had a mealy bug issue from another plant I brought home. I was not willing to lose my Linearis! I took it out of the pot and washed it totally, including roots until there was absolutely no soil left on the plant. I left it just in water for a month or so, watching it carefully. When I was convinced it was pest free I potted it in a plastic pot. It’s been pest free ever since, and I’m thrilled to watch it grow....it’s really taken off! It was successful, I keep checking it, the only thing I find is new growth!
I can’t thank you enough for showing us your plants that are prone to various pests. I started growing houseplants again after decades away from houseplants (someone back in the’90’s accidentally killed every plant I had with insecticide & I didn’t have the heart to get more until 2 years ago). But my new Arrowhead plant became infested right away and it’s been a constant battle ever since. I would love to see Part 2 to this video and I’m sure there are many others who would too. Thanks again for sharing!
I am not a pro with house plants but I always enjoy your videos about them. I am learning a lot!
Hi Nick. Here is how I have been fighting pests and it really works better than anything (with that being said, I live in Norway where you cannot shop any more or less strong pesticides if you're not a certified professional): Water your plant with a room temperature water, after 30 minutes or so begin to slowly add hot water in the pot, 50-55°C (I simply put the pot in the big pan and fill it with hot water, while it is placed on an electrical stove to not lose the temperature). Measure the temperature inside the soil with a kitchen or alcohol thermometer. Once it reaches 50°C all the pests in the soil are dead. Same with leaves and stems. Douche them with a hot water thoroughly and all the bugs will boil. Do it now and then and you will get rid of the pests. (try on one plant first to see how it does after).
The problem I am struggling with is mold in the soil. Seems to be not harmful, but makes me sick.
Thank you for your videos!
I guess I’m lucky? I have only been houseplant crazy for under 2 years, and only had one pest issue, a kalanchoe I cut back and propagated...the new baby was fine, but when I lifted the original plant’s grower pot out of its pot, there were 2 little bugs, so I just threw the whole thing in the garbage! I do not like bugs! Funny thing is I have almost all the plants you highlighted...and no bugs, thank heavens! My Hoya linearis was very expensive, but if it gets bugs, out it goes. Maybe I won’t be a crazy plant lady for long!!?? 🤣🇨🇦
But how exactly do you gets these pests in the first place. How do they magically appear on your plants? Are you taking them outside and bringing them back in? Leaving the windows fully open?? Did you receive them with the mites already on them?
I have the same experience with my ficus elastica, but have never had any issues with my hoya linearis. Now I'm going to look it over more closely. I had no idea it was a pest magnet. Thanks for the info!
Same, Peggy. I’m eyeing mine with suspicion now! But so far so good and I will keep on top of it. At least mealybugs don’t usually kill the plant if you catch them early enough.
I've found that if I keep my Calatheas in high humidity and if I give them a shower every other week that it keeps them relatively pest free. I had a Heliconia Rostrata which was just spidermite heaven, I had to get rid of it.
I watch these videos then have literal nightmares.
And in that nightmare, I didnt have alcohol. Only peroxide.
I cried.
Then woke up.
I gotta stop watching videos on pests 😅
ALOCASIA!!!! They are not allowed in my house anymore!
rootedinplants same same same! Bought one from a fb group- inspected it and saw spider mites- it never came in my home. No alocasias will ever come in after heavily researching how notorious they are.
@@Kris-ej4ik hahaha. I'm glad the feelings mutual.
I mentioned in another video comment that using Mycorrhizae in the soil really helps with plants becoming inoculated if you will against disease and pests. It strengthens the roots where of course everything starts from and builds a wall of sorts around the plant to protect it.
Just side eyed my ficus elastica because spider mites are always chilling on its new leaves
Just had a BAD mealybug incident.. moved into a new apartment and It was of course hot and humid. Lost one aglaonema silver queen.. I noticed them too late, and by the time I started treatment they were already in the stalks.. saved my aglaonema silver bay(mealybug), ivy, and my croton petra(spider mites).... honestly I have found the best and most effective way to get rid of all the creepy crawling nasty things is.. don't judge.. dawn dish soap.. kills everything except the plant.. lost one or two leaves on my aglaonema silver bay, but I think that was from over watering to get the soap down in the soil. Really thought my croton would've bit the dust, but not one single leaf dropped and it's happier than ever and actually has 12 new leaves!! Never had thrips or scale thankfully.. fungus nats are definitely a thing tho... but it comes with the territory of owning 40 plants counting .. 😅
the only two plants I've had problems with and ultimately lost to pests were Calathea Corona (lol) and Dieffenbachia Camila..
Colocasia!!! Especially the thin leaf varieties (coffee cup, mojito, etc). Also alocasia! (zebrina, tiny dancer, stingray, etc.) I check all of almost daily and I scrub the leaves about once a week. Then I just cross my fingers. 🤞🤞
Omg....yeah...mealybugs...started from hoya carnosa compata, then went to my syngonium, maranta (green one) , then strings of pearls and of course hoya linearis, hoya pubicalyx and so on. Picking those nasty bugs one by one as now doing daily cheking on those plants.
A customer: Why does your hoya linnearis cost That much??
A seller: Because a half of the price you pay for a plant itself, and another you pay for the pets - mealybugs. They always go together.
I had a corner of my apartment that was a constant spider mites battle(centered on my maranta leuconeura). I finally upped the humidity enough that I was able to successfully neem oil them to death. Apparently I did too well with my humidity, as I made it perfect for mealybugs 😅 FML
My ficus triangularis variegata is home to a huge colony of mealybugs and they have spread to one of my begonias and my alocasia cuprea while thrips have consumed my calathea orbifolia and now want to annihilate my monstera deliciosa. I know having plants means having pests and the only thing you can accomplish is to keep them contained to an extent that means your plants can live on but sometimes it's just so devastating to lose a beloved plant because you've not caught them on time.
My Cymbidium orchid has been a truly nightmare.Tiny little snails (which I was able to manage with a hidrogen peroxide bath) and spider mites too. This might sound crazy but hairspray did the job
Very good information on houseplant pests! I got a Hoya linearis a few months ago and I haven’t seen any pests yet! My schefflera had mealy bugs, the most common house plant pest here in California. One more thing, you’re my favorite plant person here in UA-cam!
Hi Nick!!!!! I'd like to hear what you recommend for prevention? I want to start collecting plants and want to be as prepared as possible. Unfortunately releasing green lace wing flies wouldn't be an option for me as my roommate would freak out. Is there a product or home-made solution you recommend for cleaning the leaves or spraying on the plant for prevention.
Thanks for sharing this information. Ugh pests! Just hearing about them makes me cringe. I think I will refrain from buying more plants. It’s addicting; however I don’t care for all the types of bugs. Love the plants, would hate the bugs. I can’t take it. I have a diffenbachia, maranta, and ficus tineke that we’re mentioned and now I am thinking about “what if”. I think I need to start using preventative measures. 😷😫
I haaaate thrips! They always seem to be on a mission to kill all my Monstera’s! 🤬
For fungus gnats I use “Mosquito Bits”. My other pest problem is spider mites which never fail to kill my Amazonica Alocasia. This year I want to try predatory spider mites which are available from a company called Arbico Organics. These mites hunt and eat other mites. I’ve purchased nematodes from this company for fungus gnat control but found the Mosquito Bits easier to manage them with. I hope this is helpful to folks in this never ending bug battle.
It was interesting to see your plants and who you have to watch out for with pests
This is such good video I keep rewatching it 😊 just found your videos and they have been so helpful and informative
I hate thrips. Never had problems with the *blanks* (and didn't even know what they were) until I brought in a white and a black aglaonema. Lost my begonia that I had had since my adult girls were little, almost over night. Am struggling to save my arrowhead and homalamena. Dieffenbachia seems to not be a target yet. Knock on wood. Doing neem and cinnamon. So far so good.....but man! 😣
I ordered a butterwort plant because I got a lot of fungus gnats because of my prayer plants and the yellow sticky traps are not that pretty to look at, so hopefully this natural approach will help as well
Hey! Have you noticed any I’ll effects on the green lacewings from also using systemic pesticide? I low key wonder if eating bugs that have ingested the toxin hurts them. I know I asked you about that in person when I got to visit hour store last fall, and you said you had to considered it yet-I thought maybe you’ve kept an eye out for any issues. I wanna use lacewings for things but I def used systemic to beat thrips a while back.
The worst pests I've ever had to deal with would have to be scales. I see them most often on my citrus trees when I bring them in for the winter. The trees were totally covered with them and they left a gross sticky residue all over my furniture. I still try to grow citrus trees, though, because they are some of my favorite plants.
I gave up on palms because of the spider mites. I tackle mealy bugs with rubbing alcohol: either spray or meticulously (though time consuming) swabbing the leaves, stems and axils. Still, spider mites are a biggie here as I am in the dry southwest. Thank you for sharing, Nick! I love your videos!
Seeing this video made me want to spend even more time looking very closely at my plants! I have most of them and haven't seen a problem....yet :/
Hi, Nick. Thanks for sharing and thanks for being an inspirational plant-tuber to a small channel like me!
I just found spider mites covering one of my planter pots making their way up to the leaves 😭
I just got my first thrips outbreak. I have been using systemic and spinasoidal spray and they wont die. I also switched all my plants to leca in Hope's they wont give birth in the soil. They seem to also really LOVE monsteras. I'm about to lose a 24 in pot. 😓😫
I had thrips that attacked my monstera, I used neem oil spray which seemed to work eventually! Hopefully you can get rid of them, they are the worst!
Girl I was just thinking why didn't he say Monstera!! I threw my Monstera away I had the itchies bugs little white bugs walking along the sides of my pot it was nasty.
The same here! Two big monsteras😥and a bunch of other plants. Absolute nightmare! Spinosad is forbidden here in the Netherlands, so trying out other things. But the damage by thrips seems irreversible
@@lyalyuk I have decided I have to be at peace with that one dying. The tragic thing is you cant just take a piece to propagate like w rot because the thrips are still on the leaves.
Hey,same here!!!! My first thrips outbreak...scary...and obviously..on my Monsteras !!!!!I hate these bugs...they're the worst!!!!They cause so much damage !!!I took everything out of the pot ,threw the pot mix away and put the plants just in water...(of course,before That,I washed them under water+sprayed a solution of water+natural soap -savon noir in French- + alcohol ) Good Luck to everybody😊
Calathea White Fusion was a nightmare for me with spider mites.
Mealy bugs are the stuff of nightmares. I have one plain green hoya that seems to always have them. I've tried everything, including removing all the soil and planting in leca. Damned thing still has mealy bug. I should probably just throw it away.
Ivy is the one that seem to get spider mites.
I just bought one... and now I want to take it back 😂
Every single time!! Ivy is banned from my home.
I had an ivy in a closed terrarium with 100% humidity, and it STILL got spider mites :0
I wonder why Ivy is so prone to spider mites. It's such a beautiful plant and that's a shame.
I’ve had mine for 4 years no mites but I recently brought home a ton of plants and I’m worried
I find that converting to leca has greatly reduced the pests
Hi Nick! This was another great video! The only plant I have that you mentioned is the Hoya Bella and I keep a close eye on it since you mentioned it in another video. So far, so good. 🤞I bought it from a vendor on Etsy and it wasn't doing very good. I put two small pieces in water and they have roots, so I put the long stem in water in hopes it will do better. 🤞I would love to see a video on the plants that you won't grow in your apartment because of pests. I've been pretty lucky and have not had to deal with a lot of pests, nd would like to keep it that way! LOL! Years ago my Mom and I each bought a large China Doll and they ended up covered in mealy bugs. I won't buy another one of them, ever! Do you isolate those plants? If not, do you have problems with the pests migrating to your other plants? Also, what granules do you use? I just purchased some Captain Jack's, but hope I won't need it. Thank you so much for sharing!
Colocasia and Alocasia ... it seems to be worse with colocasia. I put them all outside for the summer (they sure do love the heat) and it was like a spider mite open buffet. I ultimately ended up chopping them all and starting fresh since the mites had severely damaged the leaves.
Thankfully the Alocasia wasn't as bad and that did get attacked had very little long-lasting damage.
I keep a bottle of 50% water/alcohol with dish soap and liberally spray them as well as the top of the soil about once a week.
Interesting information. I’ve never had a pest problem and now I’m thinking I need to pay even closer attention to my small linearis and my Bella. I’m going to have to google thrips as I’m not very familiar but do hear y’all of them in other videos.
I have only ever had spider mites on my ficus elastica and my calathea ruffibarba. The calathea couldn't be saved, it's very hard to shower them bc they have fuzzy leaves and the water doesn't reach the actual leaves and mites when you try to wash them off
I have heard ivy is prone to pests. I have a small cutting, but no pests so far. I have only had problems with spider mites on a croton, but I got rid of them with what I learned from the Heart Shaped Leaves youtube chanel ( 1:1 rubbing alcohol+water and a drop of dish soap applied with a brush on every leaf and stem). Now my croton has 4 new leaves 💚
Hi I just found your channel and you are so informative! Just purchased a ficus elastica tineke two weeks ago...uh oh. Yes, please consider doing a segment on what plants you wouldn't even bother with, and also what plants are the most resistant to pests -- that would be interesting too! Thank you.
My T. bipinnatifidum's new foliage always attracts thrips :( & demolished my Alocasia macrorrhizos. But luckily out of my 18 species of Philodendron; I haven't had any issues so far with thrips (: it could possibly be because I'm growing a. veggie / fruit garden in my walkin closet that has them all at bay slowly munching down on my tomato plants hahah.
One of my first plants, an alocasia, has a reaallyyy bad case of spidermites 😩 I tried so many things but I just can't seem to get rid of them.. I'm so desperate to safe it, so I bought a chemical pesticide this weekend. I think I'm going to give it away to one of my friends though, for some reason I don't really feel comfortable using stuff that's so heavy
I feel like I’ve been pretty lucky with pests; HOWEVER, my ficus Elastica ruby gets spider mites BAD. I wash the leaves constantly with water, dish soap, and neem, and they’ve come back maybe three times now. Think it’s weird because my burgundy ficus is right next to it but I’ve never seen a single pest on the burgundy. Maybe they just have a preference
I had spider mites on my hoya bella. It was just four tiny cuttings in a pot and was just starting to shoot out some new growth. Lost some leaves. GRRRRR. I have had mealybugs on a golden pothos and a lemon lime maranta. Oh those spaces in the leaves where they can hide. I totally get you on that one. But the worst was scale. I had it on a dwarf schefflera and a diffenbachia, but worst of all on a radermachera sinica, which was bushing out so nicely this spring. I took it outside and just put the safer's soap spray to it. So far so good but I am watching this girl daily. Oh well, the reward we get outweighs the inconvenience.
lucky you you're not into orchids ahahah
I have an orchid collection and let me tell you, from mealy bugs to mites, that really like to munch on the dendrobiums and are a sucker to eliminate cause they hide on the crevices, to even what to me are still unknown bugs that fiercely attack all the oncidium type ones and vandacious as well.... it's basically a full time job
guess the only thing I can do is to keep them under close control cause completely getting rid of them is just impossible
best of luck, xo from portugal
I live in NY and every time I purchase a monstera pests appear and kill them. First a browning discolorization on leaves but so far the pesticide that you mix in top of soil has been working.
Great video. I will be cautious when shopping.
My 6-year-old Thai Constellation had a mealybugs infestation last year. Worst experience ever! I now check all leaves twice a week and spot treat with neem oil
A few plants that you didn't mention are probably not considered houseplants to many, but they are to a lot of people also 1. citrus; scale, mealies, and spider mites love them, and because they are edible people are less prone to use a systemic on them so they suffer a lot more. 2. ivy. spider mites again. I will never have an ivy in my house again. 3. Hibiscus, once again spider mites and aphids. 4. edible fig, ficus carica, once again spider mites. 5. Brugmansia, spider mites again. I can't tell you how many brugs I've lost to spider mites. 6. miniature roses, spider mites, aphids, and scale. Spider mites like dry conditions so a humidifier would work wonders at combatting them.
Thank you for this. My marantacae guys are ALWAYS dealing with some spider mites. I keep them under control but it’s annoying. They don’t seem to damage them but MAN ALIVE ARE THEY ANNOYING
This video is totally discouraging me from buying plants for my new home. Thanks for the warning.
Erica C. Honestly just do research, quarantine new plants and keep some pest prevention n treatment products on hand and you’ll be fine
Can you please show plants with thrips problems? I'm battling with them now.
Same
Spider mites have caused me the most problems. Last time I think I found the final solution; predatory mites that specialize in hunting spider mites. Yes, I've had spider mites kill plants, but I prefer to speed up the process to avoid spreading it to other plants (if all hope is gone for that one plant).
oh boy! You just made me look on my Hoyas! The only ONE for now I'm having issues is with the Hindu rope. Not extremely bad yet as I've treated it a few times but it feels like I'm Q-tipping my ears!
I'm currently treating all my friggin plants against fungus gnats, I feel like once you notice them, they're almost everywhere .... luckily they're a rather mild pest so it's not too bad I guess
I hate those flies.... My only plant affected is the monkey mask.
Hydrogen peroxide in the soil, flush with water after a few minutes, then put out little yellow sticky traps! Easy solution. Should fix it right away.
I constantly battle with mealy bugs on my huge linerais. I recently released cryptolaemus and think the mealys are gone, for now!! 😅🤦🏼♀️
Spider mites make me crazy. I see them more outside In The garden. I have been really fortunate that my current indoor plants haven’t had many problems. Now to get my pothole up on my homemade moss poles. Those have been done for weeks. Lol!
I struggle with:
Thrips: on my ficus altissima, monstera Thai constellation, anthurium veitchii.
Scale: on my platyceriums. It's never ending.
Mealybugs: on my Stapelia gigantea. Easiest to treat.
Spider mites: on my citrus when I bring them in to overwinter. I had to give up on citrus completely.
Would love to know what plants you steer clear of. For me it’s calathea white fusion. They get spidermites the moment I bring them inside but do alright outside. Maybe because there are natural predators outside.
The pest magnets in my home are the hippeastrums. Thrips love them.
yeah Calatheas are spider mite heaven. I'm keeping my White stars and Picturatas alive just by sheer willpower. I clean their leaves every two days with clove water. I probably wouldn't be able to leave my house for more than 1 week. Not that that would be possible these days, so I'm not too upset.
For me it’s my watermelon peperomia she’s always getting scale and other critters even when I get rid of every last one!
Hey Nick!thanks for the vid. Monsteras !!!!Thrips adore them...nasty bugs, I hate them...
I lost my tetragona to spider mites! That was my first bad pest outbreak.
So interesting Nick, thank u very much for your videos! I really enjoy your knowledge thanks fot sharing 😘
My ponytail palm gets spidermites when it is not getting enough light. Decided to put it on my patio and no more mites.
My fatsia japonica is my pest magnet lol. Green cleaner miticide works great for both mites and thrips, and alcohol killed the mealy bugs i had on my jade plant.
PPP, Pest Prone Plants! Ugh! My ”problem”-plant has been an Alocasia Zebrina from the start. Very dramatic but... worth it?
Thank you for sharing this valuable guides.
Have you ever used insect frass (bug poop) fertilizer? I mix it in the soil when repotting plants, it's a mild, organic fertilizer, but it contains chiton, which triggers the plants natural immune system. It doesn't necessarily make plants pest-proof, but more pest resistant.
Do you have a Decursiva? I just went to Brian's Botanicals (an hour away! Absolutely amazing jungle he has, and he's so cool) and got a nice mature one for $50 but there are no care videos for them
The thrips in my house love my peperomia collection. And my Dieffenbachia is a thrips magnet.
Nooooo!! Not the Hoya and esp linearis!! I'm so gnna go inspect mine now! Thanks for the heads up, Nick!
currently dealing with a nasty bout of fungus gnats in my own indoor jungle :(
Against gnats - yellow sticky stripes (papers) they really help. And it is a satisfaction of some kind when i can see, that all my fairy-flies are traped. You will be surprised, how much there will be caught. Try!)
Mosquito bits!
seconding the yellow sticky trap solution. they're cheap too
@@brizykay yep, the problem won't go away until you kill the larvae with mosquito bits
@@greenthumb1658 thanks a bunch! i gave the yellow stickies a try and happy to report fungus gnats are down by 95%. also treating the larvae with various methods :)
"the crotch" 🤣🤣🤣 Nick is too funny
(scratching hoya linearis from my wish list)... Spider mites and fungus gnats are the only two pests I've ever had to deal with on my houseplants. My Calathea majestica Whitestar was just getting them all the time, they would come back 3-4 months after each battle and I got fed up with it! One-way ticket to the compost heap and all's good now.
I've vowed to myself that any plant that ends up a pest magnet is gone... Bugs. Ugh. 😑
The linearis is an amazing plant! If you pay enough attention it won’t get pests :) trust me, it’s such a lovely plant, and it grows so much! Get yourself one!
@@elsafrt5540 it's definitely beautiful 😍
Maybe I can find a spot where it can stay away from everyone else and give it a try 🤞
I'm also enamoured by Hoya carnosa compacta, again I've not bought one 'cause every one I see or hear about has mealybugs... 😕
And yes I agree with the spider mites on ficus! Ficus tineke and altisima
My parlor palm. If I breathe on it too hard spider mites appear
Found thrips on my philodendron shangri la and its neighbor, a monstera deliciosa and lost my mind. I found them while I was pest hunting so no noticeable damage thus far…because of that, your shirt was so distracting 😂 green like a leaf with little white spots of thrips 😂
Nick show us the bugs, I think I have some but I'm in denial.
Lol. Me too. Pretending i didnt see 😂
@@FRANCESCA01234 right..! Smdh😵
When I first started growing plants, I thought for sure I had no pests bc I couldn't see them... I didn't realize spider-mites are so small you can barely see them Ahhhh! No wonder my plants were yellowing. Learned my lesson.
I have started buying green lacewing eggs.
10/10 would recommend
Omg I just ordered both the Linearus AND the Bella yesterday 😟 what are the chancessss ! Lol
I have not seen a spider mite in my home, BUT......Mealy bugs....I feel like I have a farm for them! But I won’t give up...
I fear that I have root mealies on all plants planted in soil. Keeping plants in hydro with leca or similar medium seems to be the only way to have them go away. Mostly in my 'geraniums' but I have it on lots of different plants. My Alocasia stingray has spidermites. My staghornfern were bought with scale but the outbreak is very small and I have a killing spree every so often and they don't bounce back up. Haven't had any mealies (apart from the root version) but I place all new fruit in the refridgerator or keep it in a plastic bag so the mealies can't get out. I want to have an hibiscus, even if I've heard they are very prone to spidermites.
Hi Nick.
Im new at this kind of plants.
And its so great to know what to keep an eye on.
Saludos desde Guadalajara!
Im in México..