Help against annoying pests

Our houseplants and wintered potted plants that spend the summer outdoors are unfortunately always exposed to pests. Indoor infestations increase in February and March in particular. As we do not rely on chemical pesticides, today we are going to introduce you to home remedies that you can use to get the infestation under control, especially if it is not yet too severe.

We have observed that wintered plants are increasingly infested by aphids and scale insects, especially in late winter and early spring, around the end of February and beginning of March. In addition to these harmful insects, mealybugs and spider mites are real pests.

A home remedy for all types of lice

In the case of aphids and spider mites, it helps to separate the infested plant from the others as soon as possible to prevent the pests from spreading. Some recommend replacing the entire soil - but we have no experience with this. The plants can then be sprayed with a mixture of rapeseed oil, water and washing-up liquid.

Recipe for rapeseed oil mixture:

Mix 4 parts water + 1 part rapeseed oil + a little washing-up liquid and spray onto the plant. It is important to spray the undersides of the leaves and stem areas well, as this is where most of the aphids are located.

Tip: For orchids, please try it on a leaf first and wait a day, as not all plants tolerate rapeseed oil equally well!

Home remedies against spider mites

Spider mites are more stubborn than lice, so we have another recipe especially against these pests.

Recipe for mixture against spider mites:

Mix 20 grams of soap + 1 liter of hot water + 30 ml of alcohol and allow to cool. Then spray on the plant, especially on the underside of the leaves and the stem.

Another possibility

Another good remedy for pests such as aphids and spider mites and fungal diseases such as mildew is neem oil mixed with water, the advantage of which is that it does not harm beneficial insects.

The very best cure for our plants was to get back outside. Because beneficial insects have taken over the work for us there, but it will be a few more days until then .....

Sincerely yours #Beetschwestern