I have over 40 house plants in a very close proximity. I am very careful about bringing new plants in and isolate them well. I brought a birds of paradise and isolated it for 8 months. I then started to water it with a small monstera of mine in the shower…. Followed by watering my large 6 year old monstera in the same shower. I spotted these little guys on my smaller monstera.. confused as to where they came from as this was a propagation from my larger. Then even more confused when I spotted them on my larger monstera. Finally realizing they must have come from my newest birds of paradise…. Dormant in the soil perhaps? Anyways they have spread and I want to burn my house down. I live in CANADA and I can’t attack them with all the good stuff that’s recommended here. But I need something that will annihilate them. I have been using neem oil, soap, peppermint oil and alcohol. Please help me save my sanity.. and my plant babies too.
by witchymamamartin
2 Comments
Use a wet cloth or paper towel and wipe your plant leaves, that’s all I do, and then repeat that like once every few weeks and they never really have a chance to get out of control. I also inspect my plants often to make sure nothing is getting out of control.
Hey so yes this looks like thrips. Most people will say only systemics make this treatable
The best success I have had with no systemics is bagging the plant for weeks and spraying in the bag one a week on new growth.
If you can’t get a giant ziploc kinda bag or some other plastic wrap (something with no holes) then definitely keep away from all other plants and spray every other day. If thrips get into uncoated leafs they will make more thrip
My spray recipe is per 16oz – mix 1 tsp castile soap and 1 TBsp diatomaceous earth into 3 part water 1 Part rubbing alcohol. Some people say peroxide is better than alcohol for thrips but I havnt been able to tell a difference.
Three weeks at a time then take it out for a day or two in quarentine, sometimes then more bugs emerge and I bag it again
Also make sure the soil is not too wet when you sela the bag it should be confortable moisture level for the plant becaue eit won’t dry out in the bag