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and outer parts; pruning these growth areas regularly will encourage growth
closer to the inner parts of the plant. Although not all houseplants need
pruning, most will benefit from some attention, even if it's simply removing
dead leaves or diseased or damaged stems.
Pest Management:
Like all plants, indoor plants will occasionally come under attack from pests.
If you notice a plant dropping leaves or otherwise looking ill, take a close
look. Chances are, it is infected with unwanted pests. If not quickly treated,
infestations can be very severe, spread quickly and kill your plants.
Some of the most commonly encountered arthropod pests found on plants are
those that feed on plant juices. These pests include aphids, scales, mites,
leafhoppers and plant bugs. Some of these pests can even act as vectors of
plant diseases.
To remove the infestation, we recommend diluted organic Neem Oil or
Mighty Wash. Both can be bought in stores or online. You should first test
these in a small area before using them on the plant. Some plants are sensitive
to the sprays and you could kill them. You can also treat the plants by wiping
leaves and stems with insecticidal soap. Heavy infestations may be too
difficult to treat, consider discarding these plants.
Fungus Gnats:
These gnats are a common pest of plants grown indoors, especially where
humidity and moisture are high. You normally notice one or two gnats flying
around your plants or near windows and you think nothing about it. Before
you know it, they lay eggs in the wet soil and multiply.
To rid your plant and home of fungus gnats, you need to let your plant soil
dry out between watering. Fungus gnats do well in damp soil, allowing your
soil to dry out an inch or two down will kill larvae and inhibit egg
development. We found that yellow sticky paper is the best method of killing
flying adults. For plants that can tolerate neem oil, we recommend adding a
small amount of Neem oil when you water your plants. Neem Oil will help
kill eggs and larvae deep down in the soil. It may take over a month to fully
rid our home of Fungus Gnats.
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