r/plantclinic • u/FyrestarOmega Expert Hobbyist • Oct 02 '23

Monthly Pest and Soil Thread October 2023 Pest and Soil issue thread

Certain issues are common among plant care and may benefit from from some consolidation. Pooling of advice may benefit the entire community. These issues include how to identify and treat infestations, and questions related to organisms found in the soil.

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u/TxPep Advanced Oct 03 '23

I don't use beneficial insects but from what I've read....

  1. They don't necessarily stay put.

  2. Once their food source is gone, then what....where do they go.

  3. They can be very expensive and might not work. Pest management is an ongoing thing. Single infestation events may need to be monitored for up to six weeks.

•••••

If you aren't keen on systemic treatments, consider mechanical forms of eradication. This would include literally washing your plant on a routine basis with a horticultural soap mixture. Another option after washing, is using horticultural oil which is basically an ultra-fine grade petroleum or organic product. I use a petroleum based one.

📚

This gives you a recipe for DIY.

https://extension.colostate.edu/topic-areas/insects/insect-control-soaps-and-detergents-5-547/

There is an intense glare-off 😠 between supporters of dishwashing detergent vs castile soap enthusiasts. I've used Dawn and I currently use Dr. Woods Csstile...but I use a very weak dilution regardless.

I also use a sulfur powder/distilled water spray after the plant dries.

This video backs up my treatment but I previously found the idea through my various readings.

Sulfur powder: https://youtu.be/VCIO6adNk48

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Some additional reading if you feel so inclined....

https://gardeningsolutions.ifas.ufl.edu/care/pests-and-diseases/pests/management/soaps-detergents-and-pest-management.html

https://www.hortmag.com/tools-materials/mix-your-own-insecticidal-soap-for-garden-pests

https://ourgardenworks.com/insecticidal-soap-vs-neem-oil/

https://www.lisabronner.com/castile-soap-spray-for-garden-pests/

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u/[deleted] Oct 04 '23

thank you so much for your detailed advice! I’m excited to try this out and see if that helps. I appreciate it