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Bugs? On indoor plant

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  • 01-07-2020 7:59pm
    #1
    manonboard
    Registered Users Posts: 1,102 ✭✭✭


    I have a large leafy indoor plant my mum calls a cheese plant.
    Its older leaves were yellowing alot. I thought it was ph issues. Lack of iron.. now it seems I have an infestation.

    What are these bugs? How do I stop it? Should I just throw the plant out? Its got new healthy growth and I'm worried they are in the roots. They've given me the creeps.

    20200701-215341.jpg 20200701-215330.jpg 20200701-215134.jpg 20200701-215331.jpg


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    #2
    s1ippy
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 2,980 ✭✭✭s1ippy


    Spray 1/4 virucidal hand gel, a teaspoon of Castile soap and 3/4 water. I'd also leave it in an outdoor type area if you have other plants. Is that a Swiss cheese plant?

    Edit - oh it is :D


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    #3
    looksee
    Registered Users Posts: 28,122 ✭✭✭✭looksee


    White fly. Those leaves are big enough that if you got a bowl of soapy water and a cloth you could wipe each leaf clean individually. Otherwise put water and a tiny drop of washing up liquid in a sprayer and 'blast' them. You may have to do it a couple of times. You could use chemical spray but its a bit overkill for a fairly straightforward infestation.


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    #4
    manonboard
    Registered Users Posts: 1,102 ✭✭✭manonboard


    Oh so its saveable n not something I need to worry about coming into my home?
    I had all sorts of fears it would be in all my clothes etc

    OK I will wash tonight in soapy water. Tomorrow I will pick up that viruicdal gel and redo a few times this week.

    What about the roots. Do I need to just clean the leaves?


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    #5
    MrsBean
    Registered Users Posts: 312 ✭✭MrsBean


    To me they look like thrips. Common pest for Monstera Delicious (Swiss cheese plant).

    I wouldn’t throw the plant out, it looks healthy. Plant pests are just another part of nature. Outside lady birds would take care of your problem for you but indoors we have to deal with them ourselves.

    If you’re not opposed to chemical sprays you can pick something up in a garden centre, Bug Clear etc. There are also natural ways of dealing with it if you prefer, garlic sprays etc if you google.
    Wiping the leaves won’t completely rid you of them as there are likely some babies in the soil.

    I pour a mixture of water and isopropyl alcohol over the soil once a week for any plants of mine that suffer from plant pests in order to kill the larvae.


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    #6
    MrsBean
    Registered Users Posts: 312 ✭✭MrsBean


    Nothing to worry about. They like to eat leaves not clothes :)

    If you treat the problem soon your roots are probably fine. Swiss cheese plants are particularly hardy anyway so will bounce back from pests.

    Do clean the leaves and then treat it with a spray. Probably no need to dig up the roots for the time being. Sometimes you need to do a couple of applications to completely get rid of it so a bit of patience is required.

    Best of luck with it!
    manonboard wrote: »
    Oh so its saveable n not something I need to worry about coming into my home?
    I had all sorts of fears it would be in all my clothes etc

    OK I will wash tonight in soapy water. Tomorrow I will pick up that viruicdal gel and redo a few times this week.

    What about the roots. Do I need to just clean the leaves?


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    #7
    manonboard
    Registered Users Posts: 1,102 ✭✭✭manonboard


    Cleaned every leaf on each plant. They actually look much better. I'll get some bug spray or something for the soil tomorrow. Ill stay on top of the cleaning the leaves until its resolved.

    Thanks alot for the support n guidance!


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    #8
    ShareShare
    Registered Users Posts: 54 ✭✭ShareShare


    Hei Hei,
    I wanted to follow up and thank everyone for their help.

    The plant is recovering very fast, lots of new growth and no further yellowing. It required a second spray/cleaning but the bugs were FAR less the second time. Thanks for saving my plant!!!

    (i used my other account, as i can't log into the other one when im on my work computer!)


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    #9
    Hocus Focus
    Registered Users Posts: 754 ✭✭✭Hocus Focus


    manonboard wrote: »
    Oh so its saveable n not something I need to worry about coming into my home?
    I had all sorts of fears it would be in all my clothes etc

    OK I will wash tonight in soapy water. Tomorrow I will pick up that viruicdal gel and redo a few times this week.

    What about the roots. Do I need to just clean the leaves?
    Surely, in view of what has been happening in the last few months you will already have some of the hand sanitising gel?


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    #10
    Hocus Focus
    Registered Users Posts: 754 ✭✭✭Hocus Focus


    manonboard wrote: »
    Oh so its saveable n not something I need to worry about coming into my home?
    I had all sorts of fears it would be in all my clothes etc

    OK I will wash tonight in soapy water. Tomorrow I will pick up that viruicdal gel and redo a few times this week.
    What about the roots. Do I need to just clean the leaves?


    Surely, in view of what has been happening in the last few months, you will have some of that alcohol hand sanitising gel in the house already ?


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    #11
    manonboard
    Registered Users Posts: 1,102 ✭✭✭manonboard


    Hocus Focus wrote: »
    Surely, in view of what has been happening in the last few months, you will have some of that alcohol hand sanitising gel in the house already ?

    Oh i didn't know it would be suitable to use.. Yes loads. Im immuno compromised in lungs. Tons of gel!
    I went and bought some spray for the bugs anyway n had my gf spray them when I was out of the house n allowed the air to clear.


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