Treating Pests on Houseplants: A Complete Regimen

With the onset of cool weather, it may be time to bring your non-hardy perennials indoors. Unfortunately, this is also a risky time of year for your plant collection because you run the risk of bringing pests indoors where they can infect your entire collection. Simple inspection is often not enough. In this guide, we will learn how to treat pests and keep them from ruining your houseplants as they come in for wintertime.

The presence of pests outdoors does not always manifest as a problem because they have the room to spread naturally. After all, they were designed to exist in nature. As houseplants, they are in an artificial environment. They are limited only to the plants you have in your collection. Whereas you may only get a few bugs on each plant outside, your favorite houseplant might have to support an entire population by itself. Aphids can be especially prolific, coating the entire surface of your plant. Although, we have been able to restore plants from these conditions using the methods in this guide, it is much easier to fight off the population before it explodes. This is especially true for flying insects that do not have wings until they mature.

Pests or even eggs can reside anywhere on your plant, including in the soil. They can be picked up in any environment, and nobody is immune to their wrath. It is important to know how to fight pests in all their hiding spots. Even careful inspection can fail to reveal them. But inspection is still a good place to start your battle. Many pests dwell on the undersides of leaves or in the nodes where the leaves meet the stem. Pests are especially fond of the new growth on a plant, so always focus your inspection there as well. Check up and down the stem for insects like scales. Chewed leaves are an obvious sign of some pests, such as whiteflies. Also be on the lookout for deformed leaf growth. While there are other reasons for this, it can also be a sign of insects. Remove the affected leaves as long as it is not one of the only leaves or does not apply to almost all of the leaves. Also be sure to scrape or pick off any pests you can.

Whether or not you spot pests, it is a good idea to rinse the plants thoroughly under a strong stream of water. Smaller plants can be placed under a running faucet for several minutes. Larger plants can be sprayed with a hose or put under a bathtub faucet. Be sure to concentrate on the undersides of the leaves and any crevice that could potentially house pests. This manual removal of the pests is often more effective than trying to kill them with pesticides, and it does not tend to harm the plant as long as you are careful. If you are lucky, this simple treatment may be all that is needed.

Now that your plants have been washed, and have no visual evidence of pests left, it is time to quarantine them. By keeping plants separated, it allows you to identify which ones may still be infected without any risk of a crisis among the entire population. If you only have a few plants, you can keep them in separate rooms. It is likely that flying insects would have been washed away by this point in the process so you do not have to worry about much cross contamination this way. If you have more plants than rooms, there is another approach.

Individuals in a large collection can be isolated by putting them in terrariums or humidity tents. A humidity tent is usually just a fancy way of talking about a clear plastic bag placed over the top of the plant and secured around the base of the pot with tape or a rubber band. As long as there are no gaps in the bottom or holes in the tent, it contains any infestation inside. Throughout the period that your plants are in the tent, it is important to give them regular doses of fresh air to avoid mold or fungus attacks or you will have an entirely new battle to fight.

After you have given the plants a few weeks to “incubate,” you will be able to identify which plants need further treatment. As we mentioned earlier, in a contained environment, it is more likely for a problem to escalate and reveal itself. It is ideal if you have a separate location to bring the infected plants to at this point just as an extra measure of caution. But you will be keeping them in their tents anyway until they prove safe to interact with the rest of your plant community.

Now that you have identified your problematic plants, it is necessary to provide further treatment for them. Since you have literally grown new pest specimens, you will want to go back to washing the plant. Change the humidity tent or sterilize it with rubbing alcohol and allow it to dry fully before reusing it.

There are a number of commercial pesticides, but we always recommend organic ones that will minimize damage to the plant and avoid introducing chemicals to your home environment. A sprayed solution made of cigarette tobacco soaked in water is effective in many cases. We have also had great success with Safer’s brand insecticidal soap. It works on a large range of pests. A concentrate is available, to which you add water and dilute it to a useable level. There are also various home recipes for insecticidal soap, which typically involve dish soap and canola oil. It is generally considered safe to ingest plant material that has been treated with insecticidal soap of this kind, as long as it is washed well. Insecticidal soap works by coating the bodies of insects and blocking respiration. The only drawback is that it must be applied directly to the body of the insect to be effective. This can be especially tough for plants that have numerous places to hide. Therefore, a regular schedule of washing the plant and applying the soap is usually needed until the problem disappears. You may even opt to make a bath and dip the plant inside if the battle persists. Before intermingling the plant with healthy houseplants, be sure to give it some time by itself without treatment, to see if the problem resurfaces.

A complete treatment of houseplants for pests includes treating the soil. We recommend diatomaceous earth for soil treatment. Diatomaceous earth is a highly absorbent white powder composed of the skeletons of algae-like organisms. The sharp surfaces of the particles act like glass to cut up the bodies of tiny insects. The absorbent power of the particles also sucks moisture from insect bodies. Some growers will mix diatomaceous earth in with their soil before potting. Others will water their plants with a solution of diatomaceous earth and water. However, the most common application is to put a layer of about ¼” across the top of the soil, leaving no spaces for bugs to surface without running into the diatomaceous earth. Diatomaceous earth may be sold as an organic pesticide. There is also a food grade powder, which can be used to kill parasites in the body. Diatomaceous earth is also used to filter swimming pools. Any of these will work fine. Once the diatomaceous earth has been laid across the soil, it has a tendency to absorb moisture from the soil and cake up. This is beneficial because it reduces gaps where pests might escape. It is best to water plants from the base of the pot rather than the top because you are likely to wash the layer away.

Many of us have lost prized specimens to pests. Hopefully, this winter we will all be better equipped to handle these situations. Pests can even be picked up in the house, especially as plant immune systems are reduced. It is important to provide adequate light to keep your plants in good fighting condition. Always remember to isolate and treat. Never leave a plant to be treated while it is still among healthy plants that can potentially be infected. Pests may be persistent. But if you are too, they really don’t stand a chance.

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Growing Psychotria Viridis from Seed and Cuttings

Although we will be talking about psychotria viridis, the same techniques that are used for viridis can also be used for related species like p. alba, p. nervosa and p. carthagenensis. Psychotria viridis can be propagated by both seeds and cuttings. While stem cuttings work well, psychotria species are unique in that they can even be cloned from a single leaf. This allows plants to be multiplied much more rapidly. While leaf cuttings are generally the preferred method of propagation, we will discuss the various ways to start new psychotria plants.

Psychotria viridis and its relatives are notoriously hard to grow from seed. The seeds are generally only viable for a few months, and germination tends to be very slow. With such a long germination period and the presence of fruit around the seeds, psychotira viridis seeds are prone to rot. For the sake of freshness, it is ideal to have seeds in the berry, although seeds that have been removed are fine too. If you are starting out with your psychotria seeds in the fruit, you will want to remove all of the fruit from the outside of the seed.

Each psychotria berry should contain two seeds. If you allow the seeds to dry in the berry, they tend to stick together to form what looks like one round seed. If this is the case, you will want to separate the seeds. You can sometimes accomplish this by squeezing the seed pair until they split. Otherwise, you may need to locate the seam between the two with your thumbnail and press in. The dried fruit will be black on the outside and may flake off easily once the seeds are separated. If not, you should scrape off as much as you can because it will provide more of a foothold for bacterias and molds.

One you have clean psychotria seeds, you will want to soak them in a mild bleach solution. A 10% solution should work fine without harming the seed. Again, the intention is to provide as much of a sterile starting point as possible. Soak your seeds for about 15 minutes.

Once the psychotria seeds have been soaked, they are ready for planting. Some growers find that it is advantageous to use a non-organic growing medium such as sand or rock wool. By using something like this, it deprives the environment of nutrients that molds and bacterias could enjoy. The seeds need only to be planted about 1/8" deep. Keep the soil moist and be patient. You can expect to wait one or more months before you see anything.

If you are not up for the challenge of growing phychotria viridis from seed or do not want any genetic diversity in your crop, you are better off using cuttings to reproduce. Of course, you would already need to have a phychotria viridis plant to do this. Technically, stem cuttings can be taken from any stem material. But it is ideal to use thinner stems that have new growth on them. It will also improve your success to remove larger leaves because they will sap the cutting of needed moisture. While you may use something like spaghnum moss, perlite or vermiculite to root cuttings in, simple water will do the trick. You may add a bit of rooting hormone if you have some, but it is not required. Keep your plant covered with some sort of clear plastic whether it be a plastic bag or a Chinese soup container.

Stem cuttings will give you a larger plant than the other methods, but they require more starting material. With that same stem cutting, you can probably make several leaf cuttings. Leaf cuttings are also the simplest cuttings to make. Some psychotria viridis grow guides suggest to remove the leaf so that you take off with it a piece of the stem's skin. We have not found this entirely necessary. If you can manage, then do so. But if you fail, do not panic. Since the tip of the leaf is the first to lose water, it is common to cut off the tip.

Another optional trick is to snap the leaf's center vein in one or more places. Just take the leaf between your thumbs as if the vein was a stick you were snapping. You want to segment the central vein without breaking the leaf apart. It is then possible for shoots to come from each of these segments. Once you have prepared the viridis leaf, all that is needed is to bury about half of it in any direction. In other words, you can place it upright or on its side. Just like with a stem cutting, you want to cover it with clear plastic and give it a few weeks. It will not be long before you have your own psychotria jungle.








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Germination Instructions for Ginkgo Biloba

Ginkgo Biloba is a tree whose leaves increase circulation in the brain. It is a popular herb in Chinese medicine and has been linked to improving memory and cognitive functions. The unique fan-shaped leaves of the ginkgo tree make it a popular ornamental as well. It is even grown as a bonsai.

The germination of ginkgo is a little tricky, but there are a few tips that will increase your success. Freshly picked seeds are covered in a malodorous fruit. The ginkgo fruit contains small levels of urushiol, a skin irritant that is found in poison ivy and poison oak. To avoid this, obtaining cleaned seeds from a seed company is recommended.

Ginkgo biloba seeds have a long germination period and a tendency to pick up mold on the outer shell. The presence of mold on the outer shell does not automatically indicate that the seed is dead. It will be fine so long as the mold does not reach the embryo. To ward off mold while waiting for germination, sterilize the ginkgo seeds in a mild bleach solution (1:8, Bleach: Water) for a few minutes and rinse well. It might seem counterproductive to introduce bleach to a living seed. However, the solution is diluted, and the seeds should only be soaked long enough that the bleach soaks into the outer shell and not beyond.

The next goal is to allow moisture and air to reach past the shell. Nick the sides of the shell along the rim or that goes around the circumference of the seed. Do not damage the embryo. (There's a very thin brown membrane around the embryo too, which does not have to be penetrated).

Ginkgo trees grow in areas where freezing is normal. Ginko seeds are, therefore, used to these temperatures and have adapted to respond to seasonal changes. The change from cool to warm temperatures after the winter lets the seed know it can begin growing. If you are not planting your seeds outside during the cooler weather, you will have to artificially create this experience for the seed. The process is known a moist cold stratification. Cold stratification is easily accomplished by storing the seeds in the fridge for a month. If your seeds have not been pre-stratified, you should do this before exposing them to the warm temperatures needed for sprouting. This can be done before or after nicking.

Assuming your gingko biloba seeds have been cold stratified, they are now ready for germination. Place the nicked seeds in moist, preferably sterile sand and place them in a zipper baggie. Situate them so that the seeds just barely stick up through the sand. Adding a small amount of hydrogen peroxide to the water used to moisten the sand is another option to prevent mold.


Keep the planted ginkgo seeds at temps of about 70-75 degrees. When the seeds sprout you will see the green stems press up against the bag. When you see leaf development, transplant your ginkgo seedlings to a mix of more sand than soil. Keep the soil moisture equal to that of the sand in the bag and keep out of direct sun and heavy water.

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Cactus Recommendations

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Preparing Fast-growing Columnar Cacti for Winter Dormancy

Many cacti growers are curious about the proper way to prepare their cacti for winter. Others may not even know that they need to make any changes at all. In this guide, we will discuss the reasons for cacti dormancy and how to properly prepare your cacti for dormancy.


When an oak tree loses its leaves in the winter and ceases growing, it is dormant. Likewise, cacti also experience dormancy when certain conditions for growth do not meet the requirements needed for it. Preparing cacti for dormancy is especially important for fast-growing ornamental columnar cacti such a San Pedro Cactus or a Cereus Peruvianus. If growers do not prepare in advance, the aesthetic appeal of their cacti will suffer.


Cacti dormancy is triggered by a drop in temperatures. For some people, preparing cacti for winter is limited to bringing their collection indoors. In climates that permit cacti to be left outdoors all year round, they will experience a temperature drop and cease growth. After you bring your cacti indoors, unless you keep your house rather cool, your cacti will never receive the message that winter is here and will not completely enter dormancy. While it might seem alright to have your cacti skip dormancy and grow year round, it comes with a price.

During the winter, you may gain some height, bit it will not be they type you want. The problem is that you will not have enough light in your house. Even with the best grow lights, it is unlikely that you will match the power of the sun. And since cacti thickness is dependent on the amount of light it receives, your cacti will suffer uneven growth. While stretching may not be such a significant problem with slower-growing cacti such as ariocarpus or lophophora, a tirchocereus will respond quicker and stretch.

The process of stretching in low light conditions is called etoliation. Etiolation occurs because the cactus is trying to reach up in an effort to find light. It is recognizable by a very light green color. Severe etiolation, such as when a cactus has been in a box, can even result in white growth. Even with proper preparation, you will usually notice a bit of this color at the tip of your cacti. The key is to minimize this to keep growth uniform. As the cactus resumes growth the following season, small amounts of etiolation will be covered up. You can often tell how many seasons a cactus has been growing by the ridges formed as this cycles occurs. Some growers play around with etiolation to create oddball cacti. An etiolated cactus is not necessarily unhealthy, but it can create weak points if you plan on growing tall specimens.

So how do we prevent etiolation? The key to preventing etiolation is to keep your cacti in a very cool place until you can return it to the outdoors. Most growers accomplish this in a cool basement or garage. A temperature in the low 50's to high 40's is ideal. Be sure to keep your cacti out of freezing temperatures, although larger cacti can handle brief stints of temperatures on the border of 32 degrees F. It is also important to note that dormant cacti do not require light since they are asleep. This makes storage easy, allowing you to reserve your light for other plants.

While this seems easy enough, your preparation should actually begin well in advance. This is because dormant cacti will not need water during the winter. While cacti are in dormancy, their immune systems are diminished. The presence of water they are not using gives disease a chance to gain a foothold. Unless your cacti are seedlings, you should NEVER water them during the winter dormancy period. Seedlings should not be put into dormancy because they would not normally begin growing so close to winter. It is not natural for them. Furthermore, artificial lights can accommodate the full requirements for seedling growth.

Despite that you may not be actively watering your cacti, they may still be at risk. Your cacti may be in large pots with lots of soil that can hold lots of water. Therefore, it is a good idea to ensure that your soil is dried out before the temperature drop. Begin by moving your plants to a covered location, such as an awning, sometime in September or October at the latest. This will allow the plants to dry without the rain interfering. By the time you bring your plants in, they should be dry enough. Use the natural cooling of the weather to induce dormancy naturally, then maintain that coolness.

While the concept of dormancy may seem complicated to some, the solution is anything but. Keep your plants cool and dry. Let the soil begin drying out in advance. The amount of light you provide is insignificant. So you might as well let them sleep in the dark.



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How to Set Up Your Plants Before a Vacation

Depending on the size of your plant collection, leaving for a few days can turn out to be a burden. Aside from the personal attachment, you may have a considerable amount of money wrapped up in your collection. And while you might find someone to sit your child or pet, you might have a harder time finding an understanding plant sitter. But before you run to start a career in this new profession, there’s a solution for those previously rooted to their homes.

They sell these glass globes that hold water. The user sticks the tube end into the soil. As the soil dries, it draws it from the globe as needed so that a continuous supply of water is available. These are probably a viable option for those who have one or two plants. But what about the serious collector?

The solution lies in the topic of my fifth grade science project: transpiration. As a plant uses up water, it exits through its leaves and goes into the atmosphere. But if you can harness that moisture and recycle it, you can create a hydration system for each plant. Sounds high-tech huh? Well if a fifth-grader can do it, so can you.

Seriously, get a box of freezer bags. Put one over each plant and seal the bottom closed with a rubber band. You can use clear garbage bags for large plants. The moisture will collect on the top, drop back into the soil and keep the plant hydrated. This is called a humidity tent. Providing you’re not leaving on an Odyssey, this should keep you good for over a week. Unfortunately, this method inhibits airflow, which will eventually take its toll. It not only deprives the plant, but it creates an environment favorable to mold. It is also true that not all of the moisture gets recycled back to the soil, meaning the plant will eventually dry out.

Additions to the process that can be useful include moving plants into lower light conditions, reducing temperature, cutting the tips off leaves or removing larger leaves. All of these will help the plant conserve water. While you don’t want to put the plant in a dark fridge, a small reduction in temperature or sun light will slow the plant down a bit as well as hinder the evaporation of moisture directly from the soil. It is important to note that certain plants would be more tolerant of this than others. Removing the tips or larger leaves would also help conserve water because these are the parts of the plant that tend to use more than they contribute. This is why you often see the larger leaves drop first. It is also why the tips tens to turn brown first.

One last addition to this technique, and this may even suffice as a technique on its own, is to place the pot in a dish or bowl of water. Water is allowed to draw up through the soil as it is needed. This is actually a good way to water plants. The drawback of using this for an extended leave is that the amount of water is critical. If the source water in the dish dries out before you return, the plant may still dry out. By adding a larger amount of water, you may be at risk of over-watering your plant. A result like root rot can be just as fatal as drying out.

It is essential to keep in mind that different plants have different needs. The humidity tent is quite versatile. But for some plants it may be best to employ a combination of these methods. But if you’ve found the solution to leaving your plants by themselves to be a mystification, I hope this will help.



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