Natural Bug Spray For Plants: The 10 Most Universal Plant Problems
February 1st, 2010 Posted in Green Living & News
Many people love growing and maintaining their own plants, but even the biggest enthusiast can make a mistake here and there. Plants are as complicated as any other organism and are easily affected by the smallest thing.
Knowing the most common plant issues will help ensure that you help your plants live the longest lives possible. Also learning what methods of protection are most effective can help ensure your plants live a longer and healthier life.
This article will discuss:
Some Benefits Of Having Plants
The list of benefits of having plants inside or outside your home is endless. One of the most important benefits of having a plant in your home is that they can help to reduce your utility bills. With enough plants planted properly throughout your house, they can truly help bring your home to room temperature.
Plants expel oxygen after they absorb carbon dioxide from humans and the atmosphere. This extra oxygen helps to balance the temperature in your home, which helps to cut air conditioning and heating bills. Another benefit is that plants can act as sound buffers in urban areas. Placing a few plants near your windows on a busy street can help to muffle some of the noise pollution.
Builders of housing developments often use a row of trees or bushes as a physical or sound barrier when constructing new neighborhoods. Lastly, an important benefit of plants is their ability to help clean the air. Plants can help to remove dust, carbon monoxide, ozone, and other pollutants in the air.
The 10 Most Universal Plant Problems
- Overwatering
- Dry Air
- Adjust The Temperature
- Not Enough Light
- Pot Size
- Too Quick A Temperature Change
- Not Enough Watering
- Insect Pests
- Spider Mites
- Fungus
- Lack Of Nutrients
More plants die from overwatering than any other cause. People don’t realize how little certain species of plants need to thrive on their own. Many people are afraid they are under watering their plants, but in actuality they are slowly killing their plants. Make sure your plant’s soil dries out before you water it again. Also check that your plant has ample drainage holes in its pot, but if it is outside don’t worry about it.
If your plants are inside keep them away from any heaters, ovens, microwaves, radiators, or any other hot appliance. Any hot or dry air that blows on your plant will severely hamper its growth and quickly kill it. Keeping your plant near an open window at times will help to avoid this problem.
Most houseplants need to be in cool temperatures at night or they will burn up more energy than they have. Turn the thermostat to 60° to help your plants effectively adapt to the temperatures in your home.
Placing your plants in the proper place will ensure they live a much longer life. Determine how much light your species of plant requires and then adapt the location of the plant accordingly. Keep most plants in indirect sunlight like across the room from a window as opposed to direct sunlight right up against a window.
If your plant doesn’t seem to be reacting properly to living indoors then it may need a bigger pot to grow in. Take the plant out of its pot, shave off about an inch of the roots, and replace the soil as needed.
If you’re moving your plant between rooms or locations make sure the temperature change is gradual. Certain species of plants are very sensitive to extreme changes, so slowly adapting them to different temperatures will help prevent any problems.
Similar to the tips about overwatering, make sure to research how much water your particular species of plant needs. Cactus need watering once a month if that, while other plants require watering daily. Finding the perfect balance lies with you researching what your plant requires as far as watering.
People often get a plant, water it, give it some sunlight, and let it sit. Sometimes this isn’t enough for your plant to thrive. Insects from inside or outside can hop onto your plants and end their lives very quickly. Using organic insecticides will go a long way towards ending these pest problems.
These are also a pesky insect, but one of the most common of the insects affecting your plants. They are very small and hard to see. They enter your home through another infected plant, therefore quarantining any new plants you bring into your home is very important to prevent further spread of the spider mites. Check the leaves of your plants often and use organic insecticides as needed.
Fungus and bacteria are diseases that specifically attack plants. Sanitize your plants often by removing dead leaves or stems. Do not use compost to soil your plants because they often contain bacteria that your indoor plants aren’t strong enough to fight.
By using quality potting soil you will guarantee that your plant is getting all the nutrients it needs to thrive. A mix of perlite or vermiculite will help your plant get the necessary nutrients and air pockets to retain and drain water properly. Using organic fertilizer is another way to ensure your plant gets all the energy and nutrients in needs.
Organic Plant Protection
Now you know what issues to avoid when helping your plants grow and live happy lives. Now how do you protect your plants from insects and fungus? By using EcoSMART’s organic insecticide you can protect your plants without harming them in anyway. Our insecticides are made from natural plant oils that target receptors only found in harmful insects and fungus.
Our home garden pest control bundle helps protect your plants from weeds, killer grass, fungus, and insects. These products help protect your plants, while remaining harmless to the environment, your pets, and your entire family. This way you can be ecologically friendly and protect your personal garden from unwanted visitors all at the same time.
