2015 Fall Home Improvement and Garden LINCOLN DAILY NEWS.COM SEPT. 29, 2015 Page 23
costs of replacing expensive flooring or damaged
furniture. If you are leasing your property, you
want as much of your deposit back as you can get
to use for your next place.
A little clean up and check over is good
prevention You will want to bring in only healthy
plant specimens and do a little preventative work.
Remove failing leaves and give the plant leaves a
good shower topside paying more attention to the
bottom-side of all the leaves.
Examine closely for pests such as scale, a 1/16th
sized, a hard shelled insect found on stems; or
mealy bug, indicated by small cottony clusters
found in crevices between stems and under leaves.
These are best manually removed and treat the
soil with a systemic insecticide.
The most pesky and prevalent insect that creates
havoc when plants are brought inside is the red
spider mite. Fine webbing first shows up under
leaves and in crevices. The webs and insect are
best seen with a magnifying glass.
Red spider mites are difficult to control and
populations explode rapidly under low humidity
and warm conditions. Hibiscus, Elephant Ears,
palms and figs are quite susceptible.
Prevention and immediate response when red mite
is first detected are the best controls. Spray with
leaves top and bottom with water to knock off
as many pests as possible, treat with insecticidal
soap, add a systemic pesticide to soil for residual
control, and raise the surrounding humidity. Plan
to repeat the washing process in a few days to
a week. Then watch closely for likely future
outbreaks as enduring eggs hatch out.
If bringing in non-traditional house plants, it
is advisable to follow the same wash-down
procedures using water followed by insecticidal
soap simply as a preventative measure.
Pesticide products can be found places selling
garden and plant supplies. While commercial
formula’s are likely more effective, in a pinch
or to save money, you can also make your own
insecticidal soap. Just look for formulas on the
web.
When using a systemic insecticide be sure to read
the label for possible risks to children or pets that
may come in contact with treated soil.
Another precaution recommended by the Poison
Control Center is to label each of your plants with
the correct common and botanical names, and
keep all houseplants out of children’s reach. If a
poisoning occurs call the Poison Control Center at
1-800-222-1222 for treatment information.
In short, do for your plant what would also be
good for you to get through the winter. Give
them a spot with good indirect light where they
might catch a few rays of sun when it does
shine; supplement humidity; avoid placing near
heat sources, registers, stoves - a constant 60
to 72 degrees and no cold drafts are most ideal
conditions; and don’t over feed during the slow
winter months.
STORY BY
Jan Youngquist
