Just wanted to speak to someone who would understand… To...
Just wanted to speak to someone who would understand…
Tonight, I feel defeated.
I’ve treated my Alocasias less than a week ago for first signs of spider mites. That’s commun occurrence, I clean everything, treat everything, no biggy.
I feel that kinda comes with it and I have now a dedicated “plant jail” for this.
I moved my arrowhead recently from a window to my greenhouse and it wasn’t looking too hot. Lighting change could be responsible, it does not like its new neighbour, I don’t know but again, no big deal.
Tonight, I go to water it and it is clinging onto life. Barely. I check and see a bunch of rust spots. Hmmm. This is not normal.
Well folks, I have thrips. I feel so defeated. I have no new plants, nothing has changed, I just have new undesirable roommates. I just spent the last 2 hours washing leaves, cutting trimming down and honestly, shedding a few tears.
I know it’s part of the game and the hobby, but what was supposed to be a week of vacation, maybe even plant shopping at a few spots i always wanted to check out just transformed in pest control/management.
How can I go look at new plants when I can’t even handle the ones I have?
Anyway, sorry for that rambling, I just wanted to write to someone who would get it. I know there is much worst going on in general.
I also dedicate this post to spike leaves, the fallen hero. I’m sure the 40 other plants are thank you for your sacrifice.
#PestControl #ArrowheadPlant #SadPlantDay
Tonight, I feel defeated.
I’ve treated my Alocasias less than a week ago for first signs of spider mites. That’s commun occurrence, I clean everything, treat everything, no biggy.
I feel that kinda comes with it and I have now a dedicated “plant jail” for this.
I moved my arrowhead recently from a window to my greenhouse and it wasn’t looking too hot. Lighting change could be responsible, it does not like its new neighbour, I don’t know but again, no big deal.
Tonight, I go to water it and it is clinging onto life. Barely. I check and see a bunch of rust spots. Hmmm. This is not normal.
Well folks, I have thrips. I feel so defeated. I have no new plants, nothing has changed, I just have new undesirable roommates. I just spent the last 2 hours washing leaves, cutting trimming down and honestly, shedding a few tears.
I know it’s part of the game and the hobby, but what was supposed to be a week of vacation, maybe even plant shopping at a few spots i always wanted to check out just transformed in pest control/management.
How can I go look at new plants when I can’t even handle the ones I have?
Anyway, sorry for that rambling, I just wanted to write to someone who would get it. I know there is much worst going on in general.
I also dedicate this post to spike leaves, the fallen hero. I’m sure the 40 other plants are thank you for your sacrifice.
#PestControl #ArrowheadPlant #SadPlantDay
1ft to light, indirect
5” pot with drainage
Last watered 1 month ago
7
Best Answer
CONSIDERATIONS
Consider the time you are willing to put in.
The approach I took was one of hypervigilance. I am in Canada and can't get systemic pesticides and I spent 2-4 hours every day checking my plants and treating anything I found pests on.
Since thrips can spread easily, have a long life cycle, lay eggs in plant tissue that can't be treated by insecticides available in Canada, and develop pesticide resistance, I decided hypervigilance was the best approach for me. However, because of all of these factors, I do think daily leaf cleanings (more on that in section 6), are still vital even if you use systemic pesticides (I won't be talking about systemics).
I eventually treated every plant in my home checking every single plant just in case because I didn't want the infestation to start again.
I suggest removing any leaves that look very infected because it's likely thrips laid eggs in them; they will grow back! And throw away any plants you feel you aren't fully committed to. This took me a while to accept. But I had a few plants that had been looking bad for the past year that I was rehabilitating, I realized it wasn't worth the effort when I had an infestation on my hands.
5. PRODUCTS
a) Safer's Insecticidal soap
- This product only kills thrips on contact and won't kill any eggs in the leaves.
- As I mentioned, I am in Canada and we cannot purchase systemic pesticide
b) Food-grade Diatomaceous Earth
The verdict is out on whether this works, but I thought it was worth a shot.
You apply it to the soil and it potentially dries up any nymphs that end up in the soil. It only works when it's in its powdered form, once it becomes damp, it won't be effective, if it is at all.
Keep in mind this is dangerous to inhale so use a mask when working with it, and keep it away from kids and pets.
If you have nowhere to put your plants safely away from kids and pets, DO NOT USE IT (look it up, it's not safe or worth the risk)
6. MY TREATMENT APPROACH/TIMELINE
Day 1
- I rinsed every plant in the shower or outside with a sprayer (hose or shower head) to dislodge as many thrips as possible.
- Next, I sprayed down each leaf THOROUGHLY with insecticidal soap. I used a makeup brush to apply the product on larger plants and leaves and to get into stalks of plants
- I added diatomaceous earth to the soil after I made sure my plant was already adequately hydrated. If the soil is too damp, the diatomaceous earth will absorb moisture and won't be effective anymore
Weeks 1-2
- When I first realized I had a thrips infestation, I decided to treat the plants more frequently with insecticidal soap than the package recommended (it recommended reapplying every 2 weeks).
- I repeated spraying with insecticidal soap 2X per week for the first two weeks. This could kill some plants, but I made peace with the fact that the plants were already being killed and would die without intervention.
- I also reapplied diatomaceous earth after every watering.
Week 3
- I reduced to treating the plants once a week OR if I saw a thrips (adult nymph or larvae) on a plant.
Weeks 1-5
- I kept my infected plants in 2 quarantine zones, I have enough space but if you don't it's okay!
Zone 1 is where I keep plants that I found thrips on recently
Zone 2 is where I keep plants that I found thrips on, but haven't found one on in a while (I just used my personal judgment for zone 2)
Throughout all of that, I used a clean damp paper towel or lint roller on sturdier plant leaves (looking at you monstera) to wipe down every single plant leaf, every single freaking day.
You could possibly reduce it to every other day or every 2-3 days if needed (eggs hatch in about 4 days). I used the daily leaf cleanings as a way to monitor the infestation and to physically eliminate thrips. It's okay to throw away plants or take cuttings of healthy leaves and start again to reduce your treatment efforts. But, if you let the thrips mature, they start laying more eggs only prolonging the infestation and increasing the chance of resistance to your pesticide of choice; I can't recall if thrips can become resistant to insecticidal soap. You want to catch and remove them at the nymph phase so they can't multiply and prolong the infestation.
It was a nightmare and took me 2-4 hours each day, I got seriously burnt out, which is why I suggest considering the time you are willing to put in. It's okay to throw away plants and start again, or take cuttings of healthy leaves!
I also kept a tracker for all of my plants so I could record when I last saw a thrips and on which plant. I also tracked when I wiped the leaves of each plant (even though it was daily) vs when I applied insecticidal soap. I have about 25 plants so it made it easier to keep track of everything.
Week 6 onwards
I continue to wipe every plant's leaves twice per week now to make sure there are no more thrips since eggs hatch in 3-4 days, it's perfect timing for me to catch and remove larvae if there are any.
That's literally what I did. Put in the time. And I became seriously burnt out after 3 weeks.
Consider the time you are willing to put in.
The approach I took was one of hypervigilance. I am in Canada and can't get systemic pesticides and I spent 2-4 hours every day checking my plants and treating anything I found pests on.
Since thrips can spread easily, have a long life cycle, lay eggs in plant tissue that can't be treated by insecticides available in Canada, and develop pesticide resistance, I decided hypervigilance was the best approach for me. However, because of all of these factors, I do think daily leaf cleanings (more on that in section 6), are still vital even if you use systemic pesticides (I won't be talking about systemics).
I eventually treated every plant in my home checking every single plant just in case because I didn't want the infestation to start again.
I suggest removing any leaves that look very infected because it's likely thrips laid eggs in them; they will grow back! And throw away any plants you feel you aren't fully committed to. This took me a while to accept. But I had a few plants that had been looking bad for the past year that I was rehabilitating, I realized it wasn't worth the effort when I had an infestation on my hands.
5. PRODUCTS
a) Safer's Insecticidal soap
- This product only kills thrips on contact and won't kill any eggs in the leaves.
- As I mentioned, I am in Canada and we cannot purchase systemic pesticide
b) Food-grade Diatomaceous Earth
The verdict is out on whether this works, but I thought it was worth a shot.
You apply it to the soil and it potentially dries up any nymphs that end up in the soil. It only works when it's in its powdered form, once it becomes damp, it won't be effective, if it is at all.
Keep in mind this is dangerous to inhale so use a mask when working with it, and keep it away from kids and pets.
If you have nowhere to put your plants safely away from kids and pets, DO NOT USE IT (look it up, it's not safe or worth the risk)
6. MY TREATMENT APPROACH/TIMELINE
Day 1
- I rinsed every plant in the shower or outside with a sprayer (hose or shower head) to dislodge as many thrips as possible.
- Next, I sprayed down each leaf THOROUGHLY with insecticidal soap. I used a makeup brush to apply the product on larger plants and leaves and to get into stalks of plants
- I added diatomaceous earth to the soil after I made sure my plant was already adequately hydrated. If the soil is too damp, the diatomaceous earth will absorb moisture and won't be effective anymore
Weeks 1-2
- When I first realized I had a thrips infestation, I decided to treat the plants more frequently with insecticidal soap than the package recommended (it recommended reapplying every 2 weeks).
- I repeated spraying with insecticidal soap 2X per week for the first two weeks. This could kill some plants, but I made peace with the fact that the plants were already being killed and would die without intervention.
- I also reapplied diatomaceous earth after every watering.
Week 3
- I reduced to treating the plants once a week OR if I saw a thrips (adult nymph or larvae) on a plant.
Weeks 1-5
- I kept my infected plants in 2 quarantine zones, I have enough space but if you don't it's okay!
Zone 1 is where I keep plants that I found thrips on recently
Zone 2 is where I keep plants that I found thrips on, but haven't found one on in a while (I just used my personal judgment for zone 2)
Throughout all of that, I used a clean damp paper towel or lint roller on sturdier plant leaves (looking at you monstera) to wipe down every single plant leaf, every single freaking day.
You could possibly reduce it to every other day or every 2-3 days if needed (eggs hatch in about 4 days). I used the daily leaf cleanings as a way to monitor the infestation and to physically eliminate thrips. It's okay to throw away plants or take cuttings of healthy leaves and start again to reduce your treatment efforts. But, if you let the thrips mature, they start laying more eggs only prolonging the infestation and increasing the chance of resistance to your pesticide of choice; I can't recall if thrips can become resistant to insecticidal soap. You want to catch and remove them at the nymph phase so they can't multiply and prolong the infestation.
It was a nightmare and took me 2-4 hours each day, I got seriously burnt out, which is why I suggest considering the time you are willing to put in. It's okay to throw away plants and start again, or take cuttings of healthy leaves!
I also kept a tracker for all of my plants so I could record when I last saw a thrips and on which plant. I also tracked when I wiped the leaves of each plant (even though it was daily) vs when I applied insecticidal soap. I have about 25 plants so it made it easier to keep track of everything.
Week 6 onwards
I continue to wipe every plant's leaves twice per week now to make sure there are no more thrips since eggs hatch in 3-4 days, it's perfect timing for me to catch and remove larvae if there are any.
That's literally what I did. Put in the time. And I became seriously burnt out after 3 weeks.
Hey! They can actually fly in from outside. Don't sweat it, it's nothing you've done.
I know it's stressful but you can overcome this. They are plants and can be replaced and pests are all a part of the hobby.
I just had my first thrips infestation and was able to get rid of them, I still do semi-monthly leaf checks to monitor but I haven't found one since July 26th. Happy to share what I did if that's helpful.
I know it's stressful but you can overcome this. They are plants and can be replaced and pests are all a part of the hobby.
I just had my first thrips infestation and was able to get rid of them, I still do semi-monthly leaf checks to monitor but I haven't found one since July 26th. Happy to share what I did if that's helpful.
@PoignantEllisia thank you for you kind words, it is encouraging to read♥️ and of course, I’ll take any advice I can get from experience and not just the bunch of recommendations from lists online.
@SnailDiva Absolutely! I have full details that I have drafted and ready to share, it's very long so I apologize in advance
OTHER HELPFUL TIPS/PREVENTION/INTERESTING PRODUCTS
I have learned that prevention is key. Now that I have done a lot more research, and from this experience, I will be checking and wiping leaves down approximately monthly to prevent pests.
I know some people use a neem oil spray to apply to leaves as a preventative measure as well, but I have never done that.
Also, something many of us have heard over and over, but a warning which I never heeded until now, is to quarantine your new plants to ensure they are healthy and don't have pests that can spread to your existing plants.
I recently went to a plant shop that recommended some other products that I find interesting and may be able to assist in preventing pests. I can't attest to their effectiveness just yet, but it's worth looking into. I just started using them myself.
Bios herbal pesticides (Canadian-based company, I am not affiliated)
I see this as a more long-term solution to pest prevention (similar to neem how people can use neem oil spray).
I intend to use this monthly now that the infestation is gone. It contains white willow bark, and other beneficial natural ingredients, which apparently help make plants more resilient. You can apparently also use aspirin as it is also derived from white willow bark.
Check out more details here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZQB4rJjsX5E
Bios Natural fertilizer (Canadian-based company, I am not affiliated)
Again, I can't attest to its effectiveness but I just started using it myself. I just applied it for the second month and plants seem to be growing well, however, it's also peak summer when plants grow the best and I have never used any sort or fertilizer so I can't compare the product to other fertilizers. I just know that I was always scared to use fertilizer for fear of burning my plant's leaves.
A lot of Canadian weed producers are using similar live soil products their crops. It does contain nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium, their website contains confirmation of the amounts that were confirmed by the University of Guelph.
It also contains microbes and beneficial bacteria to help fungi and beneficial bacteria thrive. The fungi feed on things in the soil and then generate natural fertilizer for your plants to use. Apparently, it helps plants be more resilient and fungi and microbes exist in soil naturally so it's intending to recreate that environment.
I know this is very long! But, I hope my experience can help someone.
I have learned that prevention is key. Now that I have done a lot more research, and from this experience, I will be checking and wiping leaves down approximately monthly to prevent pests.
I know some people use a neem oil spray to apply to leaves as a preventative measure as well, but I have never done that.
Also, something many of us have heard over and over, but a warning which I never heeded until now, is to quarantine your new plants to ensure they are healthy and don't have pests that can spread to your existing plants.
I recently went to a plant shop that recommended some other products that I find interesting and may be able to assist in preventing pests. I can't attest to their effectiveness just yet, but it's worth looking into. I just started using them myself.
Bios herbal pesticides (Canadian-based company, I am not affiliated)
I see this as a more long-term solution to pest prevention (similar to neem how people can use neem oil spray).
I intend to use this monthly now that the infestation is gone. It contains white willow bark, and other beneficial natural ingredients, which apparently help make plants more resilient. You can apparently also use aspirin as it is also derived from white willow bark.
Check out more details here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZQB4rJjsX5E
Bios Natural fertilizer (Canadian-based company, I am not affiliated)
Again, I can't attest to its effectiveness but I just started using it myself. I just applied it for the second month and plants seem to be growing well, however, it's also peak summer when plants grow the best and I have never used any sort or fertilizer so I can't compare the product to other fertilizers. I just know that I was always scared to use fertilizer for fear of burning my plant's leaves.
A lot of Canadian weed producers are using similar live soil products their crops. It does contain nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium, their website contains confirmation of the amounts that were confirmed by the University of Guelph.
It also contains microbes and beneficial bacteria to help fungi and beneficial bacteria thrive. The fungi feed on things in the soil and then generate natural fertilizer for your plants to use. Apparently, it helps plants be more resilient and fungi and microbes exist in soil naturally so it's intending to recreate that environment.
I know this is very long! But, I hope my experience can help someone.
@PoignantEllisia omg you are a life saver! I am in Canada as well and I see systemic pesticides mentioned everywhere. I already own the safer insecticidal soap so I suppose it’s time to crack this bad boy open. Thank you so much. I don’t have much time but good thing I just started my vacation so it seems like the first few weeks are the critical ones to mitigate the damages. I appreciate you taking the time to help me with this. ♥️
@SnailDiva absolutely happy to help!
I felt quite overwhelmed when I first found thrips as I'd never had an infestation. I also found nothing online to be overly helpful or clear, so I have been trying to share my approach whenever I see someone panicking about thrips. I literally have it typed out now lol
Best of luck!
I felt quite overwhelmed when I first found thrips as I'd never had an infestation. I also found nothing online to be overly helpful or clear, so I have been trying to share my approach whenever I see someone panicking about thrips. I literally have it typed out now lol
Best of luck!