What do I do about thrips? Every time I buy a monstera it...
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Hi Blair, I just ordered my 1st monstera, but thrips are a pain. It takes some time to deal with and I will copy and paste google article as it’s too much for me to type. I hope it helps. It says: Dealing with thrips on your Monstera involves a multi-pronged approach to address the infestation and prevent its spread.
1. Identification:
Look for tiny insects: Thrips are small, often less than 1.5 mm long, and can be white, yellow, or black. You might see them moving on the leaves, stems, or under the leaves. A magnifying glass can help with identification.
Check for damage: Thrips feed on the sap in leaves, causing damage that can appear as yellow or brown discoloration, tiny black spots (thrips waste), or wilting/drooping leaves. Leaves may also develop silvering or stippling.
Sticky traps: Use blue or yellow sticky traps near your Monstera to catch any flying thrips.
2. Treatment:
Isolation: Separate the infected Monstera from other plants to prevent the thrips from spreading.
Water wash: Hose off the plant thoroughly with water to dislodge as many thrips as possible. You can cover the soil with tinfoil to avoid overwatering.
Insecticidal spray:
Neem oil: This is a popular natural insecticide. Dilute it according to the product directions and spray the entire plant, focusing on the undersides of leaves.
Insecticidal soap: Mix a mild solution of insecticidal soap and water and spray it on the plant, ensuring good coverage, especially on the undersides of leaves.
Commercial insecticide: If using a store-bought insecticide, follow the instructions carefully and consider testing it on a small area of the plant first.
Repeat treatments: Thrips lay eggs inside plant tissues, so it's important to repeat treatments weekly for several weeks (e.g., 4-6 weeks) to eliminate new generations of thrips.
Systemic insecticide: For severe infestations, you might consider using a systemic insecticide, which gets into the plant and kills thrips when they feed.
Pruning: Remove heavily damaged leaves to help reduce the infestation.
3. Prevention:
Quarantine new plants: Isolate new plants for a week or two to check for pests before introducing them to your existing plant collection.
Regular inspection and cleaning: Inspect your Monstera regularly for any signs of thrips or other pests. Clean the leaves frequently by dusting them and wiping them down with a damp cloth.
Good plant hygiene: Maintain healthy Monstera care practices like proper watering and ensuring good air circulation.
Important Notes:
Thrips damage is permanent: Leaves damaged by thrips will not recover, so focus on controlling the infestation and promoting new growth.
Persistence is key: Eliminating thrips can take time and consistent effort.
Consider beneficial insects: Ladybugs can help control thrips populations
1. Identification:
Look for tiny insects: Thrips are small, often less than 1.5 mm long, and can be white, yellow, or black. You might see them moving on the leaves, stems, or under the leaves. A magnifying glass can help with identification.
Check for damage: Thrips feed on the sap in leaves, causing damage that can appear as yellow or brown discoloration, tiny black spots (thrips waste), or wilting/drooping leaves. Leaves may also develop silvering or stippling.
Sticky traps: Use blue or yellow sticky traps near your Monstera to catch any flying thrips.
2. Treatment:
Isolation: Separate the infected Monstera from other plants to prevent the thrips from spreading.
Water wash: Hose off the plant thoroughly with water to dislodge as many thrips as possible. You can cover the soil with tinfoil to avoid overwatering.
Insecticidal spray:
Neem oil: This is a popular natural insecticide. Dilute it according to the product directions and spray the entire plant, focusing on the undersides of leaves.
Insecticidal soap: Mix a mild solution of insecticidal soap and water and spray it on the plant, ensuring good coverage, especially on the undersides of leaves.
Commercial insecticide: If using a store-bought insecticide, follow the instructions carefully and consider testing it on a small area of the plant first.
Repeat treatments: Thrips lay eggs inside plant tissues, so it's important to repeat treatments weekly for several weeks (e.g., 4-6 weeks) to eliminate new generations of thrips.
Systemic insecticide: For severe infestations, you might consider using a systemic insecticide, which gets into the plant and kills thrips when they feed.
Pruning: Remove heavily damaged leaves to help reduce the infestation.
3. Prevention:
Quarantine new plants: Isolate new plants for a week or two to check for pests before introducing them to your existing plant collection.
Regular inspection and cleaning: Inspect your Monstera regularly for any signs of thrips or other pests. Clean the leaves frequently by dusting them and wiping them down with a damp cloth.
Good plant hygiene: Maintain healthy Monstera care practices like proper watering and ensuring good air circulation.
Important Notes:
Thrips damage is permanent: Leaves damaged by thrips will not recover, so focus on controlling the infestation and promoting new growth.
Persistence is key: Eliminating thrips can take time and consistent effort.
Consider beneficial insects: Ladybugs can help control thrips populations
Best of wishes to you during this time! I think both my monstera deliciosa and Thai con are finally on the up and up after their thrips infestation. It even spread to a few other plants but as long as you’re diligent with the treatment, it’s possible for them to survive!!
Personally, I just gave all my plants these Systemic Plant Granules, even the non-infected ones as a precaution. It acts like an antibiotic for your plants basically.
And then for the thrips larvae on the leaves, I used a leaf cleaning recipe that included neem oil. Just be mindful that neem oil can sometimes make your leaves more sensitive to sunlight, so don’t freak out if one of your leaves gets a black “sunburn” spot like my Thai con did. I’ll take that over thrips damage any day! 😌
Personally, I just gave all my plants these Systemic Plant Granules, even the non-infected ones as a precaution. It acts like an antibiotic for your plants basically.
And then for the thrips larvae on the leaves, I used a leaf cleaning recipe that included neem oil. Just be mindful that neem oil can sometimes make your leaves more sensitive to sunlight, so don’t freak out if one of your leaves gets a black “sunburn” spot like my Thai con did. I’ll take that over thrips damage any day! 😌
