How to Get Rid of Thrips on Houseplants
Thrips are very small but tough black bugs that are known to infest houseplants. They can certainly become extremely annoying if they are not controlled quickly and efficiently. Moreover, if you want your plants to thrive and grow, you need to eliminate them so effectively, they never ever come back again.
The thing is that finding thrips on your houseplants can be an extremely disheartening experience. Not only are they really irritating, but they also have the potential to wreak havoc on your plants. This is a fairly common pest found on many houseplants, including both indoor and outdoor ones. Trying to eliminate them piecemeal can lead to a lot of frustration since they are extremely tough little creatures. Moreover, they have a tendency to multiply very quickly. Apart from that, they can both crawl and fly all over the place. This definitely makes them very difficult to control. Since they can move around very easily, it is possible for them to infest all of your garden or indoor greenhouse very rapidly indeed. Let us see how you can go about controlling these irksome insects.
Go Organic!
Going organic is one of the best ways of controlling these annoying insects. This is because the pests develop a very rapid immunity to the most common chemical pesticides. Apart from that, such pesticides are extremely harmful to human health as well. You can just simply rinse the leaves until they are clean of the insects’ nits. The pests can be washed away with a simple water spray. You can use a plant sprayer to wash the leaves, stems, and flower buds until they are clean of the whole infestation.
Neem Oil and Soap
You can also use a mild insecticide soap for this purpose. Add to that an infusion of Neem oil for more long-lasting effects. Here, you will have to bear in mind the fact that they tend to lay their eggs in the soil. So, it would be a great idea to douse the soil with a mild insecticide mixed in water. The plant’s roots will absorb it and make sure it makes it to the parts that the pests love to eat. Or you can just hose it down with a light water pressure hose to wash away the grime, dirt as well as these pests.
All adult Thrips have the capability of flying. A clean and non-harmful method of eliminating them involves the usage of sticky traps. Once the bug flies onto such a trap, it won’t be able to move and you can simply throw away the bug-covered paper into the dustbin and be done with it.
Use Common Pesticide
While this method is not recommended by most experts, it is certainly an effective method of getting rid of an infestation of these pests. This holds particularly true when the infestation is particularly severe or if it has spread to other plants as well. You should know that these pesky insects can bite and cause a lot of irritation in the affected area.
Conclusion
Thrips are annoying insects that can severely damage your precious houseplants. However, using natural treatments such as Neem oil, plain water, and mind detergents can help get rid of this menace on a permanent basis.
Lucy Rose is a passionate nature lover. She studied biology and has always been fascinated by the healing power of plants. While always living with a positive mindset, she likes to write out pieces in which she shares her love for the botanical world and guides others into a peaceful way of life.
