An Uncommon but Effective Pest Deterrent? Diatomaceous Earth.
Welcome to the ninth edition of the Happy Planters Newsletter! We had 51 people join since the last release - SO EXCITING!!! It means a lot to see you all here. I will do my best to create quality content you will continue to enjoy :)
My goal is to create a portfolio of houseplant-related content that can allow ANYONE to create an indoor jungle of their own with thriving, happy plants.
An Uncommon but Effective Pest Control? Diatomaceous Earth.
Let's switch it up! This is going to be a unique edition of the Happy Planters Newsletter because it was written by a guest writer - @JoeAndHisPlants.
He will be sharing his knowledge on Diatomaceous Earth, also commonly referred to as DE, and how it can be used to be an extremely effective pest deterrent.
To learn what DE is and how you can use it to stop plant pests in their tracks, continue reading to absorb some knowledge from Joe!
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Hello, Plant Parents and Guardians!
First off, I want to thank Houseplant Hobbyist for having me write a small article for his newsletter! I will be talking about Diatomaceous Earth & how to treat or prevent future pest infestations.
What the heck is Diatomaceous Earth (DE), you ask?! DE is a soft, naturally occurring rock that can be crumbled into a powder. When this off-white powder is placed on plants, insects that come across DE have their exoskeletons broken into and are killed by dehydration! DE is fairly easy to use and I suggest adding DE to part of your plant chores.
Diatomaceous Earth is effective against any insect that has an exoskeleton. This includes fleas, mites, lice, ants, millipedes, earwigs, cockroaches, silverfish, bed bugs, crickets, centipedes, pill bugs, sow bugs, most beetles, fungus gnat larvae, and some grubs.
What you will need for treatment:
A small paint or makeup brush (other options: bulb duster or spray bottle)*
A water mister
An isolation mask
A plant
*Bulb dusters can be used to apply DE with air pressure.
Spray bottles: mix a cup of DE per half gallon of water to apply as wet media.
You want to start off by being in a well-ventilated area. You may also want to place your plant on top of a gardening tarp or recycled paper as DE may get messy. Once DE touches water, it leaves a residue behind much like paint, but can easily be rubbed/washed off.
Once you have your station situated and have your mask on, then you can apply DE. I personally like using a brush for my applicator of preference as the brush gets into small crevices of my plants. First, dab the brush into the DE powder until the bristles are fully covered. Next, slowly apply the DE to all parts of the plant including the top of the soil. Do not forget the underside of plant leaves since many pests like to hide there! Spray the water mister on the bottom part of each plant leaf to help DE stick underneath when applying. And… that’s about it!
Below are some examples of what the plants will look like after applying DE.
Taking measures further to maintain and prevent re-infestation, I place the DE-added plants in a butterfly mesh cage to serve as a “quarantine area”. I leave the newly dusted plant in quarantine for about a week or two and inspect it every few days to assess its infestation. You should be seeing less movement from those pests and your plant should be recovering. REAPPLY if needed!
For those of you that make your own soil mixture, you can add DE to the soil as well. Just know, your soil will retain more moisture so you may want to add more substrates that drain water out, such as perlite. One last thing: DE is great, but be cautious because it can kill beneficial bugs such as ladybugs & spiders! Other than that, it is a great addition to prevent or even a possible solution to eliminate those pesky pest infestations!
See you later Plant Parents & Guardians!
Feel free to follow me on Twitter, @joeandhisplants & @plantsxpetals or on YouTube, plantsxpetals
Final Notes
Thank you @JoeAndHisPlants for the newsletter! I learned a lot and hope everyone else did as well. I will have to add DE to my shopping list!
If you learned something new, please share this newsletter and let me know by replying to this using the reply button :)
This Weeks Happy Planter Submission
My favorite plants are monstera deliciosa and impatiens featured in the picture. I love them because of the grandiose of monstera leaves and the fanciful nature of impatiens which makes them thrive one day and weep another with so many magnificent colours…
Thanks for sharing @BanupriyaMadhu! I don't currently have an impatiens but now I might have to keep my eyes open for one!
That’s All For Now!
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Talk soon! Feel free to enjoy my content on Twitter until the next newsletter :)
-Houseplant Hobbyist