Pest control

In our houseplant hobby/trade, pests always come hand in hand whether we like it or not. In this video I share pest control methods using both chemical and natural means. I go through some common species of pests and the species of plants they are sometimes drawn to. The later half of the video shows demonstrations on applications, with updates in the end. Pest control should be incorporated into our plant care regime and can be calming and therapeutic once we gain confidence and experience.
My instagram: @bo.tan.ist
Jazz background music made by Rhythm Alley
/ rhythmalley.taiwan
Background music are created by me exclusively for this channel.

[@miocio315]

I find your calm approach really inspiring! I was stressed to find some aphids on one of my plants, and here you are, having way more plants and dealing with variety of infestations with a positive attitude, thank you!

[@onlyplants]

Takes experience and also acceptance that we are not alone in this world 😀

[@clarence8485]

Mealy bugs caused me to 'hate' the Maranta family, spider mites caused me to 'hate' the Alocasia family, scales caused me to 'hate' the firmer thicker leaves family. The top 3 most hated living creatures that I cant forgive. Lol. Thanks for the video again. Neem oil and a bio pesticide are what I used against these enemies. Oh, and another tip I have is to quarantine the new plants bought from anywhere first as long as one can and then make sure they are pest free first before placing with all other plants. To prevent the new pests from getting comfortable with my place. Lol

[@morning-fix]

I started my plant hobby at the start of 2021 and now that my collection has grown to 42 plants in a small apartment, it's alot more than a hobby. Dealing with pests has been the most difficult but you're right to say that it's a very natural part of caring for plants. Great tips and advice as always. Mealybugs are awful and they are persistent but I found that just dealing with them quickly is a better solution than being stressed by them. I wipe down my plants every time they're watered, it's half the battle won!

[@juliadelarge]

I love your personality, you seem like a fun person to be around. I also find your videos very helpful, I got into houseplants fairly recently and I'm learning a lot from you 😊

[@onlyplants]

Thank youu and welcome to the plant community. ❤️

[@gogumarshmallow]

this is the best explanation of the different common pests and solutions. thank you!

[@cliz2073]

I needed this so bad, you're sa savior a always 🙇‍♀️ thaaank youuuu!

[@jirehharl]

Thank you, Shaun. This is very informative. You're a best teacher!

[@deborahleroy6321]

Thank you! I’ve been fighting scale on my ficus Benjamin for a bit now and you gave me the encouragement I needed not to give up!

[@lottehuiberts]

I LOVE this video, so informative, yet relaxing and very understandable. Thank you for making this! I cannot wait for your Neemoil video to go up and learn some more. I am finally able, thanks to you, to treat my pests succesfully! I am not afraid anymore and am confident in dealing with them. This makes the hobby so much better 🤍

[@nadiajehan8096]

So nice of you to take care of your dad's plants! My mom enlists me to take care of hers everytime I visit too.

[@colinlocascio235]

Thank you so much for your videos. You're my favorite. Very informative

[@ms.somunaidu9874]

Again another great job 👍🏻

[@airi777]

Omg.Just looking at your plants made my day.

[@onlyplants]

Happy to hear that 😀

[@grat2010]

Thank you so much for making this video. I will be linking this video often.

[@onlyplants]

Sweet. Thank youuu

[@saraialegria]

Sean: "All Alocasia will have spidermites" Me: 🗑🪴🏌‍♀️🧘🏽‍♀️ Just kidding 😂 I have 15 Alocasia/Colocasia. I should invest in the Neem oil stock market cause I buy it a lot. Thank you for normalizing but educating on indoor plant pests!

[@SickBoiRENegade]

The story u just expressed with emojis was🔥🔥🔥😂🤣😂🤣

[@saraialegria]

@@SickBoiRENegade 🤣 right to left read

[@onlyplants]

😅😅😅😅

[@leanawong6744]

My exact reaction 😂😂 My alocasias: 🪴 🧍🏾 Me: 👀😬 😵‍💫

[@amelie9271]

I feel like pests are *so bad* here this year (as if the last year hasn’t been enough of a pain in the ass) but maybe I’m just having bad luck. I’ve dealt with just about every single pest since March. They’re driving me nuts! Thank you so much for all the info! This video came out just in time. 🌱

[@cherylyeo25]

hang in there, feel u

[@onlyplants]

The key to enjoying pest control is to have good music on 😀

[@karenmyers9146]

Excellent information thank you

[@gracehc9356]

I don't know why but your videos are also so funny 😂 thanks for your sharing this information!

[@heymifoo5597]

Love all your videos

[@onlyplants]

Thank youu

[@rsmith6909]

Thanks for th his valuable information. You are the best

[@onlyplants]

😀🙏🏾

[@woman_of_mayhem]

Yes, neem oil life saver 🛟 I always spray down any new plants with neem oil before bring it inside the house.

[@onlyplants]

😀😀 I do spray everything down around once a month 🥰

[@RedLiff]

as always, thank you for the information!!

[@arpitatasnim731]

I laughed so much on the part “Indonesian don’t like insects, they are squeamish” I can totally relate to it. Bangladeshi are the exact same. My family freaked out with the worms in the potting mix 🤣

[@onlyplants]

Haha but some insects are beneficial

[@arpitatasnim731]

Yes that’s is true, I have come to learn that after starting my journey with plants. But honestly I still also have that deep set fear of insect in me 🤭 thank you so much for the video. I recently got philodendron verrucosum & splendid and they came with free gift of spider mites. This video gave me the hope for them.

[@Ch33Ch22]

Great tips 👍 thanks

[@vatsalyapatel4882]

Really needed this video🙏🙏

[@spiroskaltsoukalas9692]

It's been a few weeks that i am watching your videos and in this video (27:00) I saw your tattoo on your right hand. This Greek word means a lot! 👍 Great video thank you very much!!!A lot of helping advises!

[@onlyplants]

Haha thank youuu. I live by this word every single day.

[@irismoles9369]

Good information thankyou

[@rae9076]

I'm so lucky to have really minimal pest problems! I think it helps that my plants never go outside and I "quarantine" new plants away from the others until I'm sure they're pest free

[@yonokzeller5402]

Ditto.

[@onlyplants]

Quarantining is definitely an excellent practice (that I dont do but should 😅)

[@rae9076]

@@onlyplants It's hard tbf, some pests fly!!😂

[@elizabethurdaneta1532]

Pests is my main problem 😔Thanks for sharing your ideas🤗

[@capi264strategir9]

aw...you seem tired indeed...take care of yourself Sean. thank you so much for this new video. but,have a rest,I'm sure you work way too much. 🙏🙏🙏😊

[@onlyplants]

Thank youuu.

[@feliciafelicia6965]

I remember having gnats so bad that they would fly in my nose and wake me up at night. I used systemic granules in the soil, then once a month I use a cupful of systemic granules in a gallon of water and spray everything down. So far, no more pests.

[@feliciafelicia6965]

I usually make the water in advance, so it sits for like a month before I use it.

[@michellethiam5977]

Thank you for the video and always enjoy them as they are informative and nice to look at, I mean the plants :). I learned from one of my FB group and started to use wood vinegar to kill pest. It works very well (tried it on mealy bugs and fungus). I searched a bit online and the wood vinegar is good for root growth too. The only down side is the vinegar smell may linger a while.

[@onlyplants]

Ooo someone did comment that before I should really give it a try!

[@michellethiam5977]

@@onlyplants Thank you for trying out and sharing different info. It's really a treasure for this newbie here :)

[@cherylyeo25]

brilliant helpful useful video with wonderful tips - even for experienced plant parents / much appreciate it :) PS I have a few plant care products (Singapore) from Starxle G : - its not furadan, but dinotefuran which seems to be 'acceptable' for Singapore consumption as I cant find furadan / curacron - (which seems to be 'banned' ??) PSS thanks for the demo on neem oil solution! :) :) :)

[@naomiportales5741]

Notif Squad!!

[@onlyplants]

Haha thank youu

[@arthuslim]

Another great video. Am having x world war with spider mites. This video came at the very time. I thought leaves infested by spider mites should be cut off. Curious to see what happen to that Alocasia leave after treatment.

[@Meanchin]

We also have “neem dust” here (southeast asia) which you add to the soil when repotting and as monthly maintenance. Its like a fertilizer and pesticide and I think it also builds your plants strength/resistance so its not as affected by pests. Not really sure if it works but I havent had serious issues until recently when I forgot to do it for like 2 mos or so haha

[@onlyplants]

I have a feeling it should work! The neem would probably leech into the soil and in the roots. However the essential oil version would probably be easier to take up by the plants.

[@mariateresagatinao6832]

❤️

[@mhilmyfauzi4523]

i- the way you just casually dropped that info about fungus nats dropping eggs in our ears and noses

[@onlyplants]

😅

[@kendravoracek3636]

💚

[@nickcluley2390]

Great video! 😁 Also we do have neem oil in the UK but from what I understand it has to state it is for horticultural use only (on packaging etc) I could be wrong tho 🤷‍♂️

[@onlyplants]

You are right!! I think someone wrote in to clarify that

[@jhs1994]

dunno why, every single of your videos there is something to make me laugh 3:20 How hard you to pronounce "pest, pets, pests.." Lol :D

[@onlyplants]

😅😅

[@BalazsBosze1]

Neem oil is not banned in the UK, the law says it's illegal to use azadirachtin (or basically any unlicensed chemical) in pesticides, you shouldn't even use washing up liquid as a pesticide here. But you can freely purchase neem oil online as well as in some shops. You are not allowed to mix chemicals unless they are licensed to be mixed. Generally, we have got very strict rules regarding the use of chemicals and pesticides, you have to do your research before applying anything on your plants (or whatever other reason).

[@onlyplants]

Whoaaa yes apparently you can find them but they cannot be marketed under pesticide. Interesting…

[@MaybeTiberius]

on the alcohol, something i heard recently from someone, and i thought that idea is so nice: do you know those refillable watercolor pens? you can actualy fill alcohol into them and then just put the tip of the pen onto pest things you see

[@onlyplants]

Oh thats so smart!!!

[@jennytaylia5371]

The fungus gnat suggestions didnt work for me. The gnats even lived in my bone dry pots like snake plants. The only way i was able to get rid of them was flushing every single pot in the house with 1:1 peroxide and water, all on the same day for day 1 as well as the next watering round, and then followed up with adding these beneficial mites to the soil of every single pot which is sold as Grub Grenade here. I also had the yellow sticky traps for the adults while the mites worked on the larva. The mites stayed in the substrates and over time, there were less and less gnats until one day there was only maybe 1 or 2 flying around and then none.

[@onlyplants]

Whoaaa looks like you nuked them to death 🙈 mealy bugs here at my environment arent that smart/resilient

[@andrespalomar6557]

👌🏽💯✨

[@BeShatisfied]

Hello from PH! Can you make a Coccoloba plant care video? I recently found a huuuge tree around my area and immediately bought one. Hoping to get some tips and tricks! hehe

[@onlyplants]

Wooh unfortunately I left that cocoloba plant at my dads. But it is an incredibly pest prone plant. And I believe it likes very bright light, even direct light.

[@BeShatisfied]

@@onlyplants aww that's alright! Thank you, Sean! Looking forward to watching your videos and learning more 🙏🏼😊

[@Renzyyyyyy]

🥰🥰🥰🥰

[@linwong1494]

When I first started, I was also super cautious of touching dirt until eventually I realized that it's just necessary for effective and fast plant care. I can't be bothered to take tweezers out every time theres a semi-moldy fallen leave in the pot. Eventually when I had to repot my first plant, I suddenly realized that soil and dirt actually feels really nice??? Like cool sand that's soft and fluffy. So now I just handle all my plants and soil mixes with bare hands and it's great besides getting dirt under the nails lol, bugs be damned (unless they're big bugs, then NOPE) Still having trouble though being comfortable touching pests themselves since I'm worried I might spread them by accident if I touch them and don't sanitise properly.

[@onlyplants]

Mixing potting mix exfoliate my skin 🥰

[@cmfornow]

I read an article once about the affects of gardeners touching the dirt and … memory fails me….but it said something about the content in soil can relieve depression. Idk? But working with plants have made me pretty darn happy. 😁

[@lucyogutu-lumuli7253]

Mealy bugs killed my sago palm. But I managed to get some pups which I’m currently propagating. I guess the blessing in my story is that I learnt how to propagate sago palm and I can see roots at the bottom of the pot.

[@onlyplants]

Palms are so resilient its pretty fascinating 😀

[@nanxiliu6176]

Can you do a videos about treating thrips ?almost all My plants recently are infested with thrips , I am so devastated.

[@onlyplants]

Ooo Ive actually never had thrips before… but the same pest controls shown here also works as treatment and preventative against pests including thrips

[@jhs1994]

20:52 excuse me? two milliliter sprayer? 😂😂🤣

[@cmfornow]

Thank you for the information! I’m having a time with scale on cactus and some plants. My problem is knowing when they are destroyed and I may be harming my plants longer than I should. I can’t seem to tell when the cactus and some stem plants are free of the pests because the scaring left behind looks the same. Any help here? I’ve completely scrapped up a cactus maybe a bit too much. 😫 Should I look more at the growth of the plant than it’s looks?

[@onlyplants]

I would systematically treat them regardless. Treat it as a monthly thing 😀

[@yonokzeller5402]

👍🏽🥰🙏

[@SickBoiRENegade]

Soooo.. what ur saying is buying more plants is good pest prevention😜.... Happy dance!!!😂🤣

[@onlyplants]

Lol yes. Put the sacrificial plants up front for the pests to gravitate towards

[@happyshirt]

Thank you Sean. Very helpful and also good to know that sometimes I cannot avoid chemical solutions. What is that lovely cane begonia you were holding at 1:18 please? I kept getting distracted by it and had to rewind a few times to hear what you were saying. :) Thank you!

[@onlyplants]

Ooo I dont know the name of that begonia but its stunning and relatively easy to grow (and propagate)

[@happyshirt]

@@onlyplants yes it's so pretty! P/s I'm gonna get the big 5l sprayer. The long wand makes it easier to get under the leaves. Bwahahaha dieeee mealy bugs dieeee

[@amandaallen2339]

I had little black dots on my palm. Didn’t see any webs though and they were bigger than the spider mites in your video.. what do you think they were? 😞

[@onlyplants]

Scale most likely. But palms also have these spots on the main stem.

[@cheyennelim5151]

hi hi! do you have any advice for dealing w/ thrips (esp in this climate)? I've had infestations in my monsteras (deliciosa n adasonii) and even hosing down + neem doesn't seem to get rid of them D:

[@onlyplants]

Thrips can bury and lay eggs inside the leaves. You have to break their life cycle by applying neem a few times. Do consider watering the plant with neem oil solution too so the roots and bring the components up to the leaves. If all else fail consider chemical sprays or something stronger like furadan but use with gloves and goggles ya.

[@StitchesbySharonH]

When you showed to water the plants with the Neem Oil, is that for all types of Neem Oil or just the kind that you have? Thank you in advance. Also, thank you for sharing this! 💜

[@onlyplants]

Hello neem oil comes in many % concentrations and Im guessing also quality. Mine is 90% concentrated neem.

[@StitchesbySharonH]

@@onlyplants Thank you!

[@shannoncarr7338]

i also have red spider mites i struggle to get rid of

[@smajliiicka]

Hey Shaun, so is it okay to water the plants using neem solution including the dish liquid? Thank you for great video ❤

[@onlyplants]

Yes. You can water the leaves, stems, roots with it. It is also safe for our skin and hair. Some might even say it is good for us too lol

[@smajliiicka]

@@onlyplants thank you 🙏🏼❤️

[@tobefree944]

The root mealy bugs trouble me a lot! They are pure evil and difficult to spot and treat. I’ve tried pouring hydrogen peroxide solution but it doesn’t seem to be working. So I have purchased the diatomaceous earth to treat but after heard you saying it not gonna work after water the plants 🥲 I haven’t try to treat with neem oil, does any other vegetables oil works too? By watering with the neem oil solution to the soil?

[@onlyplants]

Neem oil is unique, as its essential oils with components that disrupt the hormones of insects. You may want to consider chemical pesticides too if they persist.

[@clydefowle1740]

Have you tried 'wood vinegar' it's a byproduct of making charcoal. It's available here in Thailand as a natural pesticide and fertilizer 💚

[@onlyplants]

Ooo no I havent! Will look it up

[@onlyplants]

Wow I just looked it up. Great stuff! Many many thanks!

[@lydiajoann2306]

I find it disrespectful to use and promote Furadan. Humans harm nature enough and it is just sad when people use methods for a hobby that can endanger nature and living beings :( Sorry, I like your content, but I have to be honest with you. Personally, I use neem oil with essential oils, and it works most of the time very good. Sometimes a plant dies and this is the part of the game and I have to deal with it. I know, some people have very expensive plants, but maybe it's time to rethink how we live with houseplants. But I loved your message about the confident and therapeutic part of the pest management ;) Wish you all the best.

[@onlyplants]

Thank you for your honesty and you do bring some great points here, and I agree with most things said about Furadan. I also want to stress that in every video that I mention furadan, I give a warning of the harm/consequences of this product. However I want to add that essential oils including neem oil can also be severly polluting to produce, as they require a lot of water, arable land, and… pesticides. The best method of pest control in my opinion would be biological, using beneficial insects. I hope someone in that field will consider setting up base here in Indonesia (and most countries) because this is an area that have a lot of potential. Thank you so much again for writing in. I am happy and proud to have inquisitive and compassionate viewers 😀

[@stevemasihoroe8014]

Hey sean, how about small plant? It's okay to water my small plant with curacron mix?

[@onlyplants]

Yeppp I do the same

[@earisu]

Neem oil isn't banned in the UK. :) It just can't be sold as an insecticide because I guess it's not been approved for that use here.

[@onlyplants]

Ohhhh interesting!!! Thanks for that info

[@gabbyblabbers]

I heard beer attracts snails and leaves your plant for sips. People claimed it works but I haven't tried it yet.

[@onlyplants]

Wow… this is worth trying out 😀

[@sendoh7x]

Leaf spraying is the best self therapy 😂

[@Charline-Venefica]

I recently heard that the amount of pesticide contained within a dose of flea/tick preventive for large dog was equivalent to the amount of pesticide used on a 480m² beetroot field.. I now feel like I am goofing around with an insecticide spray bottle everytime I walk my dog 🐶🤪

[@TheZaackTosswill]

Did anyone else emotionally struggle as much as I did seeing the examples of badly infested plants..... I was literally cringing at the spider mites one.

[@renem.9217]

Scales are a big problem on my monstera delicious,have to keep re applying Neem oil cause scales keep coming back.

[@onlyplants]

I would also fertilize lightly, and look into the care. Sometimes plants attract pests when they are not in good shape.

[@jancyplants4705]

That's what we say in Spanish mosquitoes but we're referring to the little tiny gnats

[@lxjrntll]

Alternative to curacron?

[@onlyplants]

Neem oil works wonders. If I had less plants it will be all I need

[@earisu]

when DE becomes dry again it works again. So you can spray a solution of water and DE on leaves. I used it for spider mites. Problem is the sprayer gets clogged often, it needs to be left on the leaves for awhile to kill the cycle (so poor photosynthesis) and it's a pain in the butt to get off the leaves when you want to remove it.

[@onlyplants]

Harli G just mentioned that she keeps DE in the soil mix so that actually kinda make sense now that you mention they work again 😅

[@shannoncarr7338]

bluh, im dealing with thrips, hit my new mamei hard and then sprayed down with end all then got bacterial spots

[@onlyplants]

Pests can spread bacteria/fungus. I wouldnt worry, and wait for new leaves. Can propagate the old leaves/node later anyway

[@shannoncarr7338]

@@onlyplants really?? those little fuckers hah

[@shuetligoh1988]

Have you tried a milk + water solution?

[@onlyplants]

Nope but I have a feeling milk may bring bacteria/rot to the leaves?

[@rintangazhar]

My non fuzzy leaf anthurium and aglaonemas got scale so bad which is hate the most about scale is how to get rid off them without pesticides. And let me tell you, my palm is same as yours where mealy bug and ants flock. Driving me nuts.

[@onlyplants]

Yeah but after we get to know the pests and species of plants around our home we start to get a feel for what to do. Its stressful at first and then it becomes a zen-like ritual haha

[@baba7415963]

Pest control is definitely satisfying but I always freak out cause I’m so scared that it would spread. Treating 1 or even 10 plants is fine but more than that... it’s just tedious 😂 Would you know how to treat bacterial infection? Some if my plants get these yellow leaves with weird spots. I’m sure it isn’t the watering/light/soil cause they do well for months then suddenly random leaves (old and new) would turn yellow and they have spots like uneven yellowing.

[@baba7415963]

Also, I tried to treat it with neem oil but to no avail. If anything, the yellow leaves get worse and even more leaves turn yellow with spots after.

[@onlyplants]

Usually plants can develop its own immune system to fight further infection. So fertilizing it lightly often, and giving it excellent care to build up its health and immune system is key. Bacteria is spread by water (misting) and pests. So I would never mist my plants leaves and also treat for pests systematically. Although my collection is so large now that sometimes I just let these sick plants be. Most of the times they bounce back on their own.

[@leonardodevin1679]

hot temperature + low humidity. never see any pests around here

[@jackie9068]

Have sage and basil around your home and near your plants especially sage into they insects sre gone.

[@onlyplants]

Ouu yes and lemongrass… and pandan too

[@wiandryadiwasistio2062]

- predatory bugs are expensive, and i think in southeast asia, the species may differ from those often advertised in the west (if they got shipped, they'll barely make it, but if they do ship well, that may count as accidental exotic species introduction which may make more problems). also, i wonder why no indonesians kickstart a predatory bug breeding program, looking at its greater efficacy - i may get into your soaps or related products, since baby soaps didn't do the job well. time for another field trip in nurseries

[@onlyplants]

Yeah hoping someone will start a breeding program here. Using local endemic species too so we dont destroy the local ecosystem

[@catherinesaulnier5448]

Thrips are the worst, here in Canada...

[@bestgreenpest]

Pesticides are safe until you drink them. The sets on your seagrape are feeding on your scales so 🤷🏽‍♂️

[@dream.fiiend]

I used to live at my in-laws and the house's windows were practically completely sealed. My only problem with pest was the occasional spider mite. Lately I moved to a old apartment and lately I've had pests I've never had including beneficial predatory mites, creeping in.

[@ravensdotter6843]

What about thrips?

[@onlyplants]

Yeappp works too. Thrips burrow into the leaves/roots if Im not wrong. May have to treat them more deeply via the roots rather than spraying down surfaces only. Ive never had experience with thrips unfortunately but have only read tons about them in anticipation that they may appear someday. (But seriously where are they? Lol im waiting)

[@ravensdotter6843]

@@onlyplants they were infesting a new philodendron I'd gotten. All over upper parts of plant. I thought it was spider mites, used my eye loupe, and one scared the crap out of me!! With the loupe, it looked like the loch ness monster!! LOL. I used a combined been/soap/H2O spray, couldn't beat them. So now, I've unpotted them, sprayed all the old soul off the roots (root bound anyway) and repotted. Use last if my mix to water with and I'm waiting to see what happens. Thanks for getting back!! I wait breathlessly for your uploads. Sometimes I save a bunch of new ones and binge watch!!😁😂🤣😁

[@jaskaur5127]

Insecticide and pesticides …. when to use what? 🤷‍♀️

[@onlyplants]

Can use every 2-3 months on a scheldule, or use as per needed when pests are detected. Some species of plants draw certain species of pests but you will get used to it soon 😀

[@aiorlin8722]

I cant take my eyes form ur verocosum 😂😂😂😅😅🤦🏻‍♀️

[@shannoncarr7338]

u use something that toxic?? oh boy

[@onlyplants]

Haha only in dire situations. I keep things mild for 99% of the plants

[@cmfornow]

A while back when I was trying to see what mealy bugs looked like and if my plants were really infested with them, I strapped on magnifier glasses that comes with a light onto my head. Too my surprise I saw 👀 very up close and a little too personal a mealy bug and it was looking right at me and had its little hand waving back and forth above its head perhaps saying noooooo don’t kill us. I felt bad but I had to murder the entire family and maybe a few generations. 😩 It was worth it though because my plants 🌱 were free!

[@onlyplants]

Haha all living things want to live I guess. And animals have more feelings than we give them credit for. But yeah they must go! 😅

[@minzhengchen1940]

Hey Sean, I’m wondering if it is ok to soap washing roots and leaves for Hoyas and monsteras that have mealybugs problem and repotting them after?.. Plz help. 🪴

[@onlyplants]

Yes but do it gently. Mealy bugs actually dont require such aggressive measures though they are quite easy to control

[@minzhengchen1940]

@@onlyplants Thx a lot! Repotted them and sprayed with neem oil + soap solutions. I’ll circle back for another spray in two weeks. 🪴