Tried and true

When researching plant care products, there is an overwhelming amount of information to be found. There are so many different products on the market to use for feeding, propagating, planting etc. These are the few products that I have found useful in my years of collecting plants.

Some are tried and true, and some are new things that I am currently in the process of experimenting with.

I am not sponsored or affiliated with any of these products though I would love to be!

In a few months from now I will be posting an update on a special method to achieve success with rare, variegated houseplants. I do not want to speak on this method now, as I have not personally used it in the past; But stay tuned for the update on it because I am super excited to see the results with my Thai Con.

Everything that I am writing about today, I have personally found great success with. Let’s jump right into this and start off with a problem that all indoor plant collectors are sure to face.

GNATS

Ugh. There is nothing I hate more than gnats or flies in the house. Not only is it gross, but it is also a nuisance, and pretty embarrassing when company is present too. There is a wide array of products that can be used to combat gnats, from pesticides, to contraptions, and even ladybugs.

I have not personally used ladybugs to defend from pests but I have heard great success stories of them fending off pests such as gnats, aphids, mealy bugs, and thrips. If you can deal with these cute little beetles being loose in your home for the benefit of your plants; they seem like a great defense mechanism for other pests,

Here are a few methods that I have tried and what has worked the best for me.

NEEM OIL

Neem oil is an effective pesticide that targets over 200 species of pests. It works miracles for almost all pests and you can even find brands that offer fungicide and neem 2-in-1’s to treat and prevent fungal infections and bacteria as well. In my home, neem oil is the first choice for almost all plant related diseases and infestations.

If I notice signs of a pest on any of my plants, I will quickly remove them from the greenhouse to try and avoid any spreading. If you notice pests or diseases/infections on any of your plants - be sure to examine them carefully (and the soil as well) to be sure they haven’t already been contaminated.

I use Neem oil concentrate and mix it according to the label in a Zep spray bottle. I spray the tops AND BOTTOMS of leaves thoroughly, making sure to get all of the cracks and crevices where microscopic bugs can hide.

Sticky Fly traps

While neem oil does treat and prevent fungus gnats, I have found that the best method for killing and removing the gnats from your house is the use of sticky fly traps. You can find these on amazon in large packs. You simply stick the trap in the soil, peel the protective backing off and voilà! Flies are attracted to the sweet sticky traps and in an hour or so you can be certain that your gnat problem is under control. I advise sticking traps in multiple plants and locations around your house.

Be careful when placing the traps as they are quite adhesive and can cause significant damage to leaves or other plant materials that come in contact with the glue. If you are using sticky traps in a screened in patio, be cautious of lizards and other critters that may be attracted to the sweet adhesive. It is important we take care of the wildlife and insects around us. To be safe, I try to limit using them outdoors to prevent any unnecessary harm to the insects we share our world with.

Castile Soap

Castile Soap is an olive oil based soap known for its plethora of uses. It truly is one of the most versatile products on the market. I use it in my household for almost everything - from household cleaning, to washing the puppies - and my personal favorite use - in the greenhouse.

When mixed in correct measurements, Castile soap is a safe and effective way to combat pests and other problems you may encounter in your garden.

For use in a spray bottle, mix one tablespoon of castile soap in 1 quart of water. If you are making it in larger batches you can mix 5 tablespoons per gallon of water.

If the infestation is caught early on, or is less severe, you can use a lower concentration of soap to kill off the pests.

Now for the GAME CHANGER - Castile soap as a leaf shine agent.

Oh my god, When I tell you that this has CHANGED MY LIFE! For years I have cleaned my plants leaves with a neem oil mixture or an olive oil mixture. While These mixtures definitely work to clean leaves, they do not compare to the grime fighting power of castile soap.

Dirt, Dust, and particles on the plant leaves can block sun rays and slow the process of photosynthesis, and stress your plants. I did not learn about cleaning plant leaves until later in my plant collecting journey. As soon as I began implementing leaf cleaning routines for my indoor plants, I noticed a significant increase in the growth rate. While other mixtures can work to remove dust and debris from the surface of your plants, Castile soap can fight through grime on a different level. The first time I wiped my Rhaphidophora Decursiva with a castile soap concoction I was stunned. The solution left my leaves glossy and cut through the dirt with very little effort, as opposed to having to wipe and buff it off using any other mixture.

A castile soap solution is also your best friend when dealing with powdery mildew, mold and pests!

One of my hardest plants for me to keep up with is my Hoya Compacta. With all of the curls and crevices it is quite hard to wipe away any dust, or god forbid - mildew. Even with these delicate, curly leaves, castile soap can cut through the dirt with minimal, if any damage to the plant.

Feeding/Fertilizing plants

Superthrive is a vitamin based solution that can be used on practically any plant. From orchids, to shrubs and lawn ornamentals. Superthrive packs more than nutrients found in standard fertilizers. I first started using superthrive on my fiddle leaf fig tree to promote large growth and root development. After finding great success in feeding my trees with superthrive, I moved onto feeding the rest of my collection with the supplement as well. My plants have never been happier. I ran out of superthrive and now I can see the difference it truly has made in my plants growth.

When using Superthrive (or any plant product really) be sure to read the directions carefully and in detail to prevent burning your plants or root systems. Superthrive specifically is very concentrated and WILL burn your plants, but when used properly it will have such a beautiful impact on your foliage.

Another Plant food product I use in my garden is Fertilome all purpose water soluble plant food. This 20-20-20 formula is amazing for promoting large, lush leaves. You can use this every watering as a full feed, or you can foliage feed by mixing a smaller concentration and spraying the leaves of your plants. I love spraying my moss poles with a light mixture of this.

Both of these products will last so long in your house and change the way you feed your plants!

Keiki Cloning Paste

I AM SO EXCITED TO BE SHARING THIS PRODUCT WITH YOU AHH!! This product single handedly is my MUST BUY product. It has so many uses and can be used on all varieties of plants. Crazy Keiki Cloning paste is a blend of growth hormones and vitamins that can be topically applied to the stems or nodes of plants to promote new growth, and speed up the growth process.

This paste is marketed towards orchids for creating clones of mother plants or additional flower stalks. I am working on creating a lot of content right now with projects that will take a few weeks of observation for accurate before and afters. One of those projects is the cloning of my favorite orchid in my greenhouse.

Don’t be fooled by the marketing for this cloning paste, it works exceedingly well for all kinds of plants by stimulating dormant nodes and encouraging growth. My seven foot tall rubber tree unfortunately suffered some damage from the florida sun over the summer. The entire bottom half of the tree had sun bleached leaves that had to be removed, resulting in a bald stem. I applied Keiki cloning paste to the nodes and it only took days for me to see the growth process begin.

I will attach various pictures of these growths with time stamps so you can see how crazy this crazy cloning paste really is!

Feb. 25th, 2023

Apply a pea size glob of paste to nodes. If you are unfamiliar with how to locate the node on your plant: Look for where leaves are attached or used to be. Nodes are located where leaves or aerial roots form. Internodes are the regions of the stem between two nodes. Nodes form new growth or branches in every kind of plant. I will touch on this more when I get into propagation techniques and methods.

March 8th, 2023

After a few days new growth will begin emerging from the nodes that were stimulated by the cloning paste.

March 23rd, 2023

March 31st, 2023

Most of the rehab plants I take in have damaged leaves that need to be removed for the better of the plant. When dealing with a plant that is balding, keiki cloning paste is the solution.

I currently have keiki cloning paste on almost all of my rehab plants and cuttings.

More to come on this miracle product in the future to show the growth it promotes on my babies!

That’s the last of the products I have to share with you for right now. To prevent this from being a “chapter book” blog I will cut this short and continue this in volume two to share more tips and general rule of thumb advice that I practice in my own household to promote lush green foliage.