What to Do When a Peace Lily Gets Bugs? A Detailed Guide to Pest and Disease Control
People are often busy with other matters and neglect the care of their peace lily, making it very prone to pests and diseases, which can be extremely fatal to the plant. So what should you do if your peace lily gets bugs? Today we will take a detailed look at pest and disease control methods for the peace lily.
What to Do When a Peace Lily Gets Bugs
Generally speaking, there are four types of insects that appear on peace lilies: aphids, red spider mites, leaf rollers, and scale insects. The main diseases are brown spot, brown root rot, and anthracnose. So below we will focus on the control of these pests and diseases of the peace lily.
I. What to Do When a Peace Lily Gets Bugs
1. Aphids
Aphids, also known as honey bugs, are one of the most destructive pests in the world. They generally appear on the tender leaves or newly sprouted buds of the peace lily, causing the leaves to become greasy and sticky to the touch. If not dealt with in time, they can trigger sooty mold and other problems, so they should be removed as early as possible.
Removal methods: (1) Sprinkle plant ash on the plant, then rinse with clean water, and after washing spray with chinaberry leaf juice; (2) Dilute 10% imidacloprid wettable powder into a 2000-fold solution and spray.
2. Red Spider Mites
Red spider mites belong to the mite family, with a body length of generally only about 0.4-0.5 mm. They are red, round pests that are difficult to spot with the naked eye. They mainly feed on the sap inside the leaves and cause great damage to chlorophyll, leading to yellowing and even falling of the leaves.
Removal methods: (1) Dilute 40% dicofol emulsifiable concentrate into a 1000-fold solution and spray; (2) Use 20% clofentezine wettable powder, diluted into a 2000-fold solution and spray.
3. Leaf Rollers
Leaf rollers, also known as green worms, hide inside the leaves and feed on the leaf flesh. They are extremely harmful to the leaves and the peace lily, and from September to October each year they can cause the leaves to turn yellow and wither.
Removal method: What should you do when a peace lily gets bugs in this situation? Use 40% dimethoate emulsifiable concentrate diluted into a 1000-fold solution and spray the peace lily.
4. Scale Insects
If you see flat, round or oval larvae on the underside of the peace lily leaves, they are basically scale insects. They cause the leaves to turn yellow, the branches and tips to wither, and can also trigger other diseases, so they should be dealt with as early as possible.
Removal methods: (1) Spray with 40% omethoate diluted into a 1000-fold solution; (2) Spray with 50% malathion diluted into a 1500-fold solution.
II. Pest and Disease Control for the Peace Lily
1. Brown Spot
Oval yellow-brown lesions appear on the leaves and gradually expand. Small black dots appear in the lesions on the upper surface of the leaves, and the leaves begin to turn yellow, wither, and fall off.
Treatment and prevention: Remove and burn the affected branches and leaves. (1) Spray with 50% carbendazim wettable powder diluted into a 500-fold solution; (2) Or spray with 50% benomyl wettable powder diluted into a 1000-fold solution, once a week for 3 consecutive times.
2. Brown Root Rot
The leaves begin to turn yellow and droop. If not dealt with in time, the branches of the peace lily will turn brown and even wither, and the root system will also rot. In severe cases, it can cause the peace lily to die. So what should you do if the peace lily leaves droop? If you follow the methods below in time, you can avoid a tragedy.
Treatment and prevention: (1) Spray with 50% thiophanate-methyl sulfur suspension concentrate diluted into an 800-fold solution; (2) Or spray with 50% carbendazim wettable powder diluted into a 600-fold solution.
3. Anthracnose
Small brown spots appear on the leaf surface and leaf tips, then spread into large brown patches. Brown wavy edges appear on the leaf margins, and small gray granules also appear on the lesions.
Treatment and prevention: Use 25% anthracnose powder wettable powder diluted into a 500-fold solution, spraying once every half month, and 3-4 consecutive times will cure it.
Summary: Pest and disease control for the peace lily is very important. It can arise not only from improper peace lily cultivation methods, but also from a harsh environment. If not dealt with in time, it will endanger the plant's life, so it must be dealt with as early as possible.
Why You Can't Keep Indoor Plants Well
Have you ever passed by a flower shop, happily brought home a pot of delicate, vibrant plants, or placed one beside your office desk, only for it to wither little by little as if under a spell?
No matter how you care for it, you cannot reverse its eventual death. Refusing to accept it, you run back to the flower shop, only to find it is futile. With a bit of frustration, you say you will never keep plants again. Yet you cannot shake your love for plants. In fact, plants have their own temperaments.
Influencing Factors
I. Environment
Indoor ventilation is generally not very good, especially in summer and winter. When the air conditioning or heating is on, people are even less likely to open windows for ventilation. Using air conditioning also changes the indoor humidity and temperature. Combined with factors such as indoor lighting conditions, plant growth is often inhibited, and the plants easily turn yellow and gradually die.
The temperament of plants is also shown in the fact that they likewise need companions. This is one of the reasons why plants in a greenhouse grow better than plants in an office or home. Because greenhouses have many plants, they can create a special environment suited to plant growth, and this environment promotes plant growth.
II. Human Factors
1. Constant Watering
Plants are very averse to being watered this way. Ventilation and light are already worse than outdoors, so the moisture in the soil cannot evaporate, causing water accumulation, root rot, yellowing, and various other unhealthy symptoms.
2. Frequent Touching
This can injure the leaves or leaf buds of green plants and spoil their appearance, affecting both normal plant growth and visual appeal.
III. The Plant's Own Factors
1. Normal Metabolic Yellowing of Leaves
The lower or a few individual old leaves turn yellow, while the new leaves and the vast majority of leaves are healthy. For example, pothos occasionally has two yellow leaves at the bottom. As long as you pick them off and throw them away, there is no impact and no need to worry.
2. Pests and Diseases
In fact, a plant body is like our human body and is also prone to illness. We need to go to the hospital for regular physical checkups, and plants are the same.
Specific Analysis of Common Symptoms
Symptom 1: Leaves turn yellow, leaves fall, the plant is barely alive
Diagnosis
It may be caused by the following three reasons: the plant is placed in too dark a location and lacks at least minimal light; watering is too frequent, causing root rot; the planting soil has not been changed for many years and lacks necessary nutrients.
Solution
Change the placement location, put it by a window or in a sunny spot, and let it receive light for a period of time; stop watering until the potting soil is completely dry before watering again; buy a small bottle of green-leaf fertilizer from the flower market and apply it to the soil.
Symptom 2: Newly grown stems and tender leaves are very sparse
Diagnosis
Because of a severe lack of light, the old leaves wither while the new leaves are thin and sparse. In horticulture there is a specific term for this called "etiolation" (leggy growth).
Solution
Choose shade-tolerant plants suitable for indoor growth, or choose a dedicated ultraviolet lamp to supplement light for the plants (this lamp is not recommended for beginners).
Symptom 3: Flowers fall and stems wither
Diagnosis
Lack of water. Indoor plants are left unattended, and some flowering plants that need daily watering will wither. In addition, lack of light is also a problem.
Solution
There is a very simple method: when you have no spare time to manage them, place a plate filled with water under the flowerpot.
Symptom 4: The flowering plant dries up and dies
Diagnosis
Insect infestation. Indoor green plants usually rarely get insects. Flowering plants that get insects, such as marguerite daisies, usually already had insects before they were placed in the office (that is, they very likely already had bugs when purchased).
Solution
You need to spray insecticide and expose them to sunlight, which is not suitable to do in an indoor environment and must be done outdoors. But this may take time, so indoor spaces are basically not suitable for keeping flowering plants. Flowering plants are more prone to insects than green-leaf plants, so they are not recommended.
Symptom 5: Leaves turn yellow first, then black
Diagnosis
After the leaves turn yellow, you remove the diseased leaves once, but they still continue to turn black. The leaves were still plump and fresh two months ago, so it can be determined to be air-conditioning sickness in plants.
Solution
Overwatering, nutrient deficiency, and bacterial diseases are possible, but the main cause is being placed under an air conditioner, which affects normal plant growth. If the plant is still relatively healthy, you can spray with insecticide and fungicide.
Symptom 6: White things on potted plants, tiny pests
Diagnosis
This is scale insects at work.
Solution
You can use one of chlorpyrifos, acephate, or buprofezin, mix with water according to the instructions, and spray 2-3 times, with an interval of 10 days between each spray.
Specific Solutions for Common Plant Symptoms
Peace Lily
Symptoms
Leaves wilt, gradually turn yellow and dry out.
Solution
When watering, it is very important to check whether the bottom of the pot leaks and whether the soil is aerated. You can insert a thin wire along the edge of the pot to help with aeration. Check whether the soil is dry or moist. Dry means your plant has been without water for too long and needs watering, water until the bottom of the pot leaks. Moist means you have watered too much, so move it to a ventilated spot to help the moisture evaporate. Of course, now you must also prevent cold damage.
Money Tree
Symptoms
Leaves turn yellow, leaves fall
Solution
The money tree likes high temperatures and plenty of sunlight, and cannot be placed in a shaded place for a long time; it should be placed in a spot with sufficient light. The money tree is a drought-tolerant plant, so do not water too frequently, and water must not accumulate in the pot. Check whether the roots have rotted. If the roots have rotted, remove the rotten roots, disinfect with carbendazim or potassium permanganate, and replant. If your planting soil is clayey, you can mix in some river sand.
African Jasmine
Symptoms
Leaves dry up and fall off
Solution
The light is too poor, so it needs to be moved to a spot with better sunlight. Of course, using tea water to water flowers can also cause wilting and leaf drop, so you must switch to watering with clean water.
Lucky Bamboo
Symptoms
It keeps dropping yellow leaves, and the stems keep withering
Solution
If it is placed in a shaded environment for a long time, the leaves cannot get enough sunlight and cannot form chlorophyll, so the entire plant's leaves turn yellow and then fall off. Supplementing light can prevent this problem. Check the potting soil; if there is hardening, change the soil. Usually apply thin fertilizer frequently and water with some alum water at the right time. Lucky bamboo is a foliage plant, so it should be given fertilizer mainly based on nitrogen fertilizer.
Hyacinth
Symptoms
Root rot
Solution
If it is water-cultured, the water level should just reach the root disc. After the roots grow out, the water level should be lower than the root disc. For water-cultured hyacinths, you must change the water regularly to keep it clean. Water-cultured hyacinths do not need nutrient solution. If only the roots have rotted and the bulb is fine, clean the rotten roots thoroughly, then if conditions permit, disinfect with potassium permanganate and dry in a ventilated place. Replant in soil; as long as the root disc is not damaged, the chance of saving it is still very high. If the bulb is also moldy and rotting, first clean the moldy areas thoroughly, peel off the rotten parts, and also check whether there are signs of rot inside the surrounding bulb body. Finally, disinfect, dry, and replant (soil planting is recommended).
Kumquat Tree
Symptoms
Dry, withered
Solution
The ambient temperature where the kumquat tree is kept must not be lower than 8°C. Use loose, fertile soil with a good granular structure. This kind of soil has large porosity, which helps drain excess water and contains enough air. Keep the soil moist, but not too moist, and never let water accumulate, otherwise the roots will easily rot. In summer, water in the morning or evening; in winter, water at noon when the temperature is a bit warmer. It is best to water with rainwater or river water. If you use tap water, let it sit for a few days before using it to water.
Nerve Plant
Symptoms
Leaves wilt
Solution
It is possible that the roots were damaged when it was first planted, so wait a while. Nerve plants need appropriate sun exposure. In most cases, when nerve plant leaves wilt, it is because of lack of water. Water it, water it thoroughly, and then you can place it in the sunlight for a while. Remember that many plants cannot be placed next to a heater, and nerve plants are no exception. Do not place them in a place that is too cold either. If winter is too cold, you can cover it with a plastic bag at night and remove it during the day.
Christmas Cactus
Symptoms
Does not bloom
Solution
Apply less nitrogen fertilizer or fertilizers with a relatively high nitrogen content. If too much is applied, vegetative growth will become too vigorous and reproductive growth will be inhibited. At this point, the Christmas cactus will be reluctant to bloom. The Christmas cactus can only bloom smoothly under light conditions with short days and long nights. In a low-temperature environment below 15°C, flower bud development in the Christmas cactus is delayed, and this can easily cause bud death, known as blind buds. In addition, if the ambient temperature drops to around 0°C, the flower buds will freeze and die. Therefore, the temperature must be kept at 15-20°C to ensure normal flower bud development. Every spring, it is best to cut off some of the older fleshy stems of the Christmas cactus when repotting, and carefully tap the plant out of the pot, then use a sharp knife to trim away a layer of old roots from the surface of the root ball to stimulate new root growth. In this way, the plant's nutrient absorption increases, its growth vigor becomes stronger, and naturally it produces more flowers.
Comprehensive Care Methods
1. Watering Should Be Moderate
Because indoor air circulation is poor, the amount of water transpired from the soil in flower pots is small, and the pots used for green plants are often chosen for their looks, with ceramic pots being the most common. This kind of pot is neither breathable nor permeable, which further reduces water loss from the potting soil. Therefore, watering should be controlled as much as possible, otherwise the roots of green plants can very easily sit in water for long periods and rot.
2. Maintain humidity
Plants are even more sensitive to air humidity than we are. Potted plants cannot adapt to air that is too hot or too dry, and it also tends to make some pests more rampant. To maintain humidity for potted plants, try the following measures:
①Use a humidifier;
②Place the plants together in the same spot;
③Set the plants on a tray holding water and pebbles (it is best if the water does not submerge the pebbles);
④When the air conditioner is used for long periods, mist the leaves appropriately to meet the green plants' water needs.
3. Give the plants a shower
Giving plants a "shower" (rinsing them with a hose or spray nozzle) can get rid of many pests. Showering plants in late autumn can also remove dust from the leaves. Be careful not to spray too forcefully, so as not to damage the branches and leaves. Also be careful not to let the plants get scratched during the rinsing process.
4. Consider the light requirements of green plants
When caring for plants, pay attention to where they are placed. Light-loving plants should be placed in spots with plenty of light whenever possible. If there is not enough light, you can rotate their positions regularly, letting the plants enjoy a full session of photosynthesis every so often.
5. Repot in good time
Unless the roots of a potted plant have filled the pot with nowhere left to spread, repotting is not necessary. It is best to repot in early spring. Also note that, depending on the situation, you should water thoroughly once before repotting, and repot only when the potting soil is moderately dry and moist.
The feng shui meanings of 30 plants, a must-read for flower growers
Zamioculcas zamiifolia (money tree)
Plant feng shui meaning: bringing in wealth and treasure
Zamioculcas zamiifolia is also known as the dragon-and-phoenix plant. Its thick, deep green leaves give a feeling of vigorous upward growth. People often believe that Zamioculcas zamiifolia can bring rolling wealth, making it a plant that gathers fortune and brings prosperity. It is very beneficial to a household's wealth luck and also has a very positive effect on people's physical and mental health.
Chinese evergreen (Aglaonema)
Plant feng shui meaning: wishes come true
Chinese evergreen is a yin-type plant. Placed in a spot at home with insufficient light, it can help the home's feng shui, help family members' wishes come true, and also boost a person's luck.
Golden barrel cactus (Echinocactus grusonii)
Plant feng shui meaning: the benefit of attracting wealth and turning one's luck around
The golden barrel cactus is covered in spines, which people generally believe can ward off petty people, bringing people safety and peace of mind. It is also very easy to keep and easy to propagate, and has long been regarded as an auspicious plant.
Lucky bamboo (Dracaena sanderiana)
Plant feng shui meaning: blooming wealth and honor, great good fortune
In traditional Chinese culture, people have always emphasized "flowers blooming bring wealth and honor, bamboo announces peace," so lucky bamboo has long been believed to boost luck and wealth, bringing family members wealth, honor and peace. Whether at home or in the office, a pot of lucky bamboo can be placed to improve one's luck.
Bamboo palm (Chamaedorea elegans)
Plant feng shui meaning: reputation and wealth attraction, health and well-being
Bamboo palm is very similar to lucky bamboo, and both are usually grown in water. It is said that keeping a pot of bamboo palm at home can make family members healthier, and the name bamboo palm is also people's way of giving it the ability to protect the family like Guanyin.
Radermachera sinica (China doll)
Plant feng shui meaning: happiness for the family, joy for the whole household
Radermachera sinica has very lush leaves, fresh green and full of vitality. People generally believe that it can bring everyone a message of happiness, making life happier and more fulfilling. Placed in the living room or study, it can also have a calming effect.
Areca palm (Dypsis lutescens)
Plant feng shui meaning: helps attract wealth
People generally believe that green plants can bring wealth luck to the home. The areca palm's broad, graceful leaves have a rich natural feel, making it especially suitable for the living room, dining room, study or balcony. Even without light, it can keep growing normally for about two months.
Pingan tree (Dracaena fragrans)
Plant feng shui meaning: health and peace
As its name suggests, the pingan tree can bring people peace. A house full of wealth is not as good as peace and good health. When keeping it at home, it can be placed in the living room, on the balcony, or in other spots with good air circulation.
Alocasia (Alocasia macrorrhizos)
Plant feng shui meaning: attracting wealth and promoting prosperity
Alocasia has large, beautiful leaves that stay green all year round, making it quite suitable for growing indoors. Its large, thick leaves are also generally regarded as a symbol of not letting wealth leak away. If you want to run the household frugally, you might as well keep a pot of alocasia.
Asparagus fern (Asparagus setaceus)
(Image by moneya_Xinshcheng Source: Sina Blog)
Plant feng shui meaning: lasting friendship, happiness after marriage
Asparagus fern carries the meaning of an elegant bamboo. Its leaves are soft and light and stay green all year round. People usually use it to symbolize beautiful friendship and sweet love, hoping both can stay evergreen like the asparagus fern through all four seasons.
Anthurium (Anthurium andraeanum)
Plant feng shui meaning: fills people with passion and confidence for life
Anthurium has fiery red flowers with a golden spadix in the middle, carrying the meaning of attracting wealth, while the red flowers also symbolize people's love of life.
Narcissus (Narcissus tazetta)
Plant feng shui meaning: gives a serene, warm, quiet and comfortable atmosphere
The noble and elegant narcissus has long been loved by people. A pot of narcissus at home not only makes the environment more beautiful, but can also absorb harmful gases and make the air fresher.
Phalaenopsis orchid (Phalaenopsis spp.)
Plant feng shui meaning: healthy growth
Phalaenopsis orchid is a fire-type plant. Its gorgeous flowers and firm, upright leaves give a sense of masculine uprightness, so people generally believe that the phalaenopsis orchid symbolizes health and brings people a beautiful life.
Kalanchoe (Kalanchoe blossfeldiana)
Plant feng shui meaning: health and longevity
The meaning of kalanchoe is just like its name: health and longevity, fortune, prosperity and peace. Especially for households with elderly people, a pot of kalanchoe is all the more worth keeping. Kalanchoe is not large, so it can be placed on all kinds of tabletops, desks and coffee tables, with a wonderful decorative effect.
Begonia (Malus spectabilis / crabapple)
Plant feng shui meaning: jade and crabapple, wealth and honor
In ancient Chinese imperial gardens, crabapples were often planted, symbolizing jade and crabapple, wealth and honor, a strong nation and a peaceful people. Crabapple is easy to care for and has few pests and diseases, making it a small tree quite suitable for keeping at home.
Pennywort (Hydrocotyle vulgaris)
Plant feng shui meaning: rolling wealth
The round, plump leaves of pennywort look like ancient copper coins. People generally believe that growing a pot of pennywort at home can bring rolling wealth, reunion and endless good luck. Aren't you going to hurry and keep a pot?
Dragon tree (Dracaena draco)
Plant feng shui meaning: positive, healthy and upward
The dragon tree has a tall, upright form and stays green all year round, giving a sense of positive, upward energy. It can also increase the positive energy of fire, and has a good balancing effect on people who lack courage and confidence in life.
Clivia (Clivia miniata)
Plant feng shui meaning: family harmony, one happy event after another
Generally, people believe that a harmonious family makes clivia bloom more and more beautifully, while if the family is not harmonious, clivia will become reluctant to bloom. If there is a happy event in your home, clivia will even bloom early to let you know.
Chrysanthemum (Chrysanthemum morifolium)
(Image by Bighead Floral Cat Source: Sina Blog)
Plant feng shui meaning: prolonging life, increasing blessings
The chrysanthemum has been a plant loved by people since ancient times. Blooming in autumn when a hundred flowers have withered, it has tenacious vitality, so people also use the chrysanthemum to symbolize prolonging life and increasing blessings.
Kumquat (Fortunella margarita)
Plant feng shui meaning: bringing in wealth and treasure
Kumquat has become a popular Lunar New Year flower in recent years. Its golden-orange fruits carry the meaning of gold and silver treasures and are quite helpful for increasing sources of wealth. It can be placed on the balcony or in the living room; if the light is too weak, it is not good for the kumquat's growth.
Orchid (Cymbidium spp.)
Plant feng shui meaning: light and elegant, gathering popularity, expanding interpersonal relationships
In traditional culture, orchids have always been used as a metaphor for a gentleman, someone indifferent to fame and wealth with clear aspirations, light and elegant, and such people are undoubtedly loved by others. Keeping a pot of orchids at home can better expand your interpersonal relationships.
Money tree (Pachira aquatica)
Plant feng shui meaning: bringing in wealth and treasure, prosperous business
Everyone is very familiar with the feng shui meaning of the money tree. The tree lives up to its name. When opening a business or moving house, people will place a pot of money tree at home, symbolizing prosperous business and abundant wealth.
Snake plant (Sansevieria trifasciata)
Plant feng shui meaning: generating and boosting wealth
The snake plant stays green all year round, full of greenery and vitality. It can give people a good mood and also has the effect of generating and boosting wealth, increasing the wealth luck in the home, making it a very good feng shui plant.
Monstera (Monstera deliciosa)
Plant feng shui meaning: adding fortune and prosperity, prolonging life
Monstera has large, thick leaves that stay green all year round and can play a role in attracting wealth. Its unique leaf shape can bring vitality to the whole room and improve people's mood.
Podocarpus (Nageia nagi)
Plant feng shui meaning: making family members healthier
Podocarpus is a very cute small potted plant that can be placed on coffee tables, desks, office desks and other places, providing people with fresh air and making people's bodies healthier.
Pitcher plant (Nepenthes spp.)
Plant feng shui meaning: wealth flowing in from all sides
The small pitchers of the pitcher plant can catch small insects and provide nutrients for the plant, so the pitcher plant also symbolizes a person whose path to wealth is smooth and who draws wealth from all sides. Especially at the New Year, buying a pot of pitcher plant can be a blessing for wealth flowing in abundantly in the new year!
Buddha's hand (Citrus medica var. sarcodactylis)
(Image by nini Tangpozi Source: Mafengwo)
Plant feng shui meaning: warding off disaster and misfortune
Buddha's hand is likened to the hand of the Buddha and has always been regarded as a very auspicious plant. It is also one of the common Lunar New Year flowers, and as an auspicious and prosperous plant it has long been deeply loved by people.
Dendrobium orchid (Dendrobium spp.)
Plant feng shui meaning: happiness, good fortune, auspiciousness
Dendrobium orchid can be used to decorate windowsills, living rooms, studies, bedrooms and other places. It is a high-end flower and is deeply loved by people. When caring for it, be careful to maintain air humidity; dry air is not good for the growth of dendrobium orchid.
Peace lily (Spathiphyllum)
Plant feng shui meaning: smooth sailing
Peace lily is also called "smooth sailing," carrying people's beautiful hopes for career, family and love, hoping everything can go smoothly. Peace lily has strong shade tolerance and can grow normally even in places with poor light.
Tillandsia (Tillandsia cyanea)
Plant feng shui meaning: auspiciousness, warding off evil
The flower bracts of tillandsia resemble swords, and it is believed to block bad luck for people, making it an auspicious flower. When growing it at home, it can be placed in a bright spot for care.