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Mosquito Repellent Plants

September 12, 2016 by

Get rid of those pesky mosquitoes so you can finally enjoy a nice evening outside! Keep reading to see what natural plants and flowers are pros at keeping mosquitoes away.

Marigolds

Marigolds are known to repel mosquitoes and even rabbits. Marigolds prefer full sunlight so place your potted plants near open entries to your home. Marigolds contain a compound commonly used in insect repellents called, Pyrethrum. Not only will this plant work as a great barrier for your outdoor spaces but it will be beautiful addition to your home.

Lavender

The sweet scent of lavender is pleasing to our noses but works as a strong deterrent for mosquitoes. This herb is also known to repel fleas and moths. Some people even make their own natural insect repellent with lavender leaves.

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Filed Under: Plant Care Questions, Plant Suggestions, Tips & Tricks Tagged With: ,

What Is Causing My Plant To Drip Sap?

November 14, 2012 by

Ask the Plant Expert:

I am finding odd brown colored fluid dripping on the sides of my outdoor potted plant. What is causing it, and how can I get rid of it? I can’t see anywhere on the leaves where it could be coming from. Thank you. – Lisa

Flower Shop Network Plant Expert Reply:

It looks like you might have damage from borers. Did you happen to see any ants climbing up the trees? Ants aren’t a problem, but they often indicate that borers are in your tree. Borers are a problem. Borers are a larvea, usually placed by a type of beetle into the trunk of trees and plants. The borers cause damage from the inside out, often creating a hole in which the sap of the tree is released. What kind of plant/tree is it?

Your local garden center nursery will have the right chemical to kill the borers.

Filed Under: Plant Care Questions Tagged With: , ,

What is Wrong With My Schefflera?

November 8, 2012 by

Ask the Expert: Please help me identify the problem with this plant!

A dear friend of mine gave me a cutting off her HUGE and prolific plant about 1.5 years ago. Around the same time, I believe I brought some insects in with some bad potting soil. I have sprayed with Bayer Natria Insect, disease & mite control as well as another Bayer insect killer. After I treat, I usually find dead insects around the plant which look like fruit flies. The plant seems to put out new growth but looks wilted.

I forgot to tell you this plant usually lives on the windowsill facing south of our house which has blind-filtered light. I have moved it to other areas such as by a room with north and east facing windows with filtered light and a north window. The mother plant lives in a north-facing sliding glass door and is a prolific grower to say the LEAST! I have repotted twice in the 1.5 years. I water only when the surface soil seems dry.

Schefflera With Distorted Leaves Schefflera With Yellow Veined Leaves

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Filed Under: Insect Identification, Plant Care Questions Tagged With: , , , ,

Help! What Is This Bug On My Schefflera?

June 16, 2012 by Leave a Comment

Ask The Plant Expert:

What is this very small black bug on my schefflera? I just brought this plant home three days ago from a funeral. I kept it outside for one day, then re-potted it yesterday and brought indoors. Today, I noticed these black specks and took a picture so I could zoom in for a closer look.  There does not appear to be any damage, and the bugs do not seem to move. What are these critters, and how do I get rid of them? – Shelly

Small Beetle Identification Small Beetle Identification

Flower Shop Network Plant Expert Reply:

Shelly,

Looks like the larval stage of a type of small beetle. You can use a general purpose insecticide to get rid of them. Your local garden center and nursery should have something that will work. Please let me know if I can help with anything else.

Filed Under: Insect Identification Tagged With: , , ,

Help! My Lucky Bamboo Is Infested With Red Spiders

May 21, 2012 by

Ask The Plant Expert:

Hello, my name is Ivy. I have a big problem on my lucky bamboo. [About a] month ago, it appeared to have a bug problem. Very small, red spiders and other insects that are so so small, they can hardly be noticed. They make the plant leaf turn lighter and slowly kill, and the leaf has sticky oil-like stuff coming out. Please help!!!

Red Spider MiteFlower Shop Network Plant Expert Reply:

Ivy,

You probably have a red spider mite problem.  Your local garden center and nursery should have an insecticide that will take care of it, and still be safe for your lucky bamboo.  Fertilome has a red spider mite spray in a ready-to-use container.  One or two treatments with the insecticide should take care of the problem.

Hope this information was helpful. Please let me know if I can help with anything else.

Have a plant question? Ask the expert now!

Filed Under: Insect Identification, Plant Care Questions Tagged With: , , ,

What Is This Young Plant & How Do I Take Care Of It?

December 7, 2011 by Leave a Comment

Ask The Plant Expert:

I received this plant from my son’s funeral. We have several, and they are not doing too good. There are bugs, (fruit flies?) and they are just not growing.  I need to find out what it is and how to care for it. – Theo

Young Peace Lily

Flower Shop Network Plant Expert Reply:

Theo,
It looks like your plant is a peace lily. I think this article will have all the information you need: How to care for your peace lily.

  • As for the insects, we need to identify what they are; a picture would help.
  • If you could capture a few, take them to your local garden center, and they will be able to identify them.
  • They would also have the right insecticide to take care of the insects.

I hope this information is helpful. Please let me know if I can help with anything else.

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Filed Under: Peace Lily, Plant Identification Tagged With: , , , ,

How To Rid Philodendron x ‘Red Princess’ of Bugs

January 19, 2011 by

Ask The Expert: Can you tell me how to eliminate the bugs from my Philodendron x ‘Red Princess’ plant? Felicia

Flower Shop Network Plant Expert Reply: Depending on the type of bug (insect), there are many insecticides that you can use. If you are not sure which insect is attacking your Philodendron, start with a general purpose houseplant insecticide. Fertilome and Hi-yeild each have a ready to use general purpose insecticides that are safe for houseplants. Your local garden center/nursery will have these products.

If the bugs can be identified, a insect specific insecticide can be use, usually with better results. Your local garden center/nursery will be able to identify your insect – just take them a sample. Mealy bugs, scale insects and spider mites are usually the culprits.

This post was brought to you by the local florists in Toledo OH.

Filed Under: Plant Care Questions Tagged With: , ,

Help! My Peace Lily Has Caterpillars

August 18, 2010 by 1 Comment

Ask The Expert: I have two peace lillies. I had the two of them sitting in my kitchen sink to spray the leaves today. I noticed lots of insects that look like baby caterpilars…brown or black in color. What can I do about them, and could that be why the plant doesn’t seem to be growing? Lisa


Flower Shop Network Plant Expert Reply:
You can do one of two things: pick off the caterpillars or spray them with an insecticide. I use the Fertilome Red Spider and Mite spray. It Kills Red Spiders Mites, Two Spotted Spider Mites, Whiteflies, Mealybugs, Aphids, Thrips and Scale Crawlers on house plants and is safe to use on peace lilies and a multitude of other houseplants. It comes in a ready to use (rtu) form, so all you have to do is spray it on the plant. You can pick this product up at any local garden center. If they don’t have the Fertilome brand ask the nursery professional what they use.

As for the stunted growth of your Peace lily (Spathiphyllum clevelandii), you may need to fertilize the plants. You can use a water soluble fertilizer once a month. It is best to use a balanced fertilizer – one in which the N, P, and K all have the same ratio like 10-10-10 or 20-20-20. If you can’t find a balanced fertilizer try one in which the number are as close as possible like 9-8-5.

Make sure you are keeping your peace lily evenly moist and that it has good drainage. Keeping your moisture level correct is a big part of keeping a peace lily healthy.

Here are a few Peace Lily Requirements

Peace Lily Care: Light Requirements

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Filed Under: Peace Lily Tagged With: , , ,

What Is This White Stuff On My Azalea?

July 30, 2010 by 8 Comments

Ask the Expert: what would get the white fungus off azaleas , leaf the azalea has white on them , on the leafs is it a fungus , what can spray on them will mild soapy water work. Janet

Flower Shop Network Plant Expert Reply:

First we need to determine if you really have a fungus. Is the white substance powdery and can you wipe it off. If so, you have a fungus called powdery mildew. Soapy water doesn’t work on fungus. You will need a fungicide. Your local garden center will have a general purpose fungicide that will work for well on powdery mildew.

If the white on the leaves is more of a lacy pattern on the leaf that can not be wiped away, your azalea has been attacked by an insect called lace bug. Soapy water doesn’t usually control this type of sucking insect. However, if a more organic approach is what you want – try it. If it doesn’t work, you will need an insecticide.

You have two choices when it comes to insecticide control for lace bug – topical or systemic. The topical insecticides work more quickly, but won’t protect as long. Systemic insecticides are slow acting, but longer lasting. Your local garden center will carry both of these products.

Keep in mind, the damage caused by the insects will not change. The plant will produce new leaves and they will eventually cover the damaged ones. So, it is important to keep the lace bugs from attacking these new leaves.

If you would like to read more about the lace bug on Azaleas, the Clemson Cooperative Extension Service has a great article: Azalea & Rhododendron Insect Pests

Charleston florists are proud sponsors of the Flower Shop Network blog.

Filed Under: Insect Identification Tagged With: , , , ,

My Avocado Leaves Have White And Brown Spots

May 3, 2010 by

Avocado Leaf With White & Brown Spots

Avocado Leaf With White & Brown Spots

Ask the Expert: Avocado leaves with brown AND white spots…HELP!
I have brown spots on the leaves are slightly raised and recently i started getting white ‘sugar’ like spots on the leaves, too. What do i do?….Your HELLLP, please….

Thanks, Ken

Plant Expert Reply:

Can you remove the brown spots by scrapping them with your fingernail? If so, you have an insect called scale attacking your plant. As for the white spots, they could be caused by an insect like a spidermite or another type of mite. The white spots could be fungal as well.

To find out what is causing the white spots, we must first eliminate insects as the source of the problem. Use a magnifying glass to see if the leaf has a type of mite. If you see anything moving on the leaf, you will need a miticide – which can be purchased at your local garden center.

It might be helpful to have a picture of the back of the leaf and the stem of the plant. Fugual problems will often present themselves on the stems as well as the leaves.

This plant diagnosis was brought to you by the Local Florists in Los Angeles.

Filed Under: Gift Ideas, Plant Care Questions Tagged With: , ,
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