User Manual

15
Pest Management:
Like all plants, indoor plants will occasionally come under attack from
pests. If you notice a plant suddenly begins to look ill, take a close look.
Chances are, it is infected with unwanted pests. If not quickly treated,
infestations can be very severe, spread quickly and kill your plants.
Some of the most commonly encountered arthropod pests found on plants
are those that feed on plant juices. These pests include aphids, scales, mites,
leafhoppers and plant bugs. Some of these pests can even act as vectors of
plant diseases.
To remove the infestation, purchase oils or insecticidal soup. Soltech
Solutions recommends a diluted organic Neem Oil, which can be purchased
in the garden section of most stores. You can also treat the plants by wiping
leaves and stems with insecticidal soap. Heavy infestations may be too
difficult to treat, consider discarding these plants.
Fungus Gnats:
These gnats are a common pest of plants grown indoors, especially where
humidity and moisture are high. You normally notice one or two gnats
flying around your plants or near windows and you think nothing about it.
Before you know it, they lay eggs in the wet soil and multiply. The larvae
will feed on the root of the plants before becoming annoying adults.
To rid your plant and home of fungus gnats, you need to let your plant soil
dry out more between watering. Fungus gnats do well in damp soil,
allowing your soil to dry out an inch or two down will kill larvae and inhibit
egg development. Applying sand, gnat nix, or other soil top dressing will
help significantly reduce populations. To kill gnats deep in the dirt, water
with Neem Oil diluted in 1 gallon of water. Neem Oil will help kill eggs and
larvae deep down in the soil, let the soil dry out between watering. Lastly,
yellow sticky traps can be placed at the soil surface to capture large numbers
of adults.
Disease:
Healthy indoor plants will be able to resist disease much better than weak
plants. Keep your plants strong by using the proper soil, avoiding drafts,
and providing good drainage. Overwatering provides ideal conditions for
disease mold and rot.
Soil with white mold is common. This fungus quickly forms when soil is
moist and over watered. Carefully remove the top layer of soil and dispose
of it. Repot the plants with all new soil, make sure your new soil drains well.
Plants with black and rotten patches at the base are affected by fungus due
to overwatering. Succulents and cacti are most at risk. The only treatment is
to cut out the rot. Considering trying to propagate replacements.