Don't Get Bugged Over Christmas Plants

Welcome back. This is a Christmas topic you may not find discussed anywhere else but here. It can be very important. Insect pests in your Christmas plants. Generally, your houseplants are pestered by only 6 or 7 types of insects. Of this small number, one in particular makes a sudden appearance this time of year - during the Christmas season.

Fungas Gnat

     The fungus gnat (when outside the home they are called mushroom flies) is a soil borne plant pest that can be laying in hiding in your new plant's potting soil just waiting to erupt into a cloud of nuisance. They will come into your home in the potting mix of a new plant. They may come in as eggs waiting between the pot and the soil. They may come in as hatched larva crawling around within the top inch or so of the potting soil. They may be in your potting mix in the pupa stage. They may come in as fully developed flies, as seen here. They may come in as all 4 stages at the same time.
     Because most Christmas plants are grown so quickly and in large  numbers in the greenhouses, they are more susceptible to disease and insect infestation. It is easy for a few (or a lot) of plants to escape the growers' efforts to control problems. The fungus gnat fly will stay close to the plants. The fly itself is not only annoying but will lay more eggs. Herein lies the real danger. They will quickly infest any nearby houseplants. If left undetected and untreated, fungus gnats will soon be in all of your plants. It is the larva living in the top inch or so of the soil that causes the damage to your plants by eating away at the plants' fine root hairs. Slowly but surely your plants will begin to suffer.
     So look for this pest. Check the foliage area for the fly and lightly cultivate/disturb the top inch of soil looking for more flies and larvae. Should you find any, quickly quarantine the infected plant(s) from the rest of your plants.  The fungus gnat looks very similar to a fruit fly but it will be smaller and darker and they fly very fast. Should you find them, you can

• quarantine the plant until after Christmas
• discard the plant
• install yellow sticky traps to catch flies and measure the extent of the problem
• repot the plant with complete new soilless potting mix
• treat the plant with the right insecticide.

     At Plants For All, we are licensed by the Ontario Ministry of the Environment to sell Class 6 and 7 insecticides. We can help. Well, that turned out to be more information than I initially anticipated. If it was too long, let me know. I appreciate all of the feed back.
   

Plants For All retail store at 

  66 Dawson Road in Guelph will now be open Saturdays until Christmas from 11am to 3 pm.


 Exclusive Save 15% Blog Offer - Plants For All is a small independent plant shop and we would like a chance at your tropical plant-buying business. From now through to Christmas, I'll be updating this blog frequently to discuss Christmas plant topics and feature some of our products. When you come into our store, mention this exclusive blog offer and receive 15% off of your entire purchase - now through to Christmas.  We would love to see you.

Here is a quick peek - Christmas at Plants For All. Check out this short video. I will be in the store this Saturday, December 22 from 11am to 3pm. I would love for you to come and visit. Directions are here. 

One Last Thing - I have been venturing more into the Twittersphere lately and I am enjoying the conversations and wide range of topics. Please join me to get the frequent updates and valuable info from like-minded followers. Find me at www.twitter.com/BrianOsmond1

 As always, your comments and criticism will be appreciated.

Have a joyous holiday and Merry Christmas to all.

Brian Osmond  

Plants For All 

Add Intention to Your Gifts

Welcome back. With Mother's Day just around the corner, then Father's Day and then my wife's birthday and on and on .... there always seems to be pressures to get the right gift for every occasion.
Sure, we are a plant retail store and sell all of the required accessories. However,  I am not about to try to persuade you that you must get this, and that and those for that special someone.  There are lots of excellent choices including something that you make and even, or I should say especially, your time.

Whatever you give, you can multiply the true value of that gift by giving the gift with intention. Think about your gift and think about the person who will receive the gift. How will your gift enrich their personal well being?

We belonged to the local chapter of the Taoist Tai Chi Society for a year. We enjoyed it very much and intend to rejoin when grand-parenting joys and duties are not as pressing. Going through the exercise routines is pretty straightforward; but the real benefit comes when you do each move with intention. Put yourself fully into each move with the intention that you are helping your mind and body. The results are multiplied. Likewise, add intention to your gifts.

For many years we have been helping clients apply the Chinese art or practice of Feng Shui to their situations with the proper selection and use of plants in their homes and offices. Many times the right plant in the right place is the 'cure' needed to help balance the chi or energy of their space.  However, to make any cure work at its best, the person applying the cure should do so with intention, believing that applying the cure will improve the situation. It does work and it does make a difference. Likewise, add intention to your gifts.

So, next time you are giving a gift, add intention to your gift. Both the recipient and you will feel and enjoy the extra value.

On a completely different subject, I have been having a bit of fun lately learning how to Tweet. So if you're into Tweeting, or want to be, follow me and let's start a conversation. My personal Twitter address is @BrianOsmond1 and I have just started a business account @PlantsForAll1.  I had to put the 1 after @PlantsForAll because a US garden centre chain 'took' @PlantsForAll; but that's another story for another day.

And one more thing ....

AP8 - Areca Palm Tree

We have posted a new web page featured plant on our web page at http://www.plantsforall.ca . We are offering an 8 feet tall Areca Palm Tree for $190 with a regular price of $225. Check it out on the "Featured Plant" page of our web site. That offer expires Tuesday, May 22.

Until I talk to you again. Enjoy life.


Brian Osmond
Plants For All