Hey everyone! I'm in a bit of a panic over a thrips infestation I recently discovered on my plants. I found black specks (which I later realized are thrips poop) on my Peperomia, and to make things worse, I spotted a mature thrip on it! I quarantined the Peperomia immediately and started inspecting my other plants. Thankfully, the other ones like my syngonium and begonia seem fine, but I'm worried they might have eggs hidden somewhere. I'm in a dorm with limited space, so I'm using clear bags to try and isolate them better. I've ordered Captain Jack's Deadbug spray, and I'm also considering tossing the Peperomia since it was inexpensive and I feel overwhelmed. Can I safely switch my plants to water to combat these pests, or would that be too stressful for them? Any tips or advice on handling this situation would be greatly appreciated!
2 Answers
Check out some threads on here about treating thrips – the general vibe is that they're not a death sentence for your plants, but you might lose a few along the way. Systemic treatments are often recommended because thrips lay eggs deep in the plant tissue, making surface washes less effective. Good luck; it sounds really challenging! ?
Most people suggest going all out against thrips with a combo of spinosad spray and imidacloprid systemic granules. They seem pretty vulnerable to those treatments, which will soak into the plant tissue and help get rid of them for a while.
Thanks for the tip! I already ordered spinosad, so I'll see if I can find imidacloprid too. Fingers crossed that only a couple of my plants make it!
Thanks! I found so much info, it got overwhelming. Would Captain Jack's count as a systemic treatment? I'm seriously considering just tossing the plants showing thrips.