Hi

I'm Veronica 🙋🏻

 A wonderful vivid human being,

devoted Inner Explorer & Artist -

and Founder of the online self-development school

E-SCHOOL - The Journey to your Inner Self.

And when I am NOT traveling, researching, chartering the Inner World,

and NOT diving into the different inner structures and mechanisms of human behaviour

so that YOU and I can learn, grow and become even more free within ourselves

THEN - amongst creating, baking, eating, sleeping, napping, meditation, going for walking,

rearranging my home - I am taking care of my many, many beautiful plants.

I've been having plants around me for over two decades
and especially since I work AND live now under one roof,

having my own "little" green indoor jungle has been SUCH a blessing.

Listen, we can't constantly being digging in the Inner World and work on those Inner Landscapes -

we are Human Beings (eventhough some people behave more like creatures and less like beings, pfff) therefore the Outer World is ALSO an important part of our journey here on this physical plane.

BUT heck, let's choose Outer World experiences that are joyful AND nourishing.

And having plants is a gorgeous, beautiful, very nurturing way of being in the Outer World.

Having plants around has so, sooooo many benefits that I dare to state

that if every one would have his/her own little indoor/outdoor garden

we would have at least 80% less conflicts and illnesses in the world.

Yes, for me, taking care of plants is a joy

- and actually a fundamental necessity for my personal journey as the Human Being I am.

Seeing how they evolve.

Experiencing their growth.

Enjoying their expansion journey.

Plants give us a very direct connection to the Source of All - Life.

With plants we see, experience Life directly.

Plus: Plants do mirror our own relationship with Life straight forward.

And yes, even though taking care of plants is a joy,

sometimes the circumstances in our lives are challenging

and very often our plants react with different disease and unfortunately also pests.

And if our collection is bigger than just one, two or three plants,

having pests on one of our plants can cause quite a disaster

and soooo much stress in our everyday life - uff.

In particular depending on what kind of pest has decided to visit our beloved plants.

I for example HATE thrips.

Like SOOOOO much.

YAK!!!

So having a plan, an emergency kit, ANYTHING that we can grab,

when the shit gets real with our plants, is SOOOO helpful.

Like 99% of the stress just evaporates!

Especially in the past year where the entire world went nuts

with the pandemic and the lockdowns, my plants also went nuts.

Suddenly I had thrips.

A shitty insect that in my entire longstanding plant journey NEVER dared to enter my home.

Well, 2020 was different.

In so many ways.

Over 300 plants and thrips.

THAT was a hell of a journey.

Which led to very, VERY interesting Inner Journeys.

Pff.

So in here I share with you what helped me

in those very challenging plant struggles.

I give you a quick overview and emergency list

on what to do if you detect some pests on your plants.

May your plants be safe!

HOW TO GET RID OF PLANT PESTS

BY VERONICA TROMBINI

1. STEP #1
   Shower the plant immediately with room temperature water
   With that, you relieve the plant from the immediate stress the plant is having because of having crawling insects on her. I say "immediately" and I mean it.  As soon you see some pests act! Some insects have an unbelievable hunger and within only a few hours or a day, things can change dramatically. And fuck, I don't need even more drama in my life. So what helped ME, is to immediately take that poor plant and give her a gentle shower - and yes, absolutely ONLY with room temperature water. You don't want to cook your plant NOR having her catching a cold.
   
   I use this method in the meantime almost like automatically. I get up, I see for example some mealy bugs on one of my orchids, and in my pyjamas off we go to the shower. And there I give her a quick shower. And then I go my everyday business. Voilà.
   
   
   
2. STEP #2
   Spray the plant with a mix of water, dish soap and methylated spirit 
   Sometimes when pests get on a plant, showering the plant with just water isn't always enough (or we just don't have the nerves to go on the "I hope the shower is enough"-journey. Especially in winter, where at least in our side of the world heating is part of the winter experience. If THAT is the case, after showering the plant (wait till the plant isn't completely wet anymore otherwise the good stuff ↓ will just glide away) I would then spray the plant with this mixture:
   
   MIXTURE #1
   - 1l water
   - 3 generous splashes of dish soap
   - 1 very generous splash of methylated spirit (= Brennsprit in German)
   
   The dish soap makes it difficult/impossible for the pests to move on the plant and it's absolutely harmless for the plant. The methylated spirit kills whatever insect/eggs are still on the plant.
   Repeat this a couple of times during the next 7 days. Be sure to let the plant drain well before putting her back into her pot (like for example with orchids which are usually held in an additional pot besides her plastic container).
   
   By the way: Do you know those pressure spray bottles? Use those ones. I'll tell you, taking care of pests is sooooo much easier (and also soooo much more fun 😁). You find them everywhere. I personally like the 2l bottles as I can easily hold them with one hand and with my other hand holding my plant. PLUS the pressure spray thing gives you soo much more focused power to get in those nooks that are difficult to reach (for example with hoyas and orchids). Honestly, that thing is a miracle thing! Get one! I've added the Amazon link to the one I have - it's a good looking one (at least what I've found to be available, THIS one is till now the most good looking spray bottle 😆)
   
   
   
3. STEP #3
   Spray the plant with a mix of water, dish soap and neem oil
   Sometimes those pests buggers are very persistent or the infested plant is very dear to me and/or I do not have that much time/patience, then not only showering the plant with water but PLANT PROTECTION PLAN is needed. Then I would choose this mixture to spray/treat your plants:
   
   MIXTURE #2
   - 1l of water
   - 3 generous splashes of dish soap
   - 1 table spoon of neem oil
   
   Neem oil is a natural pesticide that protects the plants - the pests HATE neem oil (well, I really do not like it either. Yay, what an awful smell, but it helps the plant. Soo 🤗). With the neem oil on the plant the pests
   1. won't eat the plant (and therefore stop to damage the foliage for example)
   2. will stop reproducing and
   3. will eventually disappear.
   
   If you choose this method, just check the recommendations on your neem oil bottle. You'll need to spray the plant a couple of times in a specific time period in order to give your plant the full benefits of neem oil. Only THEN is neem oil really working. Otherwise you'll have the work and the bad smell and NOT a sustainable solution for your pest problem.
   
   
4. STEP #4
   Isolate the plant from the other plants and give her during the next days/weeks some TLC
   Pests are stressful for the plant and if your beloved plant has some, then do not let her alone in her sickness. Give her a beautiful place and some special attention for the next days or weeks. Depending on what kind of pests your plant has, she will be battling her own fight against those buggers. So by helping her on her healing journey, she will be able to activate easier her own system to fight the pests. Ah, and remember that as soon as the plant is stressed (for example with pests) she will put every single drop of her energy into the battling the pests, so growth will stop for a while.
   
   
   
5. STEP #5
   Repot your plant
   Depending on how the pest situation is, repotting your plant can be a very effective way to help your plant to heal and restabilise. Do not care about the "Huh, do only repot in spring"-thing. I honestly give a shit if it's spring, summer, autumn or winter. If I see that one of my plants is suffering and repotting feels right, then I will repot the plant. And yes, you read correctly. I said "if it feels right". Cause that is what I try to do most of the time. Do the damn right thing and for this only works, if I constantly check if something feels right or not. Take your personal Inner Guiding System on your plant journey. The whole taking care thing suddenly will get soo much more easier. It will become a more intuitive - and less brain structured approach - but sooo much more flow will enter your Life! 🤗
   
   
   
6. STEP #6
   Add some worm castings
   When battling pests I do not recommend add fertilizer as it might be too strong for the plant which is currently already quite stressed and therefore fragile. BUT adding a little bit of worm castings seems to work for my plants (it's like that spoon of honey in your tea when you feel a bit gloomy). You can add a table spoon into the pot and gently work it into the soil or if you repot your plant just add a table spoon of worm castings into your mixture.

Voilà.

This is it.

This is how I handle pests here at my personal Indoor Jungle.

I hope I could be of some help to you.

And if not, well I enjoyed writing this Blog Post a lot.

😁💪🏻🙋🏻

So in the meantime take good care.

And if you have any plant related questions -

or any Inner World resp. balancing the journey between Inner and Outer World questions,

leave a comment in the section below.

I've been on this journey of being an Human Being traveling

between the two worlds for now over four decades.

I've gathered a bit of experience.

I'll answer your questions as best I can.

And if you want to learn more about the Inner World and start exploring those Inner Landscapes

in a gentle, beautiful and fun-fun way, then subscribe to my Free-School for Inner Exploration ↓

In the meantime,

with love,

Veronica

 💖

 .

This Blog Post was last updated on Wednesday, 10.11.2021.