Combating Thrips

Thrips are tiny insects that can devastate our houseplants.
If you've landed here, you're looking for advice on how to get rid of them.
As houseplant professionals, here is our expert advice.

Thrips are present at various stages of maturity on your plants, so it's important to get rid of all generations.

Eggs are found within the plant tissue; when the eggs hatch, the larvae are on the leaf surface; the pupae then fall and develop on the soil surface; and finally, the adults climb back onto the leaves.

The most active period for adults is often in the evening, which is when you can best assess the extent of the damage.

Here, in order, are the possible actions to take, not classified by degree of effectiveness, but by effort required and the aim of using as few chemicals as possible. 

1 - Mechanical Action

This option requires the least equipment but will test your patience. Start by washing your plant thoroughly: shower it, clean the leaves with a cloth for a few days. You can use black soap or neem oil when cleaning the leaves. Then, change your substrate with new potting soil. Continue cleaning your plant for a month and a half to eliminate all stages of thrips maturity.

2 - Biological Control

If you're okay with introducing other predatory insects and organisms, and you have a small budget, this option can be very effective and very natural. A combined action of nematodes (for larvae) and cucumeris (for adults) will eradicate the thrips' reproduction cycle and make them disappear. The only downside is that you need to invest a bit, and the predators must be fresh, in sufficient numbers – in short, keep them alive and performing well. You can order them online and even use them as a preventative measure. This action is not compatible with insecticides.

3 - Chemical

Probably the most effective solution, but the least natural. Several options are available to you. Spinosad can be effective in the long term because it will focus on the pupae in the soil. Another product, KB Garden, makes your plant toxic to thrips through systemic action; it is not available from French sellers due to legislation. Finally, authorized on the French market, Spruzit, available on our site, is a concentrated insecticide (one bottle represents 25-30 bottles of insecticide sprays on the market) and you can slightly overdose it. With three to four applications over two weeks, you should see good results. Spruzit works by contact, so you'll need to apply it thoroughly all over the plant.

Remember that early intervention is best, so inspect your plants regularly. Anticipating and protecting your plants from pest damage is part of plant care. At Studio Plantes, we treat chemically, and even preventively, to ensure healthy, vigorous, and thriving plants.

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