House Plants

Mealybugs on Houseplants

I had a message from my cousin about fuzzy bumps on a houseplant followed by three other calls. Mealybugs are clever little devils, they like to hide and then come in for the sneak attack. It seems like overnight there’s white cottony growth on plants that appeared out of nowhere. Getting rid of mealybugs on houseplants can be tough, but it’s not impossible!

Mealybugs are scale insects that suck the sap out of the leaves and stems of plants, resulting in stunted or deformed leaf growth, yellowing of the leaves, and leaf drop over a long period of time or if heavily infested. These little white bugs on plants are most commonly found on new growth, along the veins of leaves, and at the leaf joints, but they can be found anywhere on the plant. I have had them or African violets and cactus.

If the white bugs you see on your houseplants look more like tiny white flies that fly around when the plant is disturbed, then those are whiteflies instead of mealybugs. Otherwise, if they look like fuzz on your plants, those are definitely mealybugs so keep reading…

For my houseplants, I use insecticidal soaps that are available on the market (such as Safer’s Insecticidal Soap). Spray on plants. It is good for controlling aphids, whiteflies, mealybugs, and fungus gnats.

Neem oil is derived from the neem tree. Use according to label instructions. In addition to its insecticidal properties, neem is also a fungicide and has systemic benefits (meaning the plant absorbs it so it can control insects it doesn’t directly contact). According to the Environmental Protection Association, neem is safe for use on vegetables and food plants as well as ornamentals.

House Plants

Indoor plants and Winter

It may sound odd, but indoor plants need less water during the winter. While it’s true that winter air is drier, plants experience a slower rate of growth during the cold weather. Some even go completely dormant. Less water is needed to keep them hydrated and overdoing it can lead to root rot.

The soil dries out quickly on the top of the soil because of the drier air in the house. Dig your finger into the soil to see how wet it truly is. Most plants require less water in the winter because their growth slows down or they go dormant, do not wait until the leaves droop to water. Cactus and succulents are the exceptions, requiring very little water, if none at all, until the daylight gets longer and warmer.

Low humidity is probably the biggest hurdle to overcome during winter. The humidity level in heated homes can drop to 10 to 20 percent in winter and plants prefer a level closer to 50 percent. If you have a humidifier in your home, move your plants to a spot where they will enjoy its benefits. If you do not have a humidifier, you can raise the humidity by misting the plants.

Another good option is the old trick of placing your plants on a tray of water. Raise the bottom of the pots above the water level by placing stones in the water (higher than the water level) and sitting the pots on the stones and not in water.

Most plants, like people, are comfortable in daytime temperatures between 65 to 75 degrees Fahrenheit. and nighttime temps above 50 degrees Fahrenheit. To provide that for your plants, keep them away from both cold drafts and sources of heat, like radiators, ovens, fireplaces, and electronic devices.

Not only is there less sunlight during winter, but it also comes in at a lower angle. A good spot would be south or west-facing window that remains sunny all day. Plants that grow in the shade like begonias in the summer can handle a south window in the winter. Just don’t move them so close to a frosty window that they are getting a draft.

Since your plants are barely growing, they don’t need any fertilizer. Fertilizing now could actually harm them this time of the year. When you start to see signs of new growth, or the green of the existing leaves appears to perk up, resume fertilizing, to give them a boost for the growing season.

Give your houseplants the essentials to sustain them through winter, but don’t fuss over them or kill them with kindness. Keep an eye out for early signs of problems, which can still include insect pests, even in winter. But wait until the growing season resumes, before you re-pot them or start taking cuttings. Consider winter an offseason for you and your houseplants.

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Credit Scores (How to Fix)

There are five characteristics of your credit history that make up your three-digit score: your payment history, account balances, the length of your credit history, the types of credit used and how often you’ve applied for new credit. Credit scores will improve much more quickly by paying attention to the two categories that have the greatest impact on a score: payment history and account balances. 

Payment history accounts for 35 percent of the total score. When someone makes a payment more than 30 days past the due date, scores will fall. An occasional “late pay” won’t do much damage to your score but continued payments made more than 30 days past due definitely will. Preventing late payments is key to recovering your score. 

Account balances compare outstanding loan balances with credit lines and makeup 30 percent of your score. If a credit card has a $10,000 credit line and there is a $3,300 balance, scores will actually improve, as the ideal balance-to-limit is about one-third of the credit line. As the balance grows and approaches or exceeds the limit, scores will begin to fall. 

The remaining three have relatively little impact. How long someone has used credit accounts for 15 percent of the score, but there’s really nothing anyone can do to improve this area other than to wait. Types of credit and credit inquiries both makeup 10 percent of the score. By concentrating on payment history and account balances, scores will improve significantly over the next few months.