Pesky Pests

'Twas a winter wonderland out on my deck this morning! :))  Probably looks frigid but it was 30 degrees ~ warm enough for this snow lover to stand there with the door wide open, enjoying a cup o' my famous cowgirl coffee. (More accurately, that cowgirl coffee is infamous. I'm a devout lover of French Roast and the blend is too strong for most anyone but me.)

I was delighted to see the snow. The epic cold, followed by unnaturally warm days, was really messing with my mood.

It is January, after all. My snowshoes are begging for attention.

And, so are my windowsill flowers. I gave everyone a might soak this morning.

While I was doing so I spotted the first intruder. My bugs are back. Geez! That didn't take too long.

I moved recently, just a few months ago, and so I took that grand opportunity to de-bug all of my plants. Cut them back, re-potted, and in many cases, just kicked 'em to the curb, if the infestation was too much. This is the first time, in 10 years, that I've been without a Plumeria blossom. :(

No one in their right mind nurtures roses indoors ~ unless they're fortunate enough to have a fabulous greenhouse, which I do not. It's a guaranteed bug fiesta. But what's a gal to do? Micro-Mini Roses are my one weakness...

Coffee Grounds:

The reason it's hard to get rid of those gnat-like bugs is because the little devils are nesting in your soil. Now back to that cowgirl coffee I was talking about earlier in the post...  my friends hate my coffee and so do the bugs. Spread used coffee grounds on top of the potting soil. Bugs won't nest in that PLUS used coffee grounds make a great fertilizer for flowering plants.

I've got gnats on my mind but there are lots of other pesky buggers out to mess with your indoor flowers..

Shower Time is a great way to rid yourself of aphids. Set beloved houseplants in the shower to wash off these nasty bastards.  

I've had good luck with apple cider vinegar. (Set a small cup of it near your potted plants.) There is, of course, a wide array of chemical sprays you could use, but some of them are so toxic they could kill your cat.

* If bugs were as cute as these pictures, I probably wouldn't mind. Here's an i.d. of the most common criminals:

• Aphids: Persistent little green, brown, black bugs that collect on new plant growth. 
• Mealy Bugs: White fluffy stuff collecting on plant stems.
• Scale: Hard brown shell hides a despicable character inside. 
• Spider Mites: Little spider webs appear on flowers and leaves.

Good luck with your de-bugging and stay warm, my friends.



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