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I am absolutely DEVASTATED 😭💔 My 30-strong Calathea collection has… | Prayer Plant Allies | Planta community

Hayley

I am absolutely DEVASTATED 😭💔 My 30-strong Calathea collection has somehow ended up with spider mites, thrips AND mealybugs. I honestly don’t know whether to laugh, cry, or move house at this point! 😂😭 I’ve now had to set up three separate quarantine zones — one in each of my bathrooms with the baths filled with three inches of water for humidity and another in the spare bedroom with a humidifier — and I’m literally changing my clothes in between going into each area to treat the different batches. I feel like I’m running a tiny high-security plant hospital! 🥲 The worst part is that my newest plants had been quarantined for four weeks. I checked them regularly and there were absolutely no obvious signs of pests. I genuinely thought they were clear and started introducing them to the collection. Then, about two weeks later, I started spotting signs… and now I seem to have pests showing up across the collection. 😭 I’ve got plants covered in different combinations of spider mites, thrips and mealybugs, and I’m currently trying to work out the best treatment routine without completely destroying the poor Calatheas in the process. I knew Calatheas could be dramatic, but I really didn’t expect them to form a tiny organised pest syndicate behind my back. 😂 Has anyone else survived a pest outbreak on a large Calathea collection? What actually worked for you? I would LOVE to hear your treatment routines, quarantine tips and success stories because right now I need some hope! 🌱😭

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9 comments

  1. Tracy Lee

    I’m so sorry!! 😢

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  2. alyssalovesplants

    Are calatheas prone to pests??! I got a biggie from Costco a couple weeks ago and just found mealy bugs yesterday 😭 I wiped it down with the only 70% iso alcohol I had which were tiny prep wipes. Did a neem oil spray on the leaves after I wiped the visible bugs yesterday and today I am going to do an insecticidal spray and lighting a candle in prayer 🤣😭 best of luck to you!! If the insecticidal soap works I’ll be sure to link it lol

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    • Hayley

      Thank you! It seems every pest has to have a different treatment plan 😵‍💫

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  3. 🪴April🪴

    Every plant parent’s worst nightmare! I’m so sorry!

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    • Hayley

      It is heartbreaking! So worried I’m going to lose some my calatheas I’ve rescued over the year from my local garden centre sales 🥺

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    • 🪴April🪴

      My heart is worried for you but it will be okay. Here is ChatGPT response for you: “I’d suggest she simplify the response: one manageable treatment routine, repeated consistently, with close monitoring. A broad approach: * Group the plants by the pests actually found, and keep those groups away from the rest of the collection. Check nearby plants closely; yellow sticky cards can help monitor adult thrips, though they won’t clear an infestation. * Before spraying, rinse foliage—especially leaf undersides, new growth, and leaf joints—to knock pests off. Remove badly damaged leaves if needed. * Choose a commercial product labeled for indoor plants and the specific pests, and follow its label exactly. Contact sprays only work when they reach the pest, so repeat treatments are usually needed. Since calatheas can be sensitive, test one small area first and watch for leaf damage. Avoid homemade dish-soap mixes. * Treat the healthier or apparently clear plants first, then the infested groups. Wash hands and tools between groups; changing clothes between every bathroom probably isn’t necessary unless she’s brushing against infested foliage. * Keep checking new growth and leaf undersides for several weeks after the last treatment. Don’t rush to repot everything: repotting won’t address thrips living on the foliage.

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  4. KJ

    Is there a chance that the infestation could have come from your potting medium supply? Do you mix your own? Buy bagged? Big box stores are a sure bet to bring home a bag of something… It was fungus gnats when I made that mistake.

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    • Hayley

      When I reported my new plants I used 2l Westland house plant soil mix, fine orchid bark, perlite, worm castings, and a dash of activated charcoal to keep my fussy prayer plants happy and rot-free! Should I repot everyone? This is a nightmare! I’ve even bought another humidifier for the quarantine zones 😩😭😞

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  5. Sondra

    I’ve never done this myself but I’ve heard people have had success with releasing predatory bugs to kill the bugs you don’t want, but I don’t know if there’s one type of predatory bug that will take out all three species. Supposedly the predatory bugs will eventually die after they eradicate the plant eating bugs.

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