Ponytail Palm

Mealy Bugs:

Mealybugs are white, waxy creatures that live in large colonies usually on the undersides of the leaves and/or around leaf joints. The bug is about 1/10th of an inch and has the look of cotton. Similar to other pests a sure sign that your plant is infested is if you observe that the leaves of your plant seem dry or weak (dropping). If you notice those signs the first course of action would be to isolate the infested plant from all other plants within your home. After that use a strong spray bottle with water in order to try to wash off the colonies from your plant, or wipe off the infestation with cotton buds dipped in rubbing alcohol. Take note that this may not work to get rid of all the Mealybugs at one time, so keep the plant away from others while you monitor it for more insects. Another option is to buy the Mealy Bug’s natural predator called the Mealybug destroyer (Cryptolaemusmontrouzieri) which is a species of lady bug. This is an option for heavily infested plants, but is probably not practical unless you have a large number of infested plants. Once the Mealybugs have been killed and consumed the Mealybug destroyer will die off from a lack of a food source.

Aphids:

Aphids are commonly known as the greenfly or black fly, and theyare the most common pest for indoor houseplants. They are small insects (usually 1 to 5mm) and generally infest flowers, shoot tips and soft leaves. They are not likely to kill your plant but these sap-sucking insects will cause the flowers and leaves to look very distorted and/or curled.

To treat the Aphid infestation you should first try to wash off the colonies from your plant. To do this use a strong spray bottle filled with water, however this treatment does not work with all species of Aphids. The next method to try is with a fine spray of soapy water on the colonies. This will interfere with their ability to breathe. If the second method fails, you will need to succumb and purchase a systemic poison or a spray containing Malathion. We suggest Malathion because it has a relatively low human toxicity.

Potassium Deficiency:

How do I identify that my plant is suffering from Potassium Deficiency?

Symptoms of Potassium deficiency vary among plant species, but always appear first on the oldest leaves. Older leaflets of some palms are mottled with yellowish spots that are translucent when viewed from below, followed by the leaves rolling and giving a burnt look (necrosis) from the tip inward. In other plant varieties symptoms of Potassium deficiency are older leaves that appear withered and frizzled with yellow tips and brown margins. Yet in other cases symptoms appear on older leaves as marginal or tip necrosis with little or no yellowish spotting present. When left unaddressed it will progress from the older leaves to the younger leaves, eventually killing the plant. Potassium is responsible for chlorophyll formation which plays an important part in the strength of cells, in turn enhancing the ability of the plant to resist plant diseases, insect attacks and cold conditions. The best way to take care of Potassium deficiency is to use a fertilizer that contains Potassium Sulfate. A note of caution though; an excess of Potassium may tend to delay maturity.

Magnesium Deficiency:

Magnesium deficiency can first be detected by observing the leaves of the plant as with most other deficiencies. If you notice orange/brown veins on the leaves that would be one of the first indications. This is further identified with withering or curling of the leaves which will eventually lead to the burnt look around the tips of the leaf. The best/organic way to treat this deficiency is to take Epsom salt and mix it in with about 2 gallons of water. After doing so take a spray bottle and gently mist the plant a couple of times a week.

Manganese Deficiency:

If you notice that the new growth on your plant is a pale green with transverse veins, then it is most likely a manganese issue. The best way to treat this deficiency is to take manganese chelate and spray it on the leaves. After doing so take a spray bottle and gently mist the plant a couple of times a week.