Coconut Oil Won’t Protect Your Houseplants From Pests (and What to Use Instead)
We humans put a lot of effort into keeping our plants healthy indoors. And while some of us often jokingly think of greenery as our “plant children,” plants and people are very different organisms. While humans can benefit from using coconut oil as a moisturizer, plants do not benefit from it in the same way, despite what the wisdom of the internet may tell you. Please stop using coconut oil on houseplants.
Coconut oil does not repel plant pests, but other oils may
I’m not entirely sure where the coconut oil suggestion came from, but there is a myth online that you can rub coconut oil on your houseplants to repel pests. Although scientific studies have shown that coconut oil repels some insects , using it on plants is not a good idea for reasons I’ll get into in a moment.
Instead, you should use another oil, such as diluted neem oil (which you can buy on Amazon for under $10 ). Indoor pest control is an important aspect of growing plants because insects like thrips spread quickly and are difficult to control once established. You can use neem oil preventively or reactively, but if you already have pests, it is important to take action immediately. Here’s what to do:
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Isolate affected plants to reduce the likelihood of pests spreading.
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Manually remove any errors and eggs you see . If the weather is warm enough, move the plant outside; otherwise take it to a salon, you can do it in the shower. Wash each leaf thoroughly with a hose or spray bottle, which will hopefully be enough to remove any remaining eggs and insects.
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Dip the plant pot. Fill a bucket large enough to fit the entire plant pot. Submerge the entire pot filled with soil and keep it under water until bubbles stop rising to the surface and the pot sinks to the bottom of the bucket. (This means the soil is completely saturated with water.) Leave the pot under water for 10 minutes, then remove it and let the water drain.
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Spray the plant with diluted neem oil , making sure to coat the leaves evenly. After treatment, keep the plant separate for a few weeks and monitor it for any signs of unwanted guests (and it’s a good idea to take a closer look at the other plants, just in case). Once you believe you have solved the problem, return the plant to the rest of the plants.
Coconut oil also does not moisturize plant leaves.
Here’s the real downside to covering your plants’ leaves with coconut oil: Another use I’ve seen suggests that coconut oil “moisturizes” the plant’s leaves and helps keep them clean, but coconut oil doesn’t clean or moisturize the plant. and can really hurt him. Plants breathe through tiny pores, or stomata, on the surface of their leaves, and coconut oil can clog these pores and make it difficult for the plant to get the carbon dioxide it needs. Additionally, coconut oil can leave a sticky surface on the leaves that will attract dust, exacerbating the problem.
Instead, to keep plant leaves looking shiny and dust-free, you can purchase a product like Leaf Shine ( $25 on Amazon) ; they are usually made from neem oil and castile soap and are light enough to allow the plant to breathe.