Any houseplant green thumb experts here?

[Cha Cha]

When we did our deck, my husband insisted on some majestic palms to give it a tropical feel, and boy do they love the deck because they started out small and are now huge in one season! But, they can't survive our winters outside, so we brought them indoors and put them in our basement. They are continuing to grow out of control, but now I've noticed that there are (many) centipedes or millipedes in the soil of one pot and I'm grossed out by them. My husband says, "awwww what's the problem. Just leave them there they won't go anywhere." Ummmm, NO! This is the singlemost reason I don't like houseplants, because of the insects that like them too. Any ideas what I can/should do? What can I use on the bugs without killing the palms?

[GuinnessStout]

Well first off I will say centipedes are harmless to the plant they eat bugs and depending on the type they could be biters... Millipedes eat the roots and kill the plant.. Also majestic palms really aren't the best at being house plants.

Ok with that being said changing the soil and if they are millipedes trimming root rot from the eating is usually the best bet from my experience.

[Maximo]

Go to Home Depot or Lowes and buy an indoor plant spray for bugs. I use Garden Safe for aphids and little buggies on my houseplants. Keep the doggies away from it.

[Cha Cha]

Originally Posted by GuinnessStout

Well first off I will say centipedes are harmless to the plant they eat bugs and depending on the type they could be biters... Millipedes eat the roots and kill the plant.. Also majestic palms really aren't the best at being house plants.

Ok with that being said changing the soil and if they are millipedes trimming root rot from the eating is usually the best bet from my experience.

So, I need to know if they are centipedes or millipedes? The plant is thriving so that makes me think centipedes, eh? And believe me, wish it wasn't thriving. In fact, I told my dh when he wanted these how likely I was to kill them when we bring them in for the winter because they don't do well indoors. Now I have a basement bedroom that looks like a jungle.

[Cha Cha]

Originally Posted by Maximo

Go to Home Depot or Lowes and buy an indoor plant spray for bugs. I use Garden Safe for aphids and little buggies on my houseplants. Keep the doggies away from it.

Thanks! Oh yes, another reason I don't like houseplants....I like dogs much better and the two don't mix too well. But, the dogs are closed off to the basement, and the room the plants are in keeps the door closed.

[Maximo]

Originally Posted by Cha Cha

Thanks! Oh yes, another reason I don't like houseplants....I like dogs much better and the two don't mix too well. But, the dogs are closed off to the basement, and the room the plants are in keeps the door closed.

I got rid of most of my houseplants when Max came into our lives. We kept only our 3 huge ficus trees that are over 20 years old. One belonged to my mother.

[horsnaround]

Lol thanks for the laugh. Dh insisted bringing banana plants home from my parents winter home one year. And of course they to had to be inside. We had more fights about keeping them. I got very sick of the mess. And they never did grow bananas. Lol. We had them five or so years before they finially just died. So I feel your pain. Thank goodness I don't remember any bugs. Good luck And I feel your frustration

[Verbena]

I have a cat that pulls all the leaves off palm and runs around with it. He likes being in the bush I think lol. It is to the point I think it is dying a cat killing death. If you want. . . you can borrow my cat

[horsnaround]

Originally Posted by Verbena

I have a cat that pulls all the leaves off palm and runs around with it. He likes being in the bush I think lol. It is to the point I think it is dying a cat killing death. If you want. . . you can borrow my cat

Lol. Now there's a great idea. The cat killing palm tree

[Cha Cha]

Originally Posted by Verbena

I have a cat that pulls all the leaves off palm and runs around with it. He likes being in the bush I think lol. It is to the point I think it is dying a cat killing death. If you want. . . you can borrow my cat

Oh, now there's a thought. I know cats well. I would imagine a cat (or two) would feel right at home in the jungle.

[Verbena]

He is such a menace. He has single handedly killed 2 plants and 5 more are on the way. His is also my little retriever. You throw a ball, he jumps up with it and puts it in your lap for you to throw again. And with that, I had a lovely jade plant that had got so lovely this summer being outside. Well he has been breaking off pieces and bringing them to me. Like he wants to play fetch.

[Cha Cha]

Teri he sounds like a real character. 😼

I took a specimen of my bug to a nursery in the next town over. Turns out they are millipedes. I guess they can kill the palm. So I got some of their spray. We'll see If this plant survives the winter in my basement. It may have better luck outdoors. 😄

[Verbena]

Lmao.