Organic Remedies for Gardenia Insects

Gardenia Care

• Keep your plants in their best condition and help them withstand infestations by raising them in an environment favorable to their health. Gardenias require a pH between 5.0 and 6.5, and the University of Florida IFAS Extension advises planting them away from concrete, as the alkalinity will lead to constant nutritional issues. The plants need high humidity, indoor temperatures of 65 degrees during the day and 55 degrees at night, and bright light, full sun or light shade. Avoid water stress; do not allow the plants to dry out.

Treatments

• Outdoors, support beneficial insect populations. Ladybird beetles and parasitic wasps prey on scales and aphids. Lacewings, ladybird beetles and predatory mites help control spider mite numbers. Learn to tolerate small populations of aphids if they aren’t harming the condition of your plants. Control weed growth, as weeds can support and hide pests that feed on your plants. Numerous types of scales infest gardenias; you can remove scales by hand. Wash your plants in the shower or by using water from the garden hose -- focusing on the undersides of the foliage -- to treat for aphids and spider mites. The Clemson Cooperative Extension suggests disturbing your gardenias to trigger whiteflies to take to the air, then using a vacuum cleaner to collect the insects.

Considerations

• Certain treatments must be applied to the pests themselves to work well, such as insecticidal soap for treating aphids. Insecticidal soap is minimally toxic to beneficial insects, according to the Clemson Cooperative Extension website, but it is not recommended for gardenias because of their sensitivity to it. Insecticides don’t work well against the adult form of scales, as they are protected by a waxy coating.

Warnings

• Synthetic pesticides are sometimes rough on plants and kill beneficial insects as well as insect pests. When pests such as thrips and spider mites are present, their natural enemies are often enough to control their numbers, but if you apply a broad-spectrum poison to your plants, it does not discriminate. Pesticides may only prolong your problems; pest populations may rebound. For example, the University of California Integrated Pest Management Program warns that spider mites often become problematic after applications of insecticides.