January is slowly coming to an end, but the cold, frost and icy wind persist. But that certainly won’t scare off the pests that settle on your maids. In this case, ordinary matches can help you. As? Take a look.
January is almost over, but you will have to wait a little longer for the winter, frost, icy wind and generally gloomy and unpleasant weather to leave. But what’s worst about this season is that despite the frosts, the pests don’t rest and take up residence in the warmth of your home on your houseplants. They subsequently start to suffer, their leaves start to turn yellow, and if you don’t take action in time, your home green garden could lose its life. But have you heard of the trick with matches in a flowerpot?
You can find a video on whether it is good to move plants closer to the window in winter here:
Pests and matches
Don’t worry, you definitely don’t need to light matches in a flower pot, there won’t be any home campfire with a roasted maid. However, matches can help you solve your pest problem. Just because it’s cold and freezing outside, you pests seek refuge in your warm homes, where they have houseplants as a food source. To prevent destruction, matches can become your friend in the rain.
Almost everyone has matches at home, which means that this “natural” repellent won’t cost you a penny, and it won’t really take much work. The colorful heads of matchsticks contain sulphur, which is known for its pesticidal and disinfectant effects. So when you stick matchstick heads into the soil, it can help you fight against various pests, such as, for example, whiteflies or roundworms. At the same time, sulfur can eliminate any larvae that pests have placed in the flowerpot. Substances contained in match heads also help to clean the substrate from mold.
The fight against pests, however, is not the only advantage of potted matchsticks. Besides sulfur, which is also an important nutrient for plantsas it supports their growth and photosynthesis, namely match heads also contain phosphorus. This is absolutely key for the formation and proper growth of roots, it supports flowering and the growth of new fruits. So when you stick matchstick heads into a flower pot, you not only have “natural” protection against pests, but also fertilizer. In short, two birds with one stone.
Matchsticks in a flowerpot
Probably the easiest way to get pest control and housemaid fertilizer in one is to stick matchstick heads into the substrate. Of course, it depends on how big the pot and plant are, but usually expect about 10 to 20 matches. The heads should be completely covered with soil so that all important substances and nutrients can dissolve and be released into the soil. Ideally, change matches every 2 to 3 weeks.
