Las Plectranthus verticillatusbetter known as the money plant or dollar plant, is a beautiful evergreen shrub, from the lamiaceae family, which is highly appreciated for interior decoration, in pots of all kinds, and outdoors when the weather permits. .
Its popular name comes from the ancient superstition that if a cutting of this plant was cut and it took root, it indicated that the person was going to enjoy good luck in general and specifically in the economic aspect. Since it is a plant that is very easy to multiply by this method, the belief has brought many people good hope at this point.
Taking care of this little companion is not difficult but, as with all plants, problems can occur. In the money plant, although it is not so common, it can happen that you find it with small holes in its leaves. If you want to know what to do when holes appear in the leaves of your money plantjoin us in this DIYGardens article.
Why does the money plant have holes in its leaves?
If your money plant shows tiny holes in its leaves, chances are it’s it is a plague. Be sure to look closely at the leaves looking for caterpillars of some kind, which can be either hidden between the leaves or, in the case of borer caterpillars, inside them. Consult this article with Remedies to eliminate caterpillars from plants.
If it is not caterpillars, another pest that can affect this plant is the cochineal although, again, it is not so common and this occurs especially when the weather is hot and dry. If this is the case, these insects usually hide crowded together on the underside of the leaves.
Pests aren’t the only possibility when your money plant shows holes, either. If you have it outdoors or near a window, or simply in a very cold room, it is possible that the plant suffer from frost or temperatures that are too low, which in particularly serious cases can cause holes in the leaves.
Do not hesitate to take a look at this Green Ecology article on the money plant: care, to have more information on the subject.
What to do to treat the money plant with holes in the leaves
If your money plant has holes in its leaves, as we have already mentioned, it is most likely a caterpillar, snail or larva feasting on its pretty leaves. The problem is that these small animals are often well hidden and hard to find, so manually removing them, while the most environmentally friendly option, is not always easy.
Since resorting to chemical insecticides is always our last option, what we recommend is that make your own organic insecticide yourself for plants. Many of these recipes are surprisingly simple, requiring nothing more than ingredients we all have at home. These are some of them:
- garlic repellent: Garlic is an excellent natural repellent for all kinds of insects, which has the ability to repel a large number of species. All you have to do is crush a head of garlic together with some cloves in a blender, and add half a liter of water. Let the mixture rest for 24 hours and then lower it again in another 3 liters of water. Once mixed, you can spray it directly onto the leaves of the affected plant.
- Beer for snails and slugs: If the problem is these pests, and only if the infestation is severe, place a small glass or container filled with beer in the soil of the plant. Before long, nearby snails and slugs will have drowned in it.
On the other hand, if your money plant has a hole due to frost or excessive coldyou only have one option, although it is at least simple: you will have to move it indoors if it was outside, or move it to a place with a warmer temperature. Otherwise, the holes could continue to be produced and worsen until the plant withers completely.
We tell you how to make natural insecticides for plants in the next post.
How to prevent holes in money plant leaves
As for the cold, it is simple, you just have to place your money plant in a warm place. Regarding pests, on the other hand, it is best to be proactive and apply your own homemade repellents in advance of insects.
One can do it with eggshells, which in addition to being a great repellent for snails and caterpillars, act as fertilizer for the earth, achieving a double action. You just have to crush them with a mortar until get a fine powderand mark with it a circle around the base of the plant, thus creating a barrier against these unwanted attackers.
You can also prepare other homemade insecticides and repellents with tomato leaves, pepper, onion or potassium soap.
If you want to read more articles similar to Money plant with holes in the leaves: why and what to dowe recommend that you enter our category of Cultivation and care of plants.
