How does one get rid of little bugs that hide inside flowers cut for home display?
My s/o loves flowers, but when they’re cut and brought inside the house for display, there are always tiny bugs that crawl in and out of the petals and are hard to get out. I know that washing the flowers under running water or soaking them in water is probably the best way to dislodge and get rid of the pests, but that also removes the flowers’ fragrance and ruins the flowers’ appearance somewhat, reasons why my s/o loves cut flowers in the first place. Any helpful hints on how to get rid of the tiny bugs without getting rid of the fragrance from cut flowers and spoiling the flowers’ appearance?
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11 Answers
I would just submerge them in a large tub of water to drown all the insects but putting them in a refrigerator for a few hours might also help.
I was going to also say, submerge them in water.
Clean off the ends, dead leaves an stuff, dip the flowers into a light mixture of dish soap and cool water 1 to 10 ratio.you can dilute it a bit more 1 to 20 and water with it as well. change the water, trim back, deadhead and deleaf every day and they will last you two times longer than before!!!
You might try spraying them with a brand of bugspray called Safer, it’s poison is made from a flower so it’s less toxic. That should wipe them out, even if you dilluted it, so that it doesn’t affect the fragrance. Just a thought.
why not go au naturale and let nature run its course? plants are good friends to all breathing-kind ;) bugs play their role in that mix
@truecomedian hemlock tea is made from plants too, but that doesn’t mean it’s not toxic to people (just ask Socrates). Are you saying that “Safer” is ok for humans to ingest?
I soak them in a bucket of water.Your other option is to hand pick them all off….that alone will “prove” that you love her :)giggles
I love fresh cut flowers myself and had the same problem, but my husband told me “they are there for a reason so we should just leave them be!”
Learn to share; they will harm no one. If you are determined, use a piece of yellow glass (color your own) with petroleum jelly smeared on it.
@gorillapaws I don’t think their planning on eating the flowers.
If blight &/or mites use very mild water and diluted dish soap to the pests.Was a certified pesticide applicator for 9yr’s,keep pesticides to a minimum! That’s why I got out of the business since it started to effect my breathing and skin! Always keep away from children and animals and especially babies!Their dangerous unless applied by professional who knows the correct dosage since it’s very easy to to over estimate the amount you are applying which can harm any living species including grass and bushes causing death to both which will take 2yr’s and a lot of work soil,seed and mulch or straw which can present it’s own set of problems since you don’t know what it might carry in it’s bulk,including insects other problems etc…
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