Having attractive plants at home or in the office is a promise of coexistence and tranquility. And it brings joy and a lush look to the room! The concern: Even if you take proper care of it, it is difficult to prevent insect invasion. As soon as there is a little greenery around, these pests can’t help but wander around. Unfortunately, your pots can quickly suffer. This type of infestation can cause a lot of damage to your plants.

How to avoid diseases, rot and stunted growth of your beautiful plants? Thanks to the trick that we are going to reveal to you. Your secret weapon: a box of matches. You can’t imagine how useful these wooden sticks will be.

Why plant matches in your pot?

Many parasites can be seen with the naked eye. We often notice them crawling on the leaves of our plants and try to get rid of them one way or another. But, many of them are also microscopic and therefore impossible to detect. They tend to hide in potting soil, especially when it is moist and warm. Mosquitoes, spiders, fleas, aphids, weevils… All of these pests have the ability to insidiously destroy your   plant   or weaken its roots, causing its disappearance.

Indeed, they nibble the roots and the plant ends up yellowing, drying and dying. But luckily, matches will come to your rescue to repel them naturally. This method will definitely please you: these ordinary sticks will help you not only scare away pests, solve the problem of weeds, but also the loss of nutrients from the substrate.

The process is simple: take some matches and simply stick them face down on the ground (upside down). The larger the jar, the more matches you will need. The chemical composition of match heads has a toxic effect on pests. The insects will inevitably move away. But that’s not all: matches are rich in potassium, phosphorus, magnesium and phosphate. They will therefore act as a true repellent and provide the soil with essential substances to nourish the plant.

Therefore, thanks to the contribution of these minerals, you will be able to stimulate the growth of your plants. Just use a few matches to prepare the fertilizer: throw about fifteen matches into the watering can and fill it with water. Let it rest until the next day. The match heads will dissolve and impregnate the water with their properties. All you have to do is water   your flowers   every two weeks with this liquid fertilizer. This is an effective and very economical fertilizer!

Other tips to protect your plants from pests

• Bicarbonate

Aside from these notable cleaning properties that you probably already know, baking soda is also effective in fighting fungal diseases and keeping pests lurking on leaves away. How to prepare this homemade insecticide and fungicide? In a liter of water, mix 1 tablespoon of baking soda and 1 tablespoon of neem oil. Then spray this solution directly onto the infested areas of the plant to get rid of the pests once and for all.

• red chili powder

Red chili powder is often used in severe cases of plant pest infestations. It is a powerful repellent, especially to ward off aphids. The remedy is simple: mix 2 tablespoons of red chili powder with 6-7 drops of liquid detergent. Pour this mixture into a large container containing four liters of water. Let this solution sit overnight. The next day, pour it into a spray bottle and spray it on the affected parts of the plant. It really works: those who have used this spray claim that   the parasites   disappear very quickly after just one application.

• neem leaves

Neem leaf proves to be a very effective natural pesticide in controlling various insect pests. Therefore, it is an ideal option to prevent insect infestation in your indoor plants. Instructions for use: Soak neem leaves in water overnight. Carefully boil water with these leaves the next morning. Remove the leaves and set aside to let the water cool. Because it is this neem infused water that you will spray on the infected plant. The smell and taste will immediately deter insects. For greatest effectiveness, use this spray twice a week.