How To Quarantine New Plants
Bringing new plants home is exciting, but it can also be stressful if you know a lot about gardening. Sneaky pests love hanging out in plant nurseries and hiding in the new purchases of unsuspecting customers. That’s why you must learn how to quarantine new plants.
To quarantine new plants, pick a room that’s 15-20 feet away from any existing plants. Closely examine the plant’s roots, leaves, and soil for fungal diseases, pests, and signs of damage. Don’t put them in the garden until you’ve inspected them for 2-4 weeks and know they’re pest-free.
Invest in a jug of neem oil and some diatomaceous earth to kill any remaining bugs. Follow along as we explore how to quarantine new plants.
What To Do When You Bring Home New Plants
Before you even think of quarantining any new plants, it’s important to inspect the ones you buy. Plant nurseries often buy products from all over the United States, and sometimes they source them from overseas. That means exotic plants go in and out of these nurseries every day. Pests often hitch a ride on them, and employees don’t always catch them.
It's worth closely inspecting any plants before buying them from a garden store. Familiarize yourself with common pests, such as aphids and spider mites, as well as fungal diseases. That way, you know what to look for and can avoid the unnecessary headache of spreading pests throughout your garden. With that said, follow along as we explore how to quarantine new plants.
1. Pick A Location
The last thing to do is bring new plants anywhere near thriving plants. Instead, pick a quarantine zone that’s far from your existing plants to minimize the risk of contamination. The ideal quarantine zone looks different for everyone, as some people have more space than others. If possible, put at least one room of separation between your new plants and the existing ones. Many pests can travel from room to room if they detect other plants.
Try to put 10 to 20 feet of space between your quarantine zone and your other plants. If most of your plants are outdoors, quarantine the new ones inside your home. Indoor gardeners can quarantine new plants in the bathroom, office, laundry room, or screened-in porch.
2. Inspect The Plants
Inspecting plants for pests and diseases isn’t as easy as it sounds. Spider mites are so tiny that many people see them without realizing what they’re looking at. They look like tiny dots, which blend in well with certain plants. That’s why you must closely inspect new plants, even if that means using a magnifying glass.
However, be careful not to be overly worried, as your new plants may look weak due to the transportation process. For example, you may find yellowed leaves due to the shock of the new environment. Quarantining your plants will let you carefully inspect them and see if the problem persists. If it does, you may have a fungal disease on your hands.
3. Familiarize Yourself With Pests
Did you buy a tropical plant that was shipped from Florida? If so, research which types of pests you’d typically find in Florida, especially if they’re not native to your area. That way, you know exactly what to look for and won’t miss any serious red flags. Doing your homework can also shed light on the ideal growing conditions for your new plants. While quarantined, you can contain and kill any pests you find to prevent them from spreading.
4. Treat Them With Natural Products
Even if you don’t find pests, you should at least treat your new plants with neem oil and diatomaceous earth. These natural products can keep pests at bay without harming your plants or the environment. For that reason, they’re much better options than synthetic pesticides, which are dangerous. Some people add a drop of dish soap to a spray bottle before adding neem oil and water.
One drop of dish soap won’t harm your plants, but it will help carry the neem oil to its destination. It also helps to scatter some diatomaceous earth on the leaves and in the soil. You can also scatter diatomaceous earth on the ground around the potted plant. Doing so will kill pests that approach or walk away from the plant, which stops them from spreading.
5. Inspect The Roots
Inspecting a plant’s roots can tell you almost everything you need to know about its health. While in distress, the roots will look weak and unhealthy, indicating that the plant is in danger. The only way to know this is to dig into the soil and inspect the roots. Not only will this reveal the plant’s condition, but you may also find a plastic plug. Some nurseries put plugs on plants’ roots to restrict their growth for commercial purposes.
Ideally, you should remove it to help your plant grow to its fullest potential. If the roots appear mushy, you can tell that something is wrong. This can point to fungal diseases, overwatering, and poor air exchange. Cut away the brown rot, repot your plant, and adjust your watering habits while the plant is quarantined.
6. Sort Through The Soil
Most pests will cling to the leaves, but some will linger in the soil. While inspecting the roots, sort through the soil and look for aphids, spider mites, mealybugs, and fly larvae. Keep a trash bag nearby, so you can dump contaminated soil as needed. This is also a great time to replace the contaminated soil with fresh soil. Not everyone does this, but it’s a great option if you have nutrient-dense soil on hand.
While you’re at it, you can throw some compost and peat moss into the mix to infuse the soil with more nutrients. If all the soil seems sketchy, transplant the plant to a new pot altogether. Discard the soil and seal it in a bag to ensure no pests can spread to your garden.
7. Wash Them
Did you find some pests on your new plants? If so, thoroughly wash them in your shower. Even the most stubborn pests, such as spider mites, can’t withstand a strong, consistent stream of water. If you’re worried about the soil washing away, you can cover it with cling wrap. That way, the plant will retain nutrients, and you won’t smother the roots.
Otherwise, you can put the plant in the bathtub as is and run the water. Don’t blast the water too hard, or else you will likely damage the stems, leaves, and branches. Run the water in 30-second increments to avoid oversoaking the plant. Manually dry it with a towel and let it drain until nothing comes out of the drainage holes.
8. Monitor Your Plants
Now, all the hard work is out of the way. By now, you’ve closely inspected the plants and hopefully gotten rid of any pests you find. However, keep them quarantined and monitor them for another 2 weeks if you can swing it. There’s always a chance that you missed some sneaky pests in the soil or underneath the leaves. Throughout the process, it helps to treat your plants with neem oil and insecticidal soap.
If you keep finding pests and your plant is struggling, you may have to make a tough decision. An unending wave of pests can shock your plant’s system and leave it unhealthy. In that case, you may simply want to give up on the plant, since you can’t quarantine it forever.
How Long Should You Quarantine Plants?
Ideally, you should quarantine new plants for 2 to 4 weeks. However, that won’t be necessary if you think your new plants are fine after 10 days. The 2- to 4-week timeline is more about making sure you didn’t miss anything during your initial inspection. It’s better to be safe than sorry, so there’s no need to rush the process. The last thing you want to do is bring your new plants into your garden too soon and cause an outbreak. Give your quarantined plants plenty of light and water, and they should be fine.
Summing It Up
Pick a room that’s 15-20 feet away from your other plants in which to quarantine your new plants. Inspect the soil, stems, and undersides of the leaves for mealybugs, aphids, spider mites, and other pests. Wash your new plants, spray them with neem oil, and monitor them for 2-4 weeks before taking them out of quarantine.
Related Guides:
Nick Durante is a professional writer with a primary focus on home improvement. When he is not writing about home improvement or taking on projects around the house, he likes to read and create art. He is always looking towards the newest trends in home improvement.
More by Nick Durante
