Comments on: BotaniWipe: redeeming houseplants everywhere

By: Sunita

Sunita — Sat, 31 May 2008 14:52:38 +0000

Neem is the most fantastic ….. a gardener can lay hands on (fill in the blanks)! Really…. just ask any of our farmers here in India. We’ve been using it for thousands of years to get rid of the nasties from our plants.
If there is any drawback at all to neem oil, it has to be the stink ! Like stale pee …. I’m sure Andrew’s mind made a good connection there too.
I guess thats where the lavender comes in and does its work like a good cover-up agent.
I dont know if I would ever use it if it was available in India … I have too many plants to go around wiping their bu… er, leaves. I’d probably mix up a bucket of neem oil solution and drench them with it. But what an absolutely interesting idea!

By: Chrissy

Chrissy — Fri, 30 May 2008 16:49:06 +0000

I’ve had the pleasure to work professionally with interior plants for many years now and dusty plants is my biggest heartache! Keeping houseplants dust free is so important, as you know they breath from the top of the foliage, and if you have plants in low light even a thin layer of dust can prevent light absorbtion.

Neem is the best thing ever!!! I do all my gardening with organic and natural technques and I can not say enough about neem. I love it. I have even had success with using it systemicaly, but be careful cause it can clog the roots.

I would not recommend milk or mayo…it really attracts dust, and bacteria or fungus can be an issue. And actually, with you schefflera you can use a dry organic cotton cloth and wipe the leave in a circular motion and that will help the natural oils in the leaf come out.

Sorry for the long comment…once I start talking about plants I can’t stop.

By: kate

kate — Sat, 24 May 2008 18:17:28 +0000

This sounds like a good product … I like the way the inventer came up with the idea.

By: Elaine

Elaine — Fri, 23 May 2008 18:26:27 +0000

Thanks, Eric. That’s a new way for me to look at my aphid problem. Usually only a few of my plants fall victim, particularly the violas. I completely agree with you except my current crop of violas look very healthy and have been thriving since last fall. I’ll have to see if in fact they may be “stressed” — my environment is a real challenge and I certainly have transferred many plants from pots to compost over the years.

By: Andrea Bellamy

Andrea Bellamy — Fri, 23 May 2008 18:10:17 +0000

Thanks Elaine. You can’t really smell the lavender – it’s just more of a nice, fresh smell. You can buy them in Vancouver at the Plant Shop on Main St.

Eric – good point. I’ve been battling aphids on my euphorbias. I wonder what ails them? I think you’re right – they’ve got to go.

By: Eric

Eric — Fri, 23 May 2008 15:43:29 +0000

I like this idea, but would most likely make my own, but can see its usefulness for apt. dwellers or the like that may not have the space to keep all the requisite products. The only real problem I have is that I can't grow houseplants very well at all. And to the commenter above re. aphids. It probably would help, but the larger issue is that aphids won't be a problem in healthy plants. They may be present, but will only kill a plant that was asking for it. It could be water, nutrients, genetics, environment, etc. but something is wrong for a plant with an aphid problem. When we see aphids on a plant, we usually just let them have at it, or yank the plant and compost it. They have a definite place in this world as a weeder of bad genes. Cheers gardeninginconverse.com

By: Elaine

Elaine — Thu, 22 May 2008 19:14:43 +0000

I enjoyed reading this entire post — what a great last line. I wouldn’t be surprised if you do think of a brilliant business idea.

Thank you for this very helpful information. Your research and explanation plus the before and after photos have convinced me to try the Wipes. I have one very faithful, but neglected plant needing a good cleaning.

Can you smell the lavender in the Wipes? Now this would be a bonus because it’s my favourite scent.

I’m also wondering if the neem would be effective in repelling aphids. I may try it on some of my outdoor balcony plants.

Great research and writing. Thank you.