Secret to pest-free houseplants from nursery
If you grow houseplants, you probably know that sinking feeling you get when you notice the almost imperceivable movement of a dot, fine webbing between a leaf and its stem, or a leaf that just looks off.
You thought (hoped!) the moment would never come, but the pests have moved in, and here we are.
Check out the plant before buying it
The old adage about an ounce of prevention being worth a pound of cure also applies to houseplant infestations, and this all could have been avoided if you had taken precautions, starting at the nursery.
Before bringing home a plant, inspect it closely. Look at the soil, stem, leaves and, importantly, under the leaves, where some pests like to make their homes. Use your phone’s camera to zoom in on questionable specks. If all looks good, go ahead and buy the plant, but repot it once it crosses your threshold.
What to do when you bring the plant home
Remove the plant from its container and gently shake, then wipe as much of the soil from the roots as possible. This is important because even in the absence of visible pests, there could be eggs waiting to hatch in the soil.
Repot the plant using fresh, sterile potting mix in a clean container with a drainage hole at the bottom. If reusing the original pot, first wash it and disinfect it with a 90/10 water-to-bleach solution.
Plant the roots exactly as deep as they were in the original pot, and tamp the soil down firmly to eliminate air pockets. Then give the plant a moderate drink of water.
When the soil surface dries, sprinkle it with about ¼ inch of food-grade diatomaceous earth (DE). To ensure even distribution, consider using a powder duster, sometimes called a puffer.
Wear a mask; the dust isn’t toxic to people or pets, but it will irritate your lungs if inhaled. Insects that crawl across the dry powder, which is composed of tiny shard-like particles, become dehydrated and die.
Diatomaceous earth must be kept dry to maintain its effectiveness, so bottom-water plants by placing pots in a shallow container of water. Allow the soil and roots to soak up what they need for about 15 minutes, then discard any remaining water. Bottom watering also helps prevent fungal diseases and root rot, so it’s a good practice regardless of pest concerns.
DE should be reapplied occasionally because soil moisture will degrade it over time, even when watering from below.
Protect your other plants
If you have other houseplants, quarantine your newcomer in a separate room for three to four weeks. Inspect it every few days as you did at the nursery, as some pests may not show their faces for a while.
When you’re confident all is clear, go ahead and introduce your plants to the rest of the family.
Secret to pest-free houseplants from nursery
If you grow houseplants, you probably know that sinking feeling you get when you notice the almost imperceivable movement of a dot, fine webbing between a leaf and its stem, or a leaf that just looks off.
You thought (hoped!) the moment would never come, but the pests have moved in, and here we are.
Check out the plant before buying it
The old adage about an ounce of prevention being worth a pound of cure also applies to houseplant infestations, and this all could have been avoided if you had taken precautions, starting at the nursery.
Before bringing home a plant, inspect it closely. Look at the soil, stem, leaves and, importantly, under the leaves, where some pests like to make their homes. Use your phone’s camera to zoom in on questionable specks. If all looks good, go ahead and buy the plant, but repot it once it crosses your threshold.
What to do when you bring the plant home
Remove the plant from its container and gently shake, then wipe as much of the soil from the roots as possible. This is important because even in the absence of visible pests, there could be eggs waiting to hatch in the soil.
Repot the plant using fresh, sterile potting mix in a clean container with a drainage hole at the bottom. If reusing the original pot, first wash it and disinfect it with a 90/10 water-to-bleach solution.
Plant the roots exactly as deep as they were in the original pot, and tamp the soil down firmly to eliminate air pockets. Then give the plant a moderate drink of water.
When the soil surface dries, sprinkle it with about ¼ inch of food-grade diatomaceous earth (DE). To ensure even distribution, consider using a powder duster, sometimes called a puffer.
Wear a mask; the dust isn’t toxic to people or pets, but it will irritate your lungs if inhaled. Insects that crawl across the dry powder, which is composed of tiny shard-like particles, become dehydrated and die.
Diatomaceous earth must be kept dry to maintain its effectiveness, so bottom-water plants by placing pots in a shallow container of water. Allow the soil and roots to soak up what they need for about 15 minutes, then discard any remaining water. Bottom watering also helps prevent fungal diseases and root rot, so it’s a good practice regardless of pest concerns.
DE should be reapplied occasionally because soil moisture will degrade it over time, even when watering from below.
Protect your other plants
If you have other houseplants, quarantine your newcomer in a separate room for three to four weeks. Inspect it every few days as you did at the nursery, as some pests may not show their faces for a while.
When you’re confident all is clear, go ahead and introduce your plants to the rest of the family.
Fish cakes and Birmingham greens recipe
The green salad in this recipe calls for two types of greens, turnip and mustard. A mess of greens, whether they be turnip, collard or mustard, have been staples in the homes of African Americans for hundreds of years.
Collard leaves are large; mustards have a slightly peppery taste; and turnips are a little bitter.
Mashama Bailey, executive chef and partner at The Grey in Savannah, Georgia, is one of the most important chefs in the country. This is a dish similar to the one she made for Harlem EatUp!, where her salad was the star of the show. Later that night, she was the star of the dance floor too.
This recipe is featured in my cookbook “The Rise.”
Fish Cakes with Birmingham Greens Salad
Servings: 4
Ingredients
Tomato Sauce:
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 small onion, finely diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
½ teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
1 (15-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
Fish Cakes:
1 medium (6-ounce) potato, peeled and cut in half
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
½ cup finely diced onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
½ teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon curry powder
12 ounces salt cod, soaked, drained, and coarsely chopped
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
Grated zest and juice of 1 lemon
2 large egg yolks
½ cup mayonnaise
Birmingham Greens Salad:
½ cup extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
2 tablespoons minced shallot
2 teaspoons sorghum
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
½ teaspoon kosher salt
Pinch freshly ground black pepper
2 cups tender young mustard greens, washed and spun dry
2 cups tender young turnip greens, washed and spun dry
3 tablespoons coarsely chopped pecans
Directions
Make the tomato sauce: heat the olive oil in a small saucepan over medium heat. When the oil simmers, add the onion, garlic, and salt. Cook until the onions are translucent, 4 to 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes, decrease the heat to low, and cover. Cook for 30 to 40 minutes, until the sauce has slightly reduced and no longer has a raw flavor. Taste and season with additional salt as needed. Set aside and keep warm.
Make the fish cakes: Place the potato in a small saucepan, cover with cold water, and bring to a boil over high heat. Boil until tender, about 20 minutes. Drain and pass the potato through a ricer or fine mesh strainer. Set aside.
Heat 1 tablespoon of the vegetable oil in a medium saute pan set over medium-high heat. When the oil shimmers, add the onion, garlic, salt and curry powder. Cook until the onion is translucent, 4 to 5 minutes. Add the salt cod and continue to cook until the liquid has dissipated, 2 to 3 minutes.
Transfer the mixture to a medium mixing bowl and add the potato, Worcestershire, lemon zest and juice, egg yolks and mayonnaise, and stir to combine. Refrigerate mixture for 1 hour.
Shape the cod mixture into four patties. Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon vegetable oil in a medium skillet set over medium-high heat. When the oil shimmers, gently add the cod cakes and cook for 4 to 5 minutes on each side, until golden brown and cooked through. Set aside and keep warm until ready to serve.
Make the salad: Combine the olive oil, vinegar, shallot, sorghum, mustard, salt, and pepper in a small glass jar with a lid, cover, and shake to combine.
Place the greens and pecans in a medium bowl, pour over the vinaigrette, and toss to combine.
To serve: Spoon the tomato sauce over the fish cakes and serve with a side of the greens salad
Karna Bahadur Fields Candidacy Against Injustice
In the remote hills of Jajarkot, a quiet challenge to long-standing social injustice is emerging. Karna Bahadur Nepali, a young Dalit rights activist from the marginalized Baadi community of Chhedagad Municipality–5, has filed his candidacy for the parliamentary election scheduled for early March.
A longtime humanitarian worker, Nepali has spent over a decade as a social mobilizer, working on poverty alleviation, education support, and community development. He has served in projects supported by Save the Children and contributed to local education initiatives through Panchatara Yuwa Sancharan Mancha. He later reactivated Baadi Sanrakshan Mancha and helped establish the Social Reform Agricultural Cooperative to improve local livelihoods.
“My candidacy is not against any person,” Nepali says. “It is against poverty, illiteracy, discrimination, and social injustice. It is for the development of Jajarkot.”
Recognizing his grassroots work, the Ujyaalo Nepal Party (UNP) has selected him as its candidate, calling his run a historic moment for Jajarkot. “For the first time, a young Dalit activist is contesting here,” says UNP leader Nar Bahadur Karki.
Jajarkot, heavily affected by the Maoist insurgency, has been represented by Maoist leaders since 2008, yet development remains limited. Persistent caste-based violence—including the 2020 killing of six Dalit youths—highlights unresolved injustice.
Against this backdrop, Nepali is contesting for the House of Representatives, challenging veteran Maoist leader Shakti Bahadur Basnet. His candidacy symbolizes more than an election—it represents a renewed push for justice, equality, and hope in Jajarkot.
