Beneficial Insect Consult on My Greenwall with DMV Beneficials

Beneficial Insect Consult on My Greenwall with DMV Beneficials

Author: Maria Failla- Happy Plant Lady and Author of Growing Joy: The Plant Lover's Guide to Cultivating Happiness May 19, 2026 Duration: 55:15

Do you have the guts to release beneficial insects in your home? I recently invited Jamie, the co-founder of DMV Beneficials, into my studio to do exactly that. We spent the afternoon performing a professional consultation on my green wall. We examined my alocasia, philodendron, hoya, and more under a microscope to see what was really going on. We found broad mites, spider mite eggs, and a possible infestation starting on my rabbit's foot fern. It was a little scary, but probably the best way to recreate nature right in our living rooms is to release these beneficial insects.

You can watch the full video of our release on my YouTube channel if you want to see these bugs in action!

 

In this episode, we learn:

  • [02:03] What to expect from this unique live-audio episode
  • [07:04] Meet Jamie from DMV Beneficials and what her company offers!
  • [08:46] What are beneficial insects?
  • [09:53] How Jamie conducts a live pest diagnostic check
  • [12:27] What kind of microscope should you use to look for pests?
  • [14:05] Why we start diagnostics with plants like Alocasia and Philodendron
  • [15:35] Manukora
  • [17:20] How to identify eggs vs. dust
  • [19:45] Is it normal to see pests on your plants?
  • [22:12] Checking for thrips on a philodendron
  • [24:24] Are beneficial bugs safe to use in a home with birds and pets?
  • [24:49] Identifying broad mites and how they get inside your home
  • [27:40] What to look for when checking Hoyas for flat mites
  • [29:48] Checking my fern for pests
  • [32:58] How to use keystone plants to assess your plant population health
  • [33:26] How to release soil predators (Stratiolaelaps) to your pots
  • [35:22] How to aesthetically place and hang beneficial insect sachets
  • [39:02] Treating ferns and hoyas with the beneficial insects!
  • [43:21] How to safely release lacewings to your plants
  • [46:44] How to use a hex cell to treat 60 plants with one release
  • [49:19] Where to find Jamie, DMV Beneficials, and local bug chapters!

 

Mentioned in our conversation:

 

If you're curious to know which beneficials work for your houseplants,

check out the full show notes and blog here!

 

Follow DMV Beneficials:

Website
Instagram
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YouTube

 

Thank you to our episode sponsor:

Manukora

Go to manukora.com/bloom to get up to 31% off the starter kit that includes their 850+ Manukora honey jar, 5 honey travel sticks, a wooden spoon, and a guidebook, PLUS $25 worth of free gifts!

 

Follow Maria and Growing Joy:

Order my book: Growing Joy: The Plant Lover's Guide to Cultivating Happiness (and Plants)by Maria Failla, Illustrated by Samantha Leung

Take the Plant Parent Personality Quiz (Get the perfect plants, projects and educational resources for YOUR Lifestyle)

Support Growing Joy with Maria by becoming a Plant Friend on Patreon!

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There’s a quiet, accessible kind of wellness waiting for you on a windowsill or in a patch of soil. Growing Joy with Plants explores that very idea, moving beyond basic tips to examine how our relationship with the natural world directly nurtures our mental and emotional health. Hosted by Maria Failla, a self-proclaimed Happy Plant Lady and author of "Growing Joy: The Plant Lover's Guide to Cultivating Happiness," this podcast feels like a warm conversation with a knowledgeable friend. Maria guides you through the practicalities of keeping your houseplants alive and thriving, but the discussion always circles back to the deeper connection-how the simple acts of watering, repotting, or simply observing growth can become anchors of calm in a hectic day. Each episode digs into how gardening and engaging with nature, even in small urban spaces, offer tangible tools to manage feelings of anxiety and overwhelm. This isn't about achieving a perfect indoor jungle; it's about finding moments of peace and genuine happiness through the process of care. The underlying message throughout the podcast is a powerful and gentle reminder: tending to your plants is fundamentally an act of tending to yourself. You’ll come away with not just better plant care knowledge, but a refreshed perspective on cultivating joy in your daily routine, learning that the serenity you might seek on vacation can be rooted right in your own home.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 50

Growing Joy with Plants - Wellness Rooted in Nature, Houseplants, Gardening and Plant Care
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