Sticky Floors Under Large Plants: Insect Honeydew

Sticky floors under large ferns, trees, and banana plants indicate insect infestation—honeydew excreted by scale, aphids, mealybugs, or whiteflies. Even if leaves look healthy, check undersides and crevices.

Management for Large Plants

• Prune tops back to reduce size and remove infested growth.
• Root-prune and repot in same/smaller pot to keep manageable.
• Use systemic insecticide (soil-applied) for thorough coverage without spraying.
• Alternatively, spray 70% isopropyl alcohol every 3 days for 30 days.

Keeping plants in pots ≤14 inches diameter prevents unmanageable size.