Question
I hope you can help me.  I have several houseplants.  I do not know the name, as I have never been big on houseplants until lately.  They all weep.  It is so sticky that the floor has to be scrubbed.  My husband stepped on it and it pulled his sock off.  What is causing this and what can I do to prevent it.

Answer
Hello Audrey May,
   Sorry it has taken me so long to respond to your question. I was out of town and did not realize my set vacation time had expired and that I was receiving questions.

Most likely the sticky stuff you are seeing is not plant sap but 'Honeydew'. 'Honeydew' is a thick, clear, sticky liquid that is produced by insects as waste. Honeydew can be found on leaves and surfaces under and around the infested plant.

Check the plant carefully for insects. The insects that seem to produce the most honeydew are Aphids, Mealy bugs and Scale.

Aphids are small, soft bodied insects that are easily recognized by their pear shaped body. Most species of Aphids are green but some are brown, red or black. Adult Aphids can be winged or wingless. Aphids are easily controlled by most insecticidal soap sprays and chemical pesticides.

Mealybugs are soft-bodied, oval shaped, scale like insects with many legs. Mealybugs are covered by a sticky, white, cottony looking substance that extends out from it's body like short filaments. Mealybugs can be a problem to get rid of because the cottony substance often protects the insect from pesticides. The best way to get rid of Mealybugs is to pick them off with a cotton swab dipped in alcohol. Be sure to check all little crevices, folds and grooves on both the leaves and stems. Also check the pot and the area immediate surrounding the pot (such as a window sill) as well as the plant for eggs.

Scale insects are black, brown or tan, somewhat flat, oval shaped insects that are covered by a hard shell. Adult scales are stationary. Immature scales (called crawlers) emerge from eggs deposited under the adult females protective shell. Once crawlers establish a feeding site, they begin to secrete the hardened covering over their body. Adult Scale are a problem to control because their shell protects them from pesticides. Pesticides and soap sprays are only effective on crawlers. If there are only a few Scales, they can be picked off by hand. Check the plant every few days, picking off any scales you find. Like Mealybugs, Scale are often found in crevices, folds and creases on both the plant's leaves and stems. By far the best way to control Scale is by using a systemic insecticide. In cases of a heavy infestation, a systemic is the only effective means of control.

Spider Mites can also produce honeydew but not nearly as much as the other insects I have mentioned. To produce the amount of honeydew you are describing, the plants would probably have to be completely covered with spider mites and would also be covered with their webbing.
Even though I doubt the main insect problem is spider mites, I am still going to include information on spider mite control in this answer just in case there are some spider mites on your plants as well as other insects or in case you ever get them on a plant in the future.
Spider Mites are tiny, spider like mites that can barely been seen with the naked eye. The most common Spider Mite is the Two-spotted Spider Mite, they have soft pear shaped bodies with 2 dark spots on their backs. The most visible sign of a Spider Mite presence is webbing on the undersides of leaves and between stems, however, webbing indicates a high population of Spider Mites. Although Spider Mites are very hard to see with the naked eye, their eggs can usually been seen easily, grouped together on the undersides of leaves. They can be seen best by looking at the underside of the leaf at an angle.
Spider Mites are very difficult to get rid of or control. Often they are resistant to chemical pesticides and many insecticides do not work for Spider Mites. If you are going to use a commercial pesticide be sure that it is listed on the label that the product is effective for Spider Mites.
The first step in getting rid of spider mites (and most crawling insects) is to spray the leaves, especially the undersides, with a strong spray of water. This will wash off as many of the insects as possible. Since Spider Mites are often resistant to most chemical pesticides it is best to use an insecticidal soap spray. Another good thing to use is pesticides made with neem oil. Be sure to cover all leaf surfaces completely. Repeat treatment every 5-7 days until there is no sign of Spider Mite presence.


There are several different types of commercial pesticides available. There are traditional chemical pesticides, insecticidal soap sprays and systemic pesticides. Always check the label of any pesticide you are thinking about using to make sure that the insect you want to get rid of is listed on the label. Also, as a general rule, always look for 'Houseplants' somewhere on the label of any product you want to use on houseplants.

Insecticidal soaps are usually the best to use on houseplants. They are effective and not as toxic as most commercial chemical pesticides and are safe around children and pets once it is dry. Insecticidal soap products are also the safest products for plants since most don't contain harsh, toxic chemicals. Insecticidal soap works by disrupting the insect's cell membranes and destroying the insect's protective coating, causing it to immediately dehydrate and die.
You can use a commercial insecticidal soap spray or you can make your own insecticidal soap spray. It is best to make homemade insecticidal soap using soap that contains no perfumes, dyes, moisturizers or deodorants. NEVER use liquid hand soap, such as Soft Soap, to make insecticidal soap spray.
To make homemade insecticidal soap, mix several drops of dish washing liquid (I usually use Dawn dishwashing liquid and have not had any problems) with tepid water in a small spray bottle. Be sure to spray the plant thoroughly. To be effective, all leaf surfaces, especially the underside, needs to be wetted thoroughly with the insecticidal soap.
For small plants or plants that have dense foliage, you can make the homemade insecticidal soap as a dip. Add the dish washing liquid to a dish tub or your sink and fill with tepid water. Dip the plant into the soapy water. For best results, swish the plant around a bit, run your fingers through the leaves and over many of the surfaces of the leaves (especially the underside of the leaves) while it is in the soapy water.
After spraying or dipping plants in soapy water I always rinse the soap off the plants. A sink sprayer or a removable shower head (set on the gentlest setting) works well to rinse plants. You could also dip the plant in a dish tub or sink (if you have a double kitchen sink) filled with clean tepid water. Change the water often.
The main drawback to insecticidal soap sprays and/or dips is there is no lasting effect and you may have to repeat treatment several times. Treatment should be repeated every 5-7 days until there is no sign of an insect presence.

Of the commercial chemical pesticides, the one being used most these days is products containing Imidacloprid. Imidacloprid is not as toxic as most traditional pesticides and just as effective. However, it is still a toxic pesticide.
Pesticide products made with Neem oil are effective on most insects, including Spider Mites, and a lot less toxic than other chemical pesticides. Neem oil also has anti-fungal benefits, which is why most ' 3 in 1' products are made with neem oil. Neem oil is safe to use on most plants.
No matter what type of spray pesticide you use, always spray a ' test leaf' before spraying the entire plant with any pesticide product. Wait at least 24 hours then check the test leaf, if there is no damage to the test leaf then continue to treat the rest of the plant.

A systemic insecticide is a insecticide that works by getting absorbed into the plant and distributed throughout all parts the plant. When an insect feeds on the plant it is poisoned. Systemic insecticides are especially good for severe infestations or reoccurring insect problems. There are two forms of systemic insecticides, one is a granule that gets mixed into the soil and is taken up into the plant by the roots. This form of systemic takes time to take effect, often 5-10 days. The other form is spray systemics. This form of systemic is sprayed onto the plant's leaves and is absorbed into the plant. This form works like a spray insecticide, killing insects on contact, then works as a systemic for lasting control.

The most important part of insect control is early detection. A few insects on a plant is much easier to get rid of than an infestation of hundreds on several plants. Check plants often for any sign of insect presence and if found, act quickly. Keep affected plants away from other plants to prevent the insects from spreading to other plants. Keeping plants clean by spraying plants with water about once a month will not only wash away dust and dirt but also any insects that may have found their way into your home, preventing them from evolving into an out of control infestation.
Plants that are healthy are much less susceptible to infestations of insects. Always follow good cultural practices. Warm and dry conditions commonly found in most homes are ideal conditions for some insects such as Spider Mites. Misting plants regularly may help.

I hope this helps. If you have any questions or need additional information please don't hesitate to ask.
          Thanks
              Tracy