Native Plants
![](../_images/smarty_plants.gif)
Q. Who is Mr. Smarty Plants?
A: There are those who suspect Wildflower Center volunteers are the culpable and capable culprits. Yet, others think staff members play some, albeit small, role. You can torture us with your plant questions, but we will never reveal the Green Guru's secret identity.
Did you know you can access the Native Plant Information Network with your web-enabled smartphone?
Ask Mr. Smarty Plants is a free service provided by the staff and volunteers at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center.
![](../_images/mr_smarty_plants_logo_web_200w.jpg)
rate this answer
![](../_images/star_00.gif)
Monday - August 22, 2011
From: Three Rivers, MI
Region: Midwest
Topic: Diseases and Disorders, Watering
Title: Watering Houseplants with Soapy Water
Answered by: Brigid & Larry Larson
QUESTION:
I accidentally watered my house plants with a container that had a some dishsoap in it. Will they be okay? One of the plants is a 20yr old cactus, with small roots.ANSWER:
Mr Smarty Plants thinks your plants will likely be OK - - but you didn't tell us how much soap was used.
So, we'll give you some examples of how soap is used on plants and maybe that will help you decide about your situation.
We're having a serious drought here in Texas right now and many of us are using grey-water to water our plants as a water conservation effort. The plants are fine with this and some of them thrive on this regimen. Here's a conversation from Wiki-Answers where this is discussed.
At about the same concentration of soap, soapy water is often recommended as a natural approach for bug control. Here are webpages from manipedia and evergrow where this is discussed. Mr Smarty Plants recently recommended soapy water for contolling Cochineal insects on Cholla Cactus and for Powdery Mildew control.
Larger concentrations of soap are used for opening conpacted soil and aiding water penetration. Mr Smarty Plants has recommended soap for opening hydrophobic soil.
So - Your chances of the plants being OK are pretty good; perhaps you can remember these applications for soapy water for later use.
From the Image Gallery
More Diseases and Disorders Questions
Fasciation on brown eyed Susan
August 28, 2005 - I have a flower in my garden that blooms every year. This year I have a very strange breed--there is a double flower. I do not know the name of the flower or what kind it is. I only know we nickname...
view the full question and answer
Spots on persimmon tree leaves from Dripping Springs TX
July 10, 2013 - We are in rural Hays County Texas off Hamilton Pool Rd Texas. Large persimmon trees are turning yellow, blackish spots on underside of leaves. What do we do?
view the full question and answer
Texas Pistachio trees dropping leaves in Austin
June 09, 2010 - I have several Texas Pistachio that are about 13 years old. Despite good rainfall in Travis county this year, they seem to be losing most of their new leaf growth now in early June. Leaves are simpl...
view the full question and answer
Is December a good time to prune oaks in Central Texas?
December 29, 2010 - Given that we haven't had much cold weather here in central Texas (Wimberley) this season, is it a good time to trim live and Spanish oak trees (damaged limbs and low hanging branches and suckers)? ...
view the full question and answer
Diseased cypress trees in Connecticut
June 09, 2009 - Cypress trees in Connecticut browning on interior. Tips of longer limbs completely brown, single limbs dying one at a time, sap oozing out of mainstem underneath dying limb. I do not see any canker...
view the full question and answer
Support the Wildflower Center by Donating Online or Becoming a Member today. |