Sexy Plant Juice- What It Is, Why You Need It & How to Freshen Up Your Plants and Make Them Gorgeous & Healthy

Brooke Amidei
5 days ago
5 min read

I didn't see this one coming. There is a really fun vintage store in Boise that I love to frequent to see what fun furnishings and accessories they have (especially their antique light fixtures!). The vibe there is so vintage, cool and we started noticing that the cool vibe isn't set just from what they are selling, but from the insanely gorgeous plants that are placed throughout the store. The type of plants you have to touch because there is no way they could possibly be real. Now whenever my mom or mother-in-law are visiting we always visit Rhiannon Antiques, because it's fun to both shop their whimsical selection of vintage goods AND to talk plants with the owner who is the ultimate green thumb!

On a recent trip there with my MIL we found ourselves once again talking all things plants with the cute owner (and purchasing a few for ourselves) when she started telling us about one of her secrets to making her plants look so beautiful- Sexy Plant Juice. Immediately intrigued and always inquisitive, I asked approximately 1,000 followup questions and ended up watching Sexy Plant Juice TikTok videos with the store owner while simultaneously pulling up items on Amazon and jotting down everything I needed to know to replicate this for my own green friends back home.

Through the power of Amazon Prime everything I ordered arrived by 8am the next morning and so my MIL and I created what felt like our own apothecary mixing up Sexy Plant Juice concoctions in my kitchen. Our plan was to make enough so we would both have some to use, but after using it on all of my houseplants, I immediately ordered more squirt bottles and within a week I had made Sexy Plant Juice to gift to six friends. It is one of those things that is just SO good you want everyone to try it!

It isn't hard to make, it isn't expensive and it really makes a difference to the way your house plants look. Whoever named it Sexy Plant Juice named it perfectly- it just makes your plants irresistibly gorgeous! Not only will they look good, but cleaning your plant leaves is essential for their survival by boosting photosynthesis. A layer of dust acts like a blanket blocking the sunlight. When the leaves are clean, it allows your plant to absorb maximum light, helping it produce the energy it needs to thrive! It can also help prevent or stop infestations like spider mites and mealybugs. You also don't use very much at a time, so one bottle of Sexy Plant Juice will last you a long time.

Okay- let's get you all the details so your plants can look sexy too...

Sexy Plant Juice

What you need:

Spray Bottle: I loved these- the color, the shape, the price, the stopper for anti-spill and a little funnel which really comes in handy!
Microfiber Gloves: these even come in a size small!!
Neem Oil
Peppermint Castile Soap (ex. Dr. Bronner's)
Isopropyl Alcohol (70%)

Here is what you mix together:

2 cups of water
2 Tbl. neem oil
1 Tbl. of peppermint Castile soap
1 tsp. of isopropyl alcohol (70%)

That's it! So easy, so inexpensive (Total for everything was $36 and I did make 8 total batches with what I had- that total doesn't include the extra spray bottles and gloves I purchased.). Check out my before and after photos below.

Directions:

Combine all ingredients in a spray bottle and shake well.

Then you are ready to spray the tops and undersides of your leaves and use your microfiber gloves to wipe away dust. Pro tip: Yes you could use a microfiber cloth, but we found the gloves so much easier to use so because you don't have to manage the rest of the cloth hanging down and potentially damaging your delicate plant leaves.

Other tips that I didn't follow myself, but I learned from scouring the internet and want to share with you just in case.:

Apply in the Evening: Always spray at night or after lights are off so the leaves don't react to harsh light (which causes leaf burn), and because the plant's pores are less active, preventing clogging.
Spot Test First: Every plant reacts differently. Test the mixture on one or two leaves before spraying a large, prized houseplant.
Keep Out of Direct Light: Ensure you keep treated plants out of direct sun or grow lights for the rest of the day to prevent the neem oil from magnifying the light and scorching the foliage.

I also read to avoid using neem oil on young seedlings, newly transplanted plants, and plants with delicate, hairy, or fuzzy leaves (e.g., ferns, African violets, succulents) as it can cause severe leaf burn, rot, or wilting. Also, do not apply to edible leafy greens (lettuce, kale) near harvest, or plants experiencing heat/drought stress.

My other personal tip is that I put out a tablecloth so that the Sexy Plant Juice wouldn't damage the furniture my plants are sitting on when I sprayed them. I'm not sure if Neem oil would effect the wood but a quick Google search told me "Neem oil will not chemically damage untreated or treated wood, and is often used as a natural furniture polish or pest deterrent. However, it can stain, darken, or ruin the finish on delicate antique furniture. Always test it on an inconspicuous spot before widespread application."

I must admit I am unclear on how often you should use this. I read on some articles every 7 days to 2 weeks, but others that said the Neem oil can clog the stomata of the plant preventing it from breathing and attract more dust over time. Lucky for me I was never going to do this every week or two, so I'm just going to feel it out by seeing how sexy my plants are over time.

Finally, this makes a super fun gift. Pair it with the microfiber gloves and a houseplant (either purchased or propagated from one of your own). It is so fun giving something a little more personal and homemade that you know will bring joy to your friend and her house! One you have the ingredients to mix up- it is easy to do and very inexpensive.

If you don't want to make your own Sexy Plant Juice there is an option to purchase something similar on Amazon. It is more expensive (and less fun not feeling like you are a chemist) but it gets great reviews and likely has the same results.

This is another product the amazing antique store owner/plant guru suggested that I am loving too. I will literaly try anything she suggests.

Check out all of my plant favorites on Amazon. This list is curated from taking the best advice from plant lovers and green thumbs and putting it all in one place. So many tricks of the trade to use!

If you are into ferns- you must see what I have learned about them here!

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