Keep your houseplants safe from these pests
What's the story
Houseplants add life and color to any home, but they aren't pest-proof.
These minuscule invaders can wreak havoc if not dealt with.
Knowing the most common houseplant pests and how to deal with them is key to keeping your plants healthy.
Here are five common pests that attack houseplants and practical tips on how to get rid of them efficiently.
Aphids
Aphids: Tiny sap-suckers
Aphids are tiny insects that suck plant sap, leading to curling and yellowing of leaves. They multiply rapidly, so early detection is critical.
To deal with aphid infestations, check your plants regularly for their presence. A good spray of water can knock them off the plant.
You can also introduce natural predators such as ladybugs or use insecticidal soap to control their numbers.
Spider mites
Spider mites: Web-spinning menaces
Spider mites are tiny arachnids that flourish in dry conditions and spin fine webs on plants.
They suck sap from leaves, resulting in speckled foliage and eventually dropping leaves.
To fend off spider mites, increase humidity around your plants by misting them regularly or keeping a humidifier nearby.
Washing leaves with a mixture of water and mild soap can also reduce their numbers significantly.
Mealybugs
Mealybugs: Cottony invaders
Mealybugs look like white, cottony masses on stems and leaves of plants. They feed on plant juices, weakening the host plant over time.
To curb mealybug infestations, remove visible bugs with a cotton swab dipped in alcohol or use neem oil as a natural pesticide alternative.
Checking your plants regularly will help catch these pests before they become a bigger problem.
Fungus gnats
Fungus gnats: Annoying flyers
Fungus gnats are tiny flying bugs that tend to hover around potted plants due to moist soil conditions where they lay eggs.
Their larvae feed on organic matter in soil but can also damage the roots if their population gets too large.
However, letting soil surfaces dry out between waterings helps deter fungus gnats, since they prefer damp environments for breeding.
Scale insects
Scale insects: Hard-shelled pests
Scale insects attach themselves firmly onto stems or undersides of leaves as they suck sap from the host plant through protective shells covering their bodies.
This makes treatment challenging at times, without proper intervention methods being employed promptly upon discovery during routine inspections conducted periodically throughout growing seasons annually thereafter.