With any plant collection, pests are bound to come and go. Some pests are so small they go unnoticed. Other pests are hard not to notice. As soon as you suspect a potential pest, take action. Here are some tips and tricks to get rid of common houseplant pests.
First off, avoid having a pest in the first place. Make sure to inspect a plant before buying it. Check under the leaves, the root of the plant, and the top of the soil. Every time you water, get in the habit of checking the leaves of your plant. If you notice a potential pest, move the infected plant away from others. Leaves can act as a bridge for pests to cross and contaminate your other plants. Next, identify what pest you’re dealing with. Different pests require different methods of removal. Here are three common houseplant pests and how to get rid of them.
Fungus Gnats:
What do they look like?
Gnats are one of the most common houseplant pests. They resemble and are often mistaken for fruit flies. Fungus gnats like to lay their eggs near the soil surface. You may notice them showing up when you overwater your plants.
How do I get rid of them?
First off, stop overwatering to get rid of extra moisture. Getting rid of fungus gnats is about being consistent with your treatment. To catch fungus gnats, use yellow sticky card traps. Place these traps in the soil where the adults are walking around.
Another method is using Diatomaceous Earth (found at Farmer John’s). Sprinkle some diatomaceous earth on the soil. When doing so, pay attention to the outer edges of the pot and base of the stem. Massage the diatomaceous earth in the soil and let it do its work! Re-apply as needed.
Spider Mites:
What do they look like?
Spider Mites look like very tiny webs. They often go unnoticed because plant owners mistake them for normal spiderwebs. The actual mites are barely visible to the human eye, but you will notice their tiny webs. These webs start on the underside of plant leaves. They are active on plants placed near a heating duct. If your plant has spider mites you may notice light color speckles on your leaves.
How do I get rid of them?
Break up the webs of the spider mites with neem oil (found at Farmer John’s). Give your plant a good spray and wipe down with a damp paper towel. You may need to repeat this step for a couple of weeks to get the infestation under control.
Mealybugs:
What do they look like?
These mini fuzzy creatures are easily mistaken for dust. They look like tiny pieces of cotton balls or white dryer lint. They like to hide under leaves and in tiny nooks betweens leaves and stems. Luckily they are slow-moving but make sure you get your infected plant away from any others.
How do I get rid of them?
As soon as you spot them, start by dipping a cotton swab in alcohol and dabbing each bug you see. Treatment is the same as spider mites. Grab some neem oil (found at Farmer John’s) and give your plant a good spray. Let the oil sit for a minute and do its work. Then, wipe down the plant with a damp paper towel. After a week, check on your plant. If you still see pests, repeat this method.