Six (6) Simple Natural Ways to get Rid of Common Houseplant Pests in USA

As summers in the United States approaches, infestations of houseplant pests increase. Many households are affected by this issue.

Indoor plants can become infested by a number of typical houseplant pests, including mealybugs, spider mites, fungus gnats, aphids, whiteflies, and scale. The majority of common pests can be challenging to get rid of since they spread swiftly and migrate among the plants in your collection.


Six (6) Simple Natural Ways to get Rid of Common Houseplant Pests in USA





'Pests are as common a problem for indoor plants as they are for outdoor plants' explains indoor plant expert Kate Lindley from Baby Bio. 'In fact, houseplants can be even more susceptible to infestations for a variety of reasons, from changes in the environment to overwatering.'



Pest Management For Common Houseplants: Preventing Pest Infestations


Since there are many various kinds of houseplant pests and they are becoming more prevalent in home décor, learning how to avoid them will ultimately save you time.


Regularly inspecting your indoor plants for pests is a smart idea, especially in the spring and summer when you could be opening your windows more frequently. Even low-maintenance houseplants require occasional inspection. Make it a practice to inspect the leaves, stems, and soil each time you water your plants for any abnormalities.






Try to avoid overwatering your plants and leaving damp layers of topsoil as pests are attracted to the decaying plant material that settles there. Indeed getting rid of gnats in plants is something you'll no doubt need to tackle if you have been overwatering your plants. Decorating your plants with a layer of decorative gravel or stones as well as regularly pruning dead leaves can all help towards preventing infestation in the first place.



Other ways to prevent infestations is considering adding companion plants such as fly repellent plants or making your own homemade bug spray.



If prevention hasn’t worked, here are six natural ways to remove pests from your houseplants.



1. ISOLATE AFFECTED HOUSEPLANTS

Isolating infected houseplants can prevent the spread of common houseplant pests to your other plants. Try moving the plants to another room or, where possible, move them outside until the infestation has cleared.



Taking your houseplants out into the sun can also be beneficial for drying out the soil. 'Pests like gnats thrive in moist houseplant soil,' explains Rachel Crow, garden editor for Homes & Gardens, 'pests like these can be combated by ensuring the top couple of inches of soil completely dry out.'



Make sure to continue to check other houseplants for pests for three to four weeks after the initial infestation is found.



2. THOROUGHLY CLEAN THE AREA YOU KEEP YOUR PLANTS

Thoroughly clean the area you keep your plants with warm soapy water. It is good practice to also wipe the area with alcohol to remove any stubborn infections and vacuum the area to remove any already dead pests



'If you are faced with a serious infestation, consider repotting the plant into fresh soil to remove any unhatched eggs and prevent the pests from relaying' adds Katie.



3. USE NATURAL SOAPS TO DISINFECT YOUR PLANTS

Washing the plant itself may be a time-consuming process for larger houseplants but is required to remove common houseplant pests.



Natural soaps like specialized insecticidal soaps or even a mild household liquid soap can kill houseplant pests on contact. 'Sticking with natural methods is best when it comes to pesticides,' says the team at Essential Living (opens in new tab), 'and there are many all-natural home remedies that work perfectly well for controlling houseplant pests.'



Certain harsh degreasers and detergents can damage sensitive plants so be careful which type you choose. If in doubt, remove a leaf and dab some soap on before using it on the whole plant to spot-check for any negative effects.



4. USE RUBBING ALCOHOL TO KILL ANY REMAINING BUGS

Soak a cotton swab in diluted rubbing alcohol and dab it on any areas that have visible pests to remove them from the plant and kill them instantly. Aim to use a solution of around one part alcohol to seven parts water to ensure you don't damage your plant further.



Rachel warns against using alcohol on plants whilst they are in direct sunlight, however, 'alcohol can burn your houseplant's leaves, especially in bright light. To prevent leaving scarring on your plants, make sure to rinse each leaf thoroughly afterward.'



It is also good practice to wipe and rinse the plant pot and tray with alcohol and water to remove stubborn pests that may be hiding under the rim.



5. USE LONG-TERM PEST CONTROL

Wooden window seat and wood clad wall, green wall and black, white and green cushions with large potted houseplant

When moving your plants back to their original spot in your house, prep them for long-term pest control.



To make sure they can avoid common houseplant pests going forward, treat the plant with neem oil. Alternatively, spray the plant with horticultural oil or a hot pepper wax concentrate which can prevent common houseplant pests for up to two weeks per spray.



6. TRAP OR VACUUM FLYING BUGS

If fly repellent plants haven’t done the trick, tackle flying pests using yellow sticky fly traps. 'It’s also recommended to position a few of these sticky yellow traps in pots throughout your collection, as this will help alert you to any future infestations early on', Katie suggests.



For larger numbers of flying bugs, try using a fly spray and then vacuum up any dead bugs or remaining insects to get them under control before they spread even more.



What are the most common bugs on houseplants?


Whilst any pest on your houseplants is not ideal, certain pests can be worse than others. Kate points out that 'sadly, the majority are all rather troublesome, as they are small and slender, making them difficult to spot, they multiply quickly, and can crawl or fly, enabling them to infest your plant collection with ease.'



Aphids 
are among the most prevalent houseplant pests and can cause a lot of trouble in your house. In order to grow their colony, which in turn creates honeydew secretions, they exist on taking sap from the plant. This can encourage the formation of sooty mold if left untreated.


Pests that affect indoor plants, like aphids, must be eliminated as soon as they are discovered.



You just read about the six simple techniques to getting rid of common houseplant pests. Please do not hesitate to share.


Next Post Previous Post
No Comment
Add Comment
comment url