A recent study by Floral Daily found that indoor plant sales have increased, with some people spending as much as £ 500 on a single indoor plant. As the summer months approach, houseplant pests may increase as the air inside becomes warmer and drier. Common pests on house plants are mealybugs, spider mites, whiteflies, sciarid gnats, aphids, scales and thrips.
It can be more difficult to get rid of indoor pests, especially if you keep all of your plants in the same place.
Essential Living gardening experts have shared their expert tips on how to remove houseplant pests.
When it comes to pesticides, it is best to use natural methods as there are many home remedies out there that work just as well and will cost you less.
1. Isolate the houseplant
The first thing to do when you see pests on your houseplant is to isolate them from all of your other plants.
READ MORE: How to Get Rid of Pigeons From Your Garden
3. Natural soaps and detergents
The infected plant must be washed with insecticidal soap or a mild liquid soap.
The soap kills house plants and all other bugs on contact.
Be careful which soap you choose, however, as some soaps with degreasers and detergents can be plant sensitive.
To make sure you don’t damage the plant, you can gently dab the soap on the plant before washing it completely.
4. Use alcohol
Using alcohol on plants may sound strange, but it is actually incredibly effective at killing and removing pests.
The best way to do this is to soak a cotton swab in alcohol and blot it on the bugs.
Wash the pot and try soapy water as well, as houseplant pests can hide under the rim of the pot or bowl.
5. Long term pest control
The steps above will ensure your plants are pest free, but you need to avoid further infestation.
To do this, you can treat the plant with neem oil, which acts as a long-term indoor pest control.
Other alternatives are horticultural oil or paprika wax concentrate, which can protect plants for up to two weeks per spray.
6. Catch flying bugs
Flying bugs can be just as destructive, so try yellow sticky fly traps to trap and kill them.
This can prevent them from flying to nearby plants as well.
Another tip from Essential Living is to vacuum them up with a vacuum and get them under control as soon as possible.
