How to Reduce (and Eliminate) Indoor Plant Pests: An Expert Guide for Plant Parents
Indoor potted plants are a beautiful way to bring life to our homes and offices, but nothing can ruin a green vibe faster than a pesky plant pest invasion.
That First Plant Pest Experience...
Like many people I know, I started with a Peace Lily as my first ever houseplant. I kept it in a nursery pot within a tall fibreglass decorator pot, which I no longer own. I would just pour some water on it every now and then.
(Image: that same Peace Lily at PerkyPod HQ, 20 years later!)
However, my living room became infested with mosquitoes and fungus gnats. I kept hitting them with fly spray, only for them to return soon after. It took me ages to realise they were breeding in the bottom of my Peace Lily!
All the excess water was dripping out of the drainage holes in the nursery pot and I didn't realise it was pooling in the bottom of the decorator pot. The experience left me to assume that plant pests were an inevitable part of plant ownership but I've now learned that's not true.
In this blog post, I'll go over some of the most common types of pests and share some crucial tips to avoid them. I'll also explore some effective products to combat those pesky home invaders, with a focus on the most current Aussie innovations.
Let’s make sure your plants stay healthy, happy, and pest-free!
Common Plant Pests
Mealybugs
The first sign of mealybugs is small clumps of white fluff that look like cotton wool. They prefer to cluster in leaf joints, under leaves or along stems. Mealybugs are slow growing but, if left too long, they can stunt the growth of your plant and yellowing leaves. They love damp, humid environments.
Fungus Gnats and Mosquitoes
These are tiny flies that will probably cause more annoyance to you than your plant. However, their larvae can damage roots, especially in young plants. Fungus gnats and mozzies thrive in moist soil and areas holding stagnant water.
Spider Mites
Spider mites are almost invisible to the naked eye but can cause significant damage. Spider mites thrive in warm, dry conditions and suck the sap from plant leaves, leading to yellowing and distorted leaves. If you notice fine webbing on your plants, it’s a sure sign of their presence!
Scale
These tiny insects are oval in shape, and can appear as bumps on leaves and stems. They love to make a home in plants that aren't thriving due to suboptimal lighting or watering conditions. As they suck the sap from your plant, they'll stunt its growth and cause yellowing leaves. Scale is simple to remove by wiping it off and then relocate your plant to a sunnier spot to avoid a reoccurrence.
Cockroaches
While not specific to plants, you'll find cockroaches anywhere that get damp from time to time. Cockroaches are especially prevalent in the base of decorator pots that contain a nursery pot, as they love hiding in dark places.
Expert Tips to Prevent Indoor Plant Pests
Now that you know some of the main offenders, let’s discuss how to avoid them entering your home to begin with.
(Image: PerkyPod Instagram)
New Plants and Potting Mix
One of the most common ways of introducing pests into your home is by bringing in a new plant that’s already infested. Always isolate plants for two weeks and check the undersides of leaves, stems, and soil for any signs of pests.
Potting mix can also be a primary culprit, especially if you buy the large bags from the outdoor areas of your local nursery as it's often remained wet for periods of time due to rain. Consider purchasing smaller bags that have been stored inside. Alternatively, try spreading your potting mix out as much as possible and allowing it access to the open air and direct sunlight.
Ensure Good Drainage
Thorough drainage is absolutely crucial for avoiding plant pests, yet is often underrated. Soil that stays wet for too long creates the perfect environment for pests like fungus gnats. Also, it can results in an unhealthy soil ecosystem due to root rot and mouldy soil components (like bark chips) which weakens your plants further and increases their infestation risk.
Ensure every pot has several drainage holes and check regularly to ensure they are not clogged up with root grow, rocks and potting mix deposits. Well draining potting mix will also help ensure that water is not left sitting in the bottom of the pot.
Avoid Stagnant Water
Stagnant water is an attractive a breeding ground for pests such as mosquitoes and fungus gnats, and it will cause root rot. To avoid this, ensure excess is not left in the bottom of your pots or on drip saucers. For this reason, self-watering planters are not ideal because they can be very hard to empty out when the water becomes foul!
Additionally, do not water your plants too often. Many people think overwatering is giving your plants too much water in one session. But it's actually about watering before your plant has had a chance to dry out after its last drink. Many pests thrive in moist environments, so allowing the soil to dry out between waterings can help keep them at bay. When in doubt, stick your finger in the soil to check for moisture before watering.
(Image: PerkyPod instagram)
General Plant Maintenance
Regular removal of dead leaves and spent flowers will prevent decaying matter from attracting pests. Wipe the tops and bottoms of leaves with a damp cloth to remove dust and potential pests that may be hiding on the foliage. This process increases your plant's ability to absorb light and photosynthesis too.
Top Tricks to Prevent and Remove Plant Pests
Even the greenest green thumb can still find plant pests in their homes. As my horticulturist friend always says, "When is the best time to treat a pest? As soon as you see it!" It's important to act quickly!
Use a PerkyPod Plant Pot
Nothing can beat a PerkyPod for pest prevention - and prevention is always better than cure.
With its unique, patent pending internal drainage and water catchment system, it's the hands-down winner in the plant pot market for optimal drainage and removal of water. No stagnant water. No messy drip saucers to deal with. Simply empty excess water that drains into its removal water catchment drawer anytime that suits you.
PerkyPod has a floating base (a "root barrier") that provides excellent drainage, while a geofabric sits underneath it to prevent its drainage hole from becoming clogged. Once water passes through these layers, every drop is funnelled into a removable water catchment drawer, which can be emptied anytime that suits you.
(Image: showing the floating base and geofabric that forms the internal filtration and drainage system inside PerkyPod plant pot from www.PerkyPod.com.au)
PerkyPod allows you to water your plants thoroughly every time because you won't be afraid of leaks and puddles (the drawer prevents these!), so their root structure will become robust and able to deal with extended breaks between watering sessions. Drier potting soil will discourage pests too!
However, even with the best of efforts, some times plant pests will still make their way into our homes. That's when the treatments and control measures outlined below can help.
Sticky Traps
Fungus gnats are those tiny, black pests you might find flying around your plants and even fruit left out on your kitchen counter. They can be a stressful and annoying plant pest to control. It's important to act quickly because, if you see one, there's sure to be more on their way! Sticky traps are a great way to catch fungus gnats as they are coated with a sticky substance that traps pests that land on them. We rate these ones from innovative Aussie company, uBloomd, and how cute are they!?
Soapy Sprays
Known as insecticidal sprays, soap is a non-toxic and effective way to treat many common plant pests by suffocating them. Make it yourself by mixing 3 tablespoons each of vegetable oil and pure liquid soap (such as Castile) with 3 litres of water. You can supercharge your mixture into a repellent soap too: omit the vegetable oil and instead add 1 teaspoon of ground chilli flakes, peppermint oil or garlic, and 1 teaspoon of vinegar.
For maximum effectiveness, apply all over every surface of your plant weekly (including underneath leaves)! I have even used this spray with great effect against aphids and sooty mould on my outdoor citrus trees.
Neem Oil
Neem oil is a popular, natural pesticide that’s effective against preventing and repelling most pests. Unlike soap sprays, it's a systemic pesticide that gets absorbed into the plant. It's not cheap but a little bit goes a long way. We love this one from our friends at Plant Runner.
Ladybugs
You read that right - ladybugs can be used a biocontrol product! These days you can buy predatory ladybugs to help you treat pests in your home by feeding on them. Purchase adult beetles or eggs online or at garden centres. Pair with a beetle bag so they're contained. Australians can purchase here.
Final Thoughts on Reducing Plant Pests
Keeping your indoor houseplants pest-free doesn’t have to be an onerous task. You can create an environment that deters pests once you're armed with a little know-how and some preventative measures. Reducing watering frequency, removing excess water, buying dry potting mix and inspecting new plants are the most important steps!
If pests make your house their home, act quickly. Isolate your plant, treat it and then use preventative measures in future.
Happy growing, and may your houseplant jungle stay perky and pest-free!
