Pests happen to every plant parent. The key is catching them early and acting fast.
🔍 Most Common Houseplant Pests
Spider Mites
Signs: Tiny dots on leaves, fine webbing underneath, yellow stippling.
Treatment: Spray with neem oil solution (1 tsp neem + 1 tsp dish soap per liter of water). Repeat every 3 days for 2 weeks.
Fungus Gnats
Signs: Small black flies hovering around soil.
Treatment: Let soil dry out completely between waterings. Use yellow sticky traps. Add a layer of sand on top of soil.
Mealybugs
Signs: White cottony clusters in leaf joints and undersides.
Treatment: Dab with cotton swab soaked in rubbing alcohol. For large infestations, spray with insecticidal soap.
Scale
Signs: Brown or tan bumps on stems and leaves that don’t scrape off easily.
Treatment: Scrape off manually. Apply neem oil weekly for 3 weeks.
Aphids
Signs: Tiny green, black, or white insects clustered on new growth.
Treatment: Blast with water. Spray with insecticidal soap. Repeat weekly.
🛡️ Prevention Tips
- Quarantine new plants for 2 weeks before placing near others
- Inspect plants weekly (make it part of your routine)
- Don’t overwater — fungus gnats love wet soil
- Keep leaves clean — wipe with damp cloth monthly
- Good air circulation discourages pests
🧴 DIY Pest Spray
Mix: 1 liter warm water + 1 tsp neem oil + 1 tsp liquid dish soap. Spray on all leaf surfaces (tops and undersides) every 3-5 days until pests are gone.