Pests of houseplants

Pests of potted plantscan attack many different flowers grown in homes. Often, pests appear despite careful care of plants and providing flowers with ideal conditions for growth. Where do they come from and what damage can they do? Here are the most common pests of houseplants and proven methods of combating them.

Pests of potted plants - spider mite feeding effects
Fig. © Aleksandra Dziugan-Smoleń

Spędziorki

Houseplants can often be attacked by spider mites, small eight-legged mites, no more than 1 mm in length and yellowish-green to red-orange in color.

Spider mites are very commonpests of potted plantsApart from home flowers, they can attack many different garden plants. The presence of spider mites is manifested in the form of yellow-white spots on the leaves. Over time, the spots spread over the leaf, causing it to dry and fall off. It may also happen that the leaves will be wrapped in a thin cobweb. The growth of these pests is favored by high temperature and dry air.
Fighting spider mitesIn growing houseplants in an apartment, the easiest way to fight spider mites will be using preparations sold ready-to-use, in a small container with a sprayer. It is worth mentioning the natural Agrocover Spray, and the chemicals - Polysect Ultra Hobby AL. Spraying should be repeated after 7 days.
Before we reach for the products from the store, let's try home remedies for spider mites, such as spraying with a solution of gray soap and denatured alcohol (20 g of soap and 10 ml of denatured alcohol are dissolved in 1 liter of water). With little pest infestation, this should be enough.

June

These insects are mainly found on the underside of leaves and on shoots. Thesepot plant pestsfeed in one place for most of their lives, causing a variety of symptoms. June are as follows:

• scale plates - covered with a flat, oval plate with a diameter of 1 to 2 mm,
• bowls - have a brown and convex shield, difficult to remove,
• mealybugs - their body is covered with a light discharge resembling fluff of wool.

Pests of potted plants - scalers

Pests of houseplants - mealybugs

Particularly favorable conditions for the development of these pests occur in winter in heated apartments. The most vulnerable to their attacks are cacti and other succulents.
Fighting red beetlesIn home cultivation, insects should be removed with a hard brush or a stick, and the areas after feeding should be smeared with a mixture of water and gray soap or liquid for washing dishes and denatured alcohol.When it comes to preparations that are safe to use at home, I recommend Targnik BR. The preparation is in the form of tablets, which are placed in the ground. Tablets placed in the substrate gradually release the active substance, which is transported with plant sap to their aerial parts, and then absorbed by insects sucking the sap from the plant.

Pests of houseplants - greenhouse whitefly

Pests of houseplants - greenhouse whitefly

It is a white, winged insect 2 mm long. In addition to houseplants, it often attacks plants grown under cover. The whitefly larvae feed on the lower part of the leaves, sucking the sap from them. As a result, they cause yellowing and falling leaves.
Fighting the whiteflyThis pest can be combated by spraying with the domestic insecticide preparation or tansy decoction. The BR shield, which we apply to the soil, will also help.

Pests of houseplants - aphids

Aphids

Aphids are probably the most commonpests of potted flowersbut also garden pests. these are winged or wingless insects with a body length of up to 5 mm. They can be found in great numbers on the shoots and on the underside of the leaves from which they suck the sap. They are especially dangerous because they often transmit viral diseases. The leaves and shoots of the affected plants may be distorted, sticky and blistered.
Aphid controlWith a small amount of pests, rinsing the plants with water may be effective. If we decide to use chemical aphid control, we should pay attention to whether the agent is suitable for use in the apartment. We can use natural reparations for aphids, such as Agrocover Spray, without fear.

Nematodes

Nematodes are microscopic insects that feed on plant tissues. They cause small, rough spots on the leaves. In amateur cultivation, they are practically not chemically controlled. Remove infested leaves and stop sprinkling the plant with water.

Earthworms are black flies that are often found in potted flowers. Their larvae are mainly harmful, as they damage the roots, which in turn causes the plant to be infected by fungi. The larva is a small (up to 7 mm) roundworm, cylindrical, whitish, with a visible black digestive tract and a black head. Adults are black flies 2-3 mm long with one pair of wings. They are very mobile. The most common cause of their appearance is the use of soil containing their eggs. Moisture promotes the development of the pest.
Combating earthwormsThe larvae can be controlled by placing insecticidal sticks in the substrate (now called fertilizer and protective) or by using chemical preparations, e.g. Actellic 50EC (spraying must not be done at home) . The treatment should be repeated after 10 days. A good non-chemical method of exterminating adults is placing yellow sticky boards among the plants.

If you do not want to use chemical preparations against these larvae, a very good and practical solution is a natural and safe to useNeemAzal T / S preparation designed to combat earthworms .
The natural ingredient of NeemAzal T / S are compounds from the limonoid group, which are very effective in repelling insects. These are compounds of plant origin (phytosterols) found mainly in citrus fruits.
You can water or spray plants with this agent . It is suitable for the cultivation of ornamental potted plants, but also vegetables and herbs, which are very often attacked by black flies. It can be used in organic farming.
For treating earthworms, use NeemAzal T / Sin the amount of 5 ml of the preparation per 1 liter of water. Both water and spray the plants with this solution.

Springtails

Often, after abundant watering of a plant in a pot, small white or gray jumping insects appear on the surface of the earth. These are springtails (Collembola). They range in size from 0.2 to 3 mm.

Pests of potted plants - springtails

Fighting springtails
Contrary to appearances, springtails are notpests of potted plantsThey eat mainly decaying organic substances and dead plant tissues, thanks to which they contribute to the enrichment of the substrate with the nutrients available to plants. However, if we want to get rid of them, we can put the pot in the water for a few hours, so that it is submerged to the brim. When we see insects floating on the surface of the water, we pour them out with water.
Recommendedprotective preparations for combating pests of potted plantscan be ordered in our store. We guarantee high product quality, fast shipping and low prices. To view the offer, press the button below.