Spot and Stop: A Beginner Guide to Common Plant Pests

Almost every plant parent meets a pest eventually. The good news: caught early, none of the common offenders are hard to beat. The trick is knowing what you are looking at.

Mealybugs

Small white cottony blobs tucked into stem joints and leaf undersides. They suck sap and leave a sticky residue.

• Dab each bug with a cotton swab dipped in diluted neem oil
• Wipe the plant down weekly until they are gone

Spider mites

Almost invisible, but the fine webbing between leaves gives them away. Leaves look dusty or speckled.

• Mites hate humidity rinse the plant and raise moisture around it
• Spray neem oil on leaf undersides every five days

Aphids

Tiny green, black or brown insects clustered on soft new growth.

• Blast them off with a firm spray of water
• Follow up with neem oil if they return

Fungus gnats

Harmless little flies around the soil annoying, and a sign you are overwatering.

• Let the top inch of soil dry fully between waterings
• A layer of sand on top stops them breeding

Prevention beats treatment

Inspect new leaves once a week. Sixty seconds of looking saves you a month of fixing.

• Quarantine any new plant for a week before placing it near others
• Keep leaves clean dust weakens a plant and hides pests
• Do not overwater stressed, soggy plants attract trouble

A clean pair of pruning shears and a small neem-oil routine will handle ninety per cent of problems. For anything stubborn or a plant you really love our plant doctor service diagnoses the issue on-site and leaves you with a clear recovery plan.