Does my plant have bugs?
If you spy any webs, bumps or spots on your plants, it’s possible that your houseplant is putting up with some unwelcome visitors. If you suspect your plant might have bugs, move it away from any others to prevent them spreading to the rest of your plant gang. If you see any bugs, wipe the leaves to get rid of them – don’t worry, they won’t harm you – and follow our instructions for getting rid of them, here. The solution varies depending on the bug.
Sometimes you might spot mould on your plant’s soil, or even fully grown mushrooms. The white mould that develops is usually harmless, but probably a sign that your plant is being overwatered or not draining properly. Scrape the mould off and make sure your plant’s soil gets a chance to dry out between waterings. Check out our tips on watering to learn the finger dip test.
Mushrooms also pop up due to moist conditions – it’s best to remove them and replace the top few inches of soil, if you’ve got any potting compost. Also, as tempting as the mushrooms might look, do not eat them. They won’t hurt you if you touch them and they won’t contaminate the air, but they’re not good for you, your little ones or your pets to eat.
Sometimes you might spot mould on your plant’s soil, or even fully grown mushrooms. The white mould that develops is usually harmless, but probably a sign that your plant is being overwatered or not draining properly. Scrape the mould off and make sure your plant’s soil gets a chance to dry out between waterings. Check out our tips on watering to learn the finger dip test.
Mushrooms also pop up due to moist conditions – it’s best to remove them and replace the top few inches of soil, if you’ve got any potting compost. Also, as tempting as the mushrooms might look, do not eat them. They won’t hurt you if you touch them and they won’t contaminate the air, but they’re not good for you, your little ones or your pets to eat.
Mealybugs
If you’ve seen white fluffy spots on your plant, it probably has mealybugs. That fluffy stuff is their nest, which they like to build under leaves or where the leaves meet the stem. Left alone, they will suck the life out of your plant, eventually killing it.The best way to get rid of them is with insecticidal soap. Start by thoroughly wiping the plant to get rid of the webbing (the webbing protects the eggs so you need to clear it to fight the infestation). Then mix up your soap in a spray bottle according to the instructions and drench the plant with it. Really drench it. Repeat once a week for three weeks.
How to get rid of bugs
Have you noticed uninvited guests on your houseplant? Don’t worry, bugs are not a sign of poor plant care. Sometimes insects just find plants as appealing as we do.All our plants are thoroughly checked before delivery to ensure they’re bug-free, so you shouldn’t see any pests on new plants, but we recommend giving your plants a check-up every three months. The earlier you find the pests, the easier they are to get rid off.If you do find anything, don’t panic. Infestations can usually be fixed. The first thing to do is isolate the affected plant, so the bugs don’t spread further. Use the pictures below to identify what sort of bugs you have, as treatment varies. We don’t recommend any harsh artificial chemicals. Now, let’s identify your unwanted critters.
How to deal with bugs on outdoor plants
Unfortunately, outdoor plants are much more exposed to pests than indoor ones, so it’s important to know what you’re looking for when identifying a pest infestation and how to deal with it. Aphids love to eat the new growth emerging in spring, and particularly thrive in warm weather. You’ll recognise them as they form clusters of small green, black or brown insects on the leaves or shoots.
You can prevent infestations by growing flowering plants that will encourage ladybirds, lacewings and hoverflies to visit your container garden. They eat aphids and so can be your little bouncers, keeping everything in check.
If an infestation is already in place, wipe the aphids from the leaf and spray with an insecticide solution. You can find our DIY recipes in our Houseplant Parenting Course via the care page on the Patch website.
Slugs and snails are particularly a problem if you keep plants in a damp and shady spot. You’ll know they’re there if you see holes in the leaves and slightly gross slime trails.
You can prevent infestations by growing flowering plants that will encourage ladybirds, lacewings and hoverflies to visit your container garden. They eat aphids and so can be your little bouncers, keeping everything in check.
If an infestation is already in place, wipe the aphids from the leaf and spray with an insecticide solution. You can find our DIY recipes in our Houseplant Parenting Course via the care page on the Patch website.
Slugs and snails are particularly a problem if you keep plants in a damp and shady spot. You’ll know they’re there if you see holes in the leaves and slightly gross slime trails.
It’s easiest to spot the slugs and snails at night if you want to confirm your suspicions. To get rid of them, you can try placing upside-down citrus skins around your plant to trap them. Copper wire or tape around the rim of your pot will also keep them away.. If all else fails, netting around your plants will stop the slugs in their tracks.
Vine weevils are also a common pest in gardens, leaving semicircular notches around the edges of leaves as a result of their night-time munchings. Their larvae are far more destructive as they feed on the plant roots until it wilts and eventually dies.
It’s best to avoid infestation in the first place by checking the roots of any new plants before potting them to ensure that no larvae are present already.
If it’s too late for that, you can buy harmless parasitic nematodes (transparent microscopic worms) to add to the soil which kill the larvae.
If you spot what looks like cotton wool on your plants you’re hosting a mealy bug infestation. These are less likely to appear outdoors, as they like warm conditions, but can sometimes set up camp in your garden. Start by cleaning the leaves with a soap and water mixture, and treating with an insecticide if the infestation is persistent.
Vine weevils are also a common pest in gardens, leaving semicircular notches around the edges of leaves as a result of their night-time munchings. Their larvae are far more destructive as they feed on the plant roots until it wilts and eventually dies.
It’s best to avoid infestation in the first place by checking the roots of any new plants before potting them to ensure that no larvae are present already.
If it’s too late for that, you can buy harmless parasitic nematodes (transparent microscopic worms) to add to the soil which kill the larvae.
If you spot what looks like cotton wool on your plants you’re hosting a mealy bug infestation. These are less likely to appear outdoors, as they like warm conditions, but can sometimes set up camp in your garden. Start by cleaning the leaves with a soap and water mixture, and treating with an insecticide if the infestation is persistent.