House Plants Bugs...Do You Have Any?

Your house plants may start to have some issues about this time of year. We are getting questions about a few of the major insects that can cause problems now. There are 3 or 4 bugs that can cause our plants to deteriorate if we don't keep them under control. It is important to purchase your house plants from a source that recognizes these problem bugs and prevents these problems from coming home with you when you purchase plants.

• Spider Mites are little tiny critters that you almost need a magnifier to see and they can be found on the underside of the leaves. They suck the juices from the plant and eventually will cause the leaves to drop off. Before the leaves fall off they will have little tiny pock marks on the surface of the leaf and there may be some webbing in severe cases.

• Mealy Bugs are a real pest and very visible, unlike the mites. Again they are a sucking insect and appear as a rather fuzzy white critter and may be found in a crevice or where the leaf attaches to the stem of the plant.

• Scale can be a problem but is not found as frequently. This is another sucking insect that can cause some trouble. They appear as an oval or flat brown or tan shell looking structure. Many times they are on the underside of the leaf where the leaf attaches to the stem of the plant, much like the Mealy Bugs.

• Fungus Gnats look like miniature fruit flies. Their larvae is what damages plants by feeding on their roots and are tiny worm-like bugs that live in soggy wet soils. The adults are a nuisance when they are around.

Now the question becomes: How to avoid having these problems and how do I get rid of them, if they should appear? It is not hard if you stay with it. If the first 3 pests mentioned above are sprayed, especially the underside of the leaves, with tepid water in the sink or shower a couple of times a month this may be all that is necessary. If this fails, spraying with a Insecticidal Soap should work. The Fungus Gnat control is even easier. Keep the soil drier by letting the soil dry out between waterings. It may also be necessary to spray with the Insecticidal Soap until the potting soil adjusts to your changed watering practices.

Send any questions or comments to info@meadowview.com and we'll get back to you post haste.

The gardening team at Meadow View/ meadowview.com.

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