The last thing you want is to spend money on beautiful plants for your home only for them to get infested by pests and die. If you do not pay attention to this problem, you could find that all the plants in your home are affected. It does not take long for this to happen.

So, it’s important to remember that looking after indoor plants is not just about watering and feeding them; good pest control is also essential. The good news is that you can often quickly resolve a problem with pests on your plants, once you know that the problem exists.

New plants should be inspected

You should never bring a new plant into your home without checking for signs of pests first. Doing this stops invaders from getting into your home in the first place. Ideally, if you are buying a plant, check it out before you make your purchase. Check the leaves (both sides), the stems and the soil.

Once you have done this, find a suitable spot for the new plant, away from those that you already have. Doing this means that you can protect your other plants from being affected, should any pests manage to get past your initial inspection. Once a few weeks have past, if there is no sign of pests, you can place the plant with others.

Check for pests on plants that spend summer outside

Many indoor plants thrive from being outdoors when the weather is good. It’s fine to give your plants the benefit of some outdoor time, but you need to make sure that they are not covered in unwelcome bugs when you bring them back inside. Before you bring a plant back indoors, you should spray it with water. Use a strong spray and cover the entire plant, being careful not to cause any damage.

Once this is done you should check the plant for any signs of a pest problem. When you have finished the inspection, you can place the plant back in its normal indoors position.

What to do when pests are discovered

There are certain pests, such as ants and spiders, which may necessitate the use of professional exterminators to get rid of them. However, if you discover pests on your indoor plants, you will normally be able to deal with them yourself. There are several natural sprays that you can use to control these pests.

• Herb spray made from herbs that have a strong scent, such as lavender, basil and rosemary. You will need to gather and crush the herbs in a mesh sack. This should be left to soak in water for around five days before the water is ready to use in a spray.
• Gentle shampoo spray. If you have baby shampoo in your home, you can mix a couple of tablespoons with a gallon of water, to create a spray for indoor plant pests. Be careful not to spray plants that have waxy or hairy leaves.
• Cooking oil and dish soap spray. Mix together one tablespoon of cooking oil and one tablespoon of gentle dish soap. Keep the solution to hand and mix it with a gallon of water when you need to create a pest spray for your plants.

Keeping a close eye on your indoor plants, for signs of pests, and treating them when necessary, should help you control any pests that try to take up residence.