Houseplants will look happy and grow like "weeds" and then
something changes and they appear to be unhealthy. You could
have a pest infestation! The most common being mealy bug,
scale, aphids, spider mite, white fly, and sometimes soil or
fungus gnats. The first step is to examine every part of the plant,
especially where the leaves intersect with the stem and the
undersides of the leaves. If the plant is flowering be sure to
check the buds or blooms too. Here is what you could find:
Mealy bugs: appear as white cotton-like spots. These will get in all
the tiny areas of the plant once they infest, where they hide. You
may notice the leaves getting pale, dropping or looking stunted as
the mealy bugs suck out the juices from the plant. Cotton swabs
dipped in alcohol will remove them, or a mix of alcohol and water
sprayed on the plants will help if repeated every week or so.
Scale: it looks like a small hard bump on the plant. The bump is a
"shell" that protects the new insects and can be picked off. It could
be brown, yellow, gray, black or even white. You'll begin to notice
yellowing leaves and dropping leaves. Spray with a mixture of 4 parts
water to three parts rubbing alcohol. Do NOT use hard water on scale
---use bottled water instead. You can also remove with a cotton ball
dampened with rubbing alcohol. Stick with it!. You will need to
repeat till it's gone.
Spider mites: These do a lot of damage in a short amount of time---
mites suck the chlorophyll out of the plant-and the foliage loses
color. They lay very tiny white eggs. Unfortunately, they are VERY
tiny. You'll notice the plant's leaves curling, dropping or stunted
growth. Get out a magnifying glass if you need to too! If you don't
catch the eggs before they hatch you'll see webbing between the
stems or leaves. Wipe off the webs---if it's gotten to this stage---
and the color is gone out of too many leaves, it's best to get rid
of the plant.
White fly: You'll find white dots in the early stages and then they
start to fly--and you'll notice them if leaves are touched because
they will fly out. They rest on the underside of the leaves and will
cause them to yellow. You can buy small traps to place near the
plants or the rubbing alcohol sprays mentioned above.
Soil or fungus gnats fly around and annoy you. They live in the plant
soil --especially if the soil if kept moist. Once the soil dries on the
top layer they can no longer survive there. They don't live long, so
usually drying out the top layer of a plant will take care of the problem.
Aphids are found mostly outdoors, but are found on indoor plants too
as well, especially those that bloom. They can be black, green or shades
of yellow, and can be found on the underside of plants. You'll notice the
leaves becoming stunted or funny looking as if they are deformed. The
alcohol sprays mentioned should work with aphids.
Spider mites like it very hot and dry---so try to keep your plants
from drying out and getting too hot--mist them a few times a
week and give them a "bath" a few times a month with a soap
spray. ( A little dish soap in a spray bottle of water). You can
clean your plants by dampening a soft cloth with plaint water
and wipe the surface of each leaf. You can also give your plants
a "shower" to rinse them. Don't do this to African Violets or
plants with fuzzy foliage. Give your plants good circulation
too--don't crowd them.
Always remove dead foliage and blooms as soon as you can.
Keep your plants clean! Always use a good clean potting soil
when you repot your plants. All of your tools should be clean
too. Use a wire brush to remove dirt that is tough to get off,
and remove rust with steel wool or light sandpaper. Spray the
metal parts with a lubricant or rub very lightly to discourage
rust. When repotting a plant into a used pot clean it first. You
soak the pots in 1 part bleach to 10 parts warm or hot water,
then scrub the pots clean with a brush. Rinse and dry the pot
before using.
One more thing to look for on your plants: mealy bug, scale,
and aphids secrete a honeydew on the leaf which is sticky. If
you see or feel this, start looking for the pest.
Subscriber, Suzanne Wainwright-Evans, who is an Ornamental
Entomologist sent in some tips on preventive pest control. Read
them here.
About the Author
Brenda Hyde is a Mom of three, a freelance writer and
editor of the family newsletters and OldFashionedLiving
website.
