Taking care of the indoor pests
Created on 2/21/2010
There are people who can grow a veritable jungle indoors. I’m not one of them. It seems not watering indoor plants is detrimental to their longevity, which is something I frequently forget. Plus, indoor plants have their own set of pests despite living in a seemingly “safe” environment. Here are a few of the common pests that add to the challenge of the indoor garden:
Aphids – Yes, aphids find their way to your plants even inside. In reality, I can’t think of too many plants they don’t like. Fortunately, they’re easy to spot. These sucking insects attach themselves to the tender stems and leaves, usually in groups, although you might not even think to look for them unless your plant is looking poorly.
If leaves are turning yellow, curling or generally look distorted, inspect under all of the leaves and on stems to see if there is an aphid infestation. The easiest way to remedy a small number is to squish them in between your fingers (you can use a soft cloth if you’re not hard core), and gently spray them off with water in the sink. If there are significant numbers, spritz the groups with an insecticidal soap spray.
(The ants often seen with aphids on outdoor plants are taking advantage of the honeydew, a sugary secretion, that attracts ants and other insects.)
Whiteflies – Whiteflies are tough because they’re persistent and they’re prolific. They lay their eggs on the undersides of leaves. Within a couple of weeks and life stages there are new adults. It’s hard to keep up with that kind of reproduction rate when you’re trying to eliminate a population.
The eggs are so tiny they’re practically invisible, but you’ll know you’ll have whiteflies with the tiny, almost moth-like, insects flying around infected specimens any time you touch or move the plant. If you don’t notice the whiteflies, you’ll see the leaves on the plant turning brown, or the plant dying. Like aphids, whiteflies are sucking insects, and they tend to go overboard, oftentimes killing the plant.
As a first course of action, thoroughly spray the plant with insecticidal soap. Depending on the particular stage of lifecycle, this may or may not kill all of them. If they are still active, bump up treatment to an insecticide specified for whiteflies. Follow the directions carefully. A good application method is using a brush to thoroughly apply the insecticide instead of a spray. You’ll most likely have better coverage with less waste or overspray.
Spider Mites – One of the most difficult indoor pests to spot are spider mites. They’re tiny, tiny – think the size of a mark from a really sharp pencil. Even a pin head is larger. You’ll most likely see rust colored specks on the underside of the leaves, and sometimes even small webs.
A good way to look for them is to place a white sheet of paper underneath the plant, and gently shake the leaves. You might see tiny spots trying to crawl away.
A neem oil spray will usually knock them out effectively. Really hit underneath the leaves to make sure you take care of them.
