Many people love having plants in their home’s interior, but just because they’re indoors, doesn’t mean they won’t present a lot of the same challenges as outdoor plants.
The truth is that indoor and outdoor plants can contend with all kinds of pests, and with disorders greatly influenced by the outdoor temperature and humidity.
Plants need a type of care, and it is best to know what is going to be required of you before you rush out to fill your home with plants.
If you’re thinking that indoor plants can also suffer with bugs and even aphids like outdoor plants, then the answer is “yes”.
The reality is, just like outdoor plants kept outdoors, the plants in your indoor space also contend with three major influences: pests, the humidity that is optimal for your plants’ health, and still air with standing water.
What Are Some Common Types of Indoor Pests?
While there are numerous pests that can affect your indoor plants, the most common types are as follows:
- Aphids: often either green or black, aphids drink the sap out of the plant and can siphon up all of its nutrients as well. If enough of them congregate on your plant, your plant may become weak and become damaged.
- Whiteflies: tiny white flies that are roughly 1/12 of an inch in size. They are generally found underneath the leaves of the plant and sometimes hard to see.
- Spider Mites: spider mites are red with a lot of legs, they dig underneath the leaves and weave a web. They chew their way through the plant so they can get deep into the plant’s cell, where they can eat some more.
- Thrips: are microscopic bugs that can be tan, brown, or even neon green. They typically fly in when you open a window, and they tend to lay eggs once inside. Fortunately, they only live about a month and then they die.
- Fungus Gnats: gnats that are about the size of a fruit fly and can lay about 200 eggs at a time. The larvae will dig into the soil and eat anything that’s decaying. They become adults and create a whole additional issue.
- Scales: usually found underneath the leaf, they are some shade of brown with an armored shell. They live in warm, dry places, and sometimes you can see them on the joints of the leaf.
- Mealybugs: They like warm, moist places. The female lays for the tiny larvae to develop and suck sap out of your plant. If your plant is powdery or waxy that may be mealybugs.
Why Are Bugs So Attracted to Your Indoor Plants?
Before you determine how to deal with the pests that have decided they love your plants, you must consider why they are attracted to them in the first place.
The following points outline some possible reasons.
Standing Water
Pests will come over the have a drink. Standing water on the leaves of a plant, standing water on the soil, or even standing water in the saucer of your pot is just an invitation to them to come over and enjoy your plants.
If you go out of your way to avoid any type of standing water on your plants, you won’t eliminate any possibility of a pest ruining the plants but it will reduce the odds of a few.
High Humidity
You should take care if you have tropical houseplants, particularly if you have a humidifier.
A lot of pests thrive in wet, humid environments, which can be problematic for you when growing tropical plants.
Still Air
In areas of little (or no) air movement where your plants are located, you may inadvertently create an inviting environment for some pests.
How It Helps: If you want to deter these pests, a low-blowing fan may be the answer to your problems. The breeze will cause these pests to immediately scatter away from the plants.
What Can You Do to Avoid Pests near Your Plants?
In addition to taking measures to minimize the chances of pests being attracted to your plants in the first place including eliminating standing water and keeping the humidity level in check you might also consider planting something that deters or repels insects and pests.
Certain plants, herbs, and flowers do a great job of keeping prospective pests away without ever getting close to your plants. These plants are:
- Marigolds
- Chrysanthemums
- Lavender
- Basil
- Mint
- Catnip
- Lemongrass
- Rosemary
- Citronella
- Sage
The encouraging aspect about these plants is that for the most part, they are relatively cheap to purchase and grow.
Some of them (like marigolds and chrysanthemums) will not only look good, but serve a purpose.
Final Words
If you have other plants indoors, and you’re very motivated to keep bugs from eating your other plants, you may want to find plants or flowers that they just don’t like.
This may be the simplest way to get rid of them.