How to Keep Flying Insects From Your House Plants
Houseplants bring a sense of beauty and interest to homes and work spaces, but these same plants can attract flying insects that can be a nuisance for you and detrimental to your plants. This article will look at non-chemical ways to get rid of these pesky insects and protect your houseplants. Does this Spark an idea?
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Instructions
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Protect Your Houseplants From Flying Insects
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Use sticky traps to catch flying insects. Sticky traps are flat cards with glue on the surface that capture insects when they land on them. Sticky traps will trap whiteflies, fungus gnats, winged aphids, and thrips, all of which may try to attack your houseplants.
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Prevent adult fungus gnats by letting the soil of your plants dry out as much as possible before watering them. Fungus gnats are attracted to the moisture in the plant and soil. Prevent whiteflies by washing your plants in a mild soap and water solution.
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Remove breeding sites for flying insects in your home or workplace, such as any kind of moist organic matter as in decaying plants, trash cans containing decaying vegetables or fruit, soda cans in recycling bins, terrariums, and wet or damp insulation in walls or ceilings.
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Wash or wipe down your houseplants regularly to prevent dust and grime from accumulating on leaves, or spray them with lukewarm water. You can also wrap foil over the soil and turn the plant upside down in a tub of water with a few drops of mild dishwashing liquid.
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Use only sterilized potting soil; garden soil may harbor insect eggs. Make sure your plants drain properly. Plant roots that sit in waterlogged soil serve as a food source for flying insects.
When Purchasing Houseplants
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Check all houseplants for insects or eggs before purchasing the plants. Keep them separate from your current houseplants for two to three weeks until you are sure that they are not harboring or attracting any flying insect.
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Select only houseplants that will thrive in your home or workplace according to the amount of light that can be provided. A houseplant that becomes stressed from inadequate light is more likely to attract infestation from flying insects.
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Don't purchase plants with diseased and rotted leaves or that look like they've been moisture or heat stressed. Diseased and rotted leaves attract flying insects and infestation.
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Tips & Warnings
Check your plants that have been left outside during the summer months for any insects or eggs before returning them to your house or workplace during the colder months.
Don't use a feather duster on plant leaves as you may transfer tiny eggs or flying insects from one plant to another. Instead, use a spray bottle filled with water to cleanse the leaves of dust and dirt, which can attract and harbor flying insects.
