Winter is definitely here. It only takes one look outside to confirm this. Most of the plants have either withered and died or become dormant for the season. The color green has been stripped from the outside world. Drab colors are now present everywhere we look. This is just one reason why people choose to decorate the interior of their homes with some bright, green houseplants. It makes the harsh winters a lot easier to deal with, but houseplants can introduce some pests that we would all rather keep outside. Here are a few tips that will help you prevent a possible infestation with your houseplants.
Inspect All Plants Before Bringing Them Home
There is a really good chance that the plants at your local garden store or nursery did not come from a local grower. Some of them may have been trucked in from clear across the country. There is no telling what type of pests may be lurking in the plants or the soil.
It is a good idea to closely inspect all plants before bringing them into your home. There have been a few horror stories of people bringing home plants filled with spider eggs that hatch at a later date. How would you like to come home and find hundreds of baby spiders crawling around your home? Inspect all plants before bringing them home.
Inspect Regularly At Home
The inspection should not stop a week after the houseplants have arrived in your home. There are some pests who will lie dormant for weeks at a time. It is a really good idea to inspect your plants every single time you water them. This is the single best way to locate a problem long before it begins.
If you happen to notice insects on your houseplants, you will need to remove them to prevent an infestation.
Washing Your Plants?
There are a few very common houseplant pests that can be difficult to remove. You don’t want to spend countless hours trying to pull them all off one by one. The best way to get rid of them is by washing your plants. All you need is water and you can do this in the shower, the kitchen sink or outside. Just spraying them down with mild water pressure can often be enough to send those pests down the river so to speak.
Don’t let pests prevent you from enjoying all of the great benefits of houseplants. These tips will help you keep the pests out of your home and the houseplants in!