Indoor pests usually arrive on a new plant, in infested soil, or through an open window. The sooner you isolate and treat, the easier the rescue. Check the undersides of leaves weekly in good light.
Spider Mites
Fine yellow stippling, tiny webbing between stems, and dry air are classic clues. Mites explode in dry rooms. Wipe leaves with a damp cloth, raise humidity, and if needed use insecticidal soap or neem oil as directed. Repeat treatments because eggs survive the first pass.
Mealybugs and Scale
White cottony clumps at leaf joints are mealybugs. Hard brown bumps on stems are usually scale. Dab with a cotton swab dipped in rubbing alcohol, then wash the plant with mild soapy water. Keep it quarantined until the infestation is gone.
Fungus Gnats
Tiny black flies that rise from the soil when you water love constantly wet mix. Let the top layer dry, fix drainage, and optionally top-dress with sand or perlite. Yellow sticky cards catch adults, but drier soil is what kills larvae.
Quarantine Rules
- Keep new plants away from the rest of the collection for two weeks.
- Wash tools and hands between pots.
- Remove heavily infested leaves; don’t toss them into a home compost pile.
Control fungus gnats by drying the surface; if you also see white mold, read white mold on potting soil separately. Do not confuse sap-sucking stippling with the broader yellow leaf guide.