What are the little bugs around my plants?
These are fungus gnats, also known as house plant flies and sciarid flies. They’re mostly harmless – adult gnats cause little or no harm to plants, but they can become a nuisance in the home. Most houseplant problems are due to improper care like not enough light or too much water. Soft-bodied insects and mites infecting houseplants can be removed with water. Plant diseases are usually introduced in the nursery so buy only healthy-looking plants.There are various ways to approach this. It is always up to you and how aggressive you want to be in getting rid of the pests. The most common products to fight houseplant pests are: insecticide, neem oil, and dish soap. The plant community will have variations of what products and methods to use.Some of the most common pests of houseplants include aphids, scale insects, mealybugs, thrips, spider mites, whiteflies, fungus gnats, and springtails. Some of these pests, such as thrips, are very small and difficult to spot, and infestations are more likely to be detected by the feeding injuries they produce.
Can I spray vinegar on my plants for bugs?
Vinegar spray is one of the most effective homemade bug sprays. It is a natural bug repellent and a weed killer. Mix one part vinegar (white or apple cider vinegar) with three parts water in a spray container and add a teaspoon of dish soap. After thoroughly mixing the contents, spray on the plants. Vinegar can sometimes be effective; however, using vinegar for pest control is generally a short-term effort to control pests since it is not effective as a long-term treatment against serious pest infestations and will not keep pests completely away from your property.
What can I spray on my indoor plants to keep bugs away?
Vinegar. If you have a bottle of vinegar lying around, it could be the perfect pest control solution! Start by adding one cup of vinegar to three cups of water, then mix it in a spray bottle. Spray the solution on your houseplants and the strong scent will irritate the insects enough that they’ll find food elsewhere. Small numbers of scale insects can be removed using a fingernail file or something similar. Mealybugs can be removed using tweezers or a cotton swab dipped in alcohol. Some pests can be removed using a forceful spray of water. Repot with new potting soil to eliminate soil-borne pests.