Now the temperature has dropped, it's not just us retreating indoors – pests are also making their way into our homes and taking over our houseplants. One of the biggest culprits in fall is spider mites.
Indoor heating, plants being moved indoors, and improper plant care are all reasons why these indoor plant pests thrive in October. Luckily, it is possible to deter and get rid of spider mites this season, it just requires a thorough approach.
By dipping into your houseplant care kit to use a plant mister (like this from Amazon) to boost humidity, as well as cleaning houseplant leaves, you can save your houseplants from severe pest damage. Here's what you need to know.
Spider mites are often a problem in fall due to optimal conditions for them to thrive.
These pests hate humidity and enjoy warmth, so indoor heating in fall and winter makes your home inhabitable to them. This is especially a problem if you don't adjust your fall houseplant care to boost humidity levels and adjust watering to keep plants hydrated and not dried out.
Not only this but watering mistakes causing weakened houseplants can also appeal to spider mites. Not taking care to avoid common houseplant mistakes can therefore put your plants in a vulnerable position to their damage.
That's why it's important to use a soil moisture meter (like this on Amazon) to monitor your plant's soil moisture to avoid both over and underwatering.
Design expertise in your inbox – from inspiring decorating ideas and beautiful celebrity homes to practical gardening advice and shopping round-ups.
Likewise, you can increase humidity for indoor plants to make them unhabitable to spider mites. You can relocate plants to a bathroom or use a portable humidifier (like this from Walmart) to do this.
But, if you do find spider mites on your houseplants this October, don't fret. You can get rid of spider mites by following just a few steps.
How to Get Rid of Them
To tackle spider mites in fall, there are a few things you can do.
Firstly, isolate the affected houseplants to stop the spread. Spider mites can multiply fast, so as soon as you spot their fine webbing you should move your plant away from others.
Using sharp pruning tools (like these Fiskars micro-tip pruning snips from Amazon) remove any heavily infested stems and foliage. Make sure to clean your pruning tools afterwards to stop the risk of spreading.
Then, clean your houseplant leaves. Gently wiping them with a damp microfiber cloth can remove the spider mites. Alternatively, wipe the leaves with neem oil (like this from Walmart). This is an organic pest control solution that deters and kills spider mites by suffocating them.
You can also shower down your houseplant to remove the majority of the pests.
Repeat this a few times every few days for 3-4 weeks to ensure all of the spider mites are gone.
Make sure to also boost humidity for your houseplants to deter spider mites going forward. Regularly spraying your houseplant with a plant mister (like this from Walmart) can help.
What to Shop
As well as safeguarding your houseplants against pest damage, there are indoor plant jobs many gardeners forget to do in fall. This includes moving houseplants away from heat sources and washing windows to allow more light in.
If you love inspiring garden ideas, outdoor advice, and the latest news, why not sign up for our newsletter and get the latest features delivered straight to your inbox?