How to Identify and Treat Thrips
Thrips leave silvery streaks and black specks before you ever see the insect. How to confirm them, and why they are the hardest indoor pest to clear.
Category
Pests, Diseases & Problems
Identify what is damaging a plant, then fix it — insects, fungal disease, and the care mistakes that mimic both.
9 articles
How to Identify and Treat Scale Insects
Scale looks like brown bumps, not an insect, which is why it spreads unnoticed. How to identify it, and why timing decides if treatment works.
How to Identify and Treat Mealybugs
Those white cottony specks in leaf joints are mealybugs. How to tell them from mould, reach the ones you cannot see, and stop the rebound.
How to Identify and Treat Spider Mites
Spider mites are almost invisible until the webbing shows. How to confirm them early, and why most people stop treating far too soon.
How to Get Rid of Aphids on Indoor Plants
Aphids cluster on new growth and multiply without mating, so numbers climb fast. How to spot them early and clear them without harsh sprays.
What the White Fuzz on Houseplant Soil Is
White fuzz on potting soil is usually a harmless saprophytic fungus, not a threat to the plant. What it means, and when it is worth acting on.
Powdery Mildew — How to Identify, Treat, and Prevent It
The white dust on your squash and phlox leaves is powdery mildew. It spreads in dry weather, not wet, and that one fact changes how you should handle it.
How to Get Rid of Fungus Gnats in Houseplant Soil
Fungus gnats breed in the top inch of wet soil. Fix the moisture and the population collapses — here is how, and what actually kills the larvae.
How to Identify Root Rot and Save the Plant
Root rot is diagnosed by touching the roots, not by looking at the leaves. How to check, what can be saved, and how to repot what is left.