by Elizabeth Carreker

Created on: October 10, 2009

Green Remedies for Houseplant Woes

With houseplants prevention is always half of the cure. To start off right be sure to buy a lush, healthy specimen. The ideal houseplants should resemble a miser's bank account; all healthy and green! Buying anything less is begging for trouble. Check to make sure your potential friend is also pest free.

Houseplants need all available advantages to survive in the average home, much less thrive. The average home can be too dry, too dark, and haunted by temperature fluctuations and watering schedules that are deadly to green growing things. Throw in marauding insects and the occasional cat that likes to take a nap in the flower pot and things can be dire indeed.

To get your little green friend off to a good start, it's a wise idea to research its specific growing requirements and make sure you can provide these conditions. Tucking a sun worshiper into a dark corner or not having the time to quench the frequent thirst of a water lover will severely weaken a plant's constitution and make it much more susceptible to the ravages of hungry insects. Also go ahead and rresearch what sort of pests prefers this particular plant. That way you can spot the early stages of any trouble that might arrive.

So let's say trouble does arrive one day. You are faithfully watering your little friend when you notice a sickly-looking leaf or two covered with tiny spider webs. Or maybe the leaves are dotted with a weird substance that looks like clumps of cotton. Look out folks, spider mites and mealy bugs have come to call!

What can you do? Don't stand there scratching your head in confusion. Your little green buddy needs help and pronto. This could be a life or death situation.

Don't reach for chemical bug killers. They aren't good for you or the environment. There are much safer ways to take care of bug nasties like Mr. Spider Mite and Ms. Mealy Bug. Our best line of defense in this situation is to use soap and water to remove the pests, followed by a strongly-scented household substance to keep the buggies at bay in the future.

First turn on your shower with tepid water and a mild spray. Put the plant under the spray until it is thoroughly soaked. Turn off the water and using a mild soap, wash off the leaves. Try and get rid of as many pests as you can see. If you prefer to use a wet, soapy cloth and a bucket of warm water for this process, go right ahead. Afterwards, rinse the plant well and let it dry. Then apply a small amount

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