Keep your indoor plants free from problems with our care guide.
What to do
Most houseplants will thrive in a draught-free, well-lit spot, out of direct sunlight.
Wait until compost has almost dried out before watering. Apply from the top of plants and allow excess liquid to drain away.
When in flower, feed plants weekly with a liquid fertiliser high in potash.
Spray ferns and bromeliads with water daily.
Keep plants looking good by deadheading flowers and cutting off damaged, dying or yellowing leaves.
Plants will grow better with clean leaves. Remove dust with damp cotton wool.
If growth is pale and spindly, put plants in a lighter spot.
Control pests, such as mealy bug, woolly aphid and scale insects by rubbing off with damp cotton wool. Cut off growth damaged by red spider mite and deter them by regularly misting plants with water to raise humidity.
If you have a serious pest problem and you can't control by hand, try an organic solution. See our Pest and Disease Identifier for help.
