Pruning & Pest Basics
Keeping plants tidy and dealing with common pests gently.
Pruning
- Remove yellow or dead leaves at the base with clean scissors.
- Pinch growing tips of bushy plants (tulsi, mint, coleus) to keep them compact.
- Cut back leggy stems just above a leaf joint; new shoots grow from there.
- Prune flowering shrubs after a flush of flowers.
Common pests
- Mealybugs: white cottony spots. Wipe with a cotton bud dipped in diluted soap water.
- Spider mites: fine webbing and speckled leaves. Rinse the leaves and raise humidity.
- Aphids: small green or black insects on new growth. Spray with water and a mild soap solution.
- Fungus gnats: tiny flies near the soil. Let the top soil dry out between waterings.
Isolate an affected plant from others, treat it gently and repeat every few days until clear. For serious problems, send us a photo on WhatsApp.