Winter Prep: Adeniums and Their Pests

Although one of the most resilient plants you can keep in pots, adeniums do get attacked by pests--aphids, mealy bugs, spider mites and cats. The plants are most vulnerable in the winter when they are indoors with little air circulation, relatively low humidity and less light than they would otherwise get when outdoors. Even when they are dormant, they are not pest-proof.

There are ways to treat these problems without resorting to chemical warfare that can harm you, your pets and the rest of the planet. There are less destructive ways to control an infestation and most of them work pretty much the same way: by suffocating the critters.

You can buy whatever spray you are most comfortable with--neem oil, horticultural oil spray, soap-based spray or fish emulsion. You can also make your own and there are recipes for similar plant sprays that you can find online. All these will work on pests without damaging your adeniums provided you stick to the routine.