A DIY greenhouse kit is a wonderful way to grow plants year-round, but it can also attract a variety of pests. Whether you’re dealing with aphids, spider mites, or other pesky insects, it’s important to take action to keep your greenhouse healthy and thriving. In this blog, we’ll share some tips for getting rid of the most common pests in a DIY backyard greenhouse.
How to Keep Bugs Out of Your Greenhouse A Comprehensive Guide
Having a greenhouse on your property is a great way to grow plants, flowers, vegetables, and fruits year-round. However, greenhouses also provide the warm, humid conditions that many insects and pests love. If left uncontrolled, these greenhouse pests can quickly damage or destroy your plants.
The key to preventing a major pest problem in your greenhouse is taking proactive steps to keep the bugs out in the first place. In this comprehensive guide we’ll cover everything you need to know to keep your greenhouse pest-free including
- The most common greenhouse pests
- Effective prevention and control methods
- Physical, biological, and chemical pest control strategies
- Using companion planting to repel pests
- New technology for smart, eco-friendly pest management
Arming yourself with knowledge about greenhouse pests and how to tackle them is the first step toward protecting your greenhouse plants. Let’s dive in!
The Most Common Greenhouse Pests
The first thing every greenhouse owner should know is which pests are likely to become a problem. Being able to accurately identify greenhouse invaders allows you to monitor for them and take swift action at the first signs of an infestation.
Research shows that the most prevalent greenhouse pests include:
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Aphids – Small, soft-bodied insects that feed in clusters on plant stems and leaves. They secrete honeydew which leads to sooty mold growth.
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Whiteflies – Tiny white insects that fly up when disturbed They suck plant sap and excrete honeydew.
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Fungus gnats – Small black flies that live in damp soil and damage plant roots and seedlings.
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Thrips – Slender insects under 1⁄4 inch long that feed on flowers, buds, and young fruits.
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Spider mites – Tiny mites that suck sap and spin fine webs, causing yellow, speckled leaves.
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Mealybugs – Soft, flattened, white bugs that cluster and secrete honeydew.
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Scale insects – Immobile, flattened, waxy bugs that attach to plant parts.
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Snails and slugs – Leave shiny slime trails and chew holes in plant leaves and stems.
Knowing how to spot signs of these common pests will allow you to take control measures before they get out of hand. Now let’s look at effective ways to tackle them.
Effective Prevention and Control Strategies
An integrated pest management (IPM) strategy combines different control methods to minimize damage and chemical use. Here are some of the most effective tactics:
Physical Controls
- Install insect mesh screens on all vents, doors, and windows to keep out flying pests
- Use yellow sticky traps to monitor and catch adult insects
- Pick pests off by hand and prune away heavily infested parts of plants
- Use strong sprays of water to knock off soft-bodied insects
- Apply reflective mulches to confuse pests and prevent infestations
Biological Controls
- Introduce beneficial predators like ladybugs, lacewings, and parasitic wasps
- Use microbial pesticides such as Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt)
- Employ insect growth regulators to disrupt pest life cycles
Chemical Controls
- Apply horticultural oils and insecticidal soaps to suffocate soft-bodied insects
- Use targeted, less-toxic pesticides and rotate between products to prevent resistance
- Try natural pest deterrents like extracts of garlic, onions, chrysanthemums
Cultural Practices
- Remove weeds, debris, and unhealthy plant materials
- Allow soil to dry adequately between waterings
- Use sterile media and keep greenhouse clean and organized
- Monitor plants frequently for early signs of pests
Companion Planting
An easy, eco-friendly way to repel greenhouse pests is to use companion planting. Certain plants naturally deter or trap insects. Effective options include:
- Marigolds – Repel aphids, whiteflies, thrips, nematodes, beetles, and more
- Basil – Repels flies, mosquitoes, and aphids
- Petunias – Repel aphids, tomato hornworms, asparagus beetles, leafhoppers
- Garlic and chives – Repel aphids, spider mites, cabbage loopers, slugs
- Mint – Repels ants, aphids, beetles, mosquitoes, mice
- Nasturtiums – Repel aphids, squash bugs, cucumber beetles, whiteflies
Mixing these companion plants in with your greenhouse crops helps create an environment inhospitable to major pests.
New Pest Management Technology
Exciting new technology is changing greenhouse pest control. Scientists are exploring futuristic methods like gene editing, AI pest prediction programs, and insect-targeting robots.
For example, AI programs can analyze greenhouse data like temperature, humidity, and light to forecast optimal conditions for pest outbreaks. This allows preventive action before infestations occur. Researchers are also investigating ways for robots to patrol greenhouses and precisely target damaging pests, reducing the need for broad chemical applications.
Though still emerging, these smart technologies aim to make greenhouse pest management more effective and eco-friendly than ever before. Adopting new solutions can help tackle pests while caring for the environment.
The Bottom Line
Protecting your greenhouse plants from invasive bugs and insects takes diligence and preparation. But armed with an IPM strategy, you can stay vigilant and take control at the first signs of infestation.
Follow preventive practices like sanitation, inspection, exclusion, and biological control. Supplement with safer deterrents like horticultural oils and insecticidal soaps. Consider novel solutions like AI and robots to get ahead of greenhouse pest issues in smart, sustainable ways.
Putting proactive safeguards in place is key to keeping unwanted greenhouse pests at bay. With the right integrated plan, you can maintain a healthy greenhouse environment where your plants will thrive all season long.
7 Most Common Greenhouse Pests
We’ve curated a list of the most common ones you may encounter and proven ways to either prevent them from appearing or eliminate their presence. These little devils are some of the most dangerous bugs that could find their way into your greenhouse.
Aphids are tiny, soft-bodied insects that nest in clusters on the underside of leaves. Their feeding process literally sucks the life out of your plants as they suck the sap from the plant. This causes your plants to suffer from distorted leaves and stunted growth. 
Aphids can be controlled by natural means, so you can maintain an organic planting environment. Introduce natural predators like lacewings and ladybugs to prey on aphids. Another option is to spray them with neem oil or wash your plants with insecticidal soap.
Spider mites are really small, eight-legged pests. These horrible creatures feed on the sap of plants, causing the leaves to yellow and molt. You can identify their presence from the tiny webs they spin between leaves. They should be prevented from entering the greenhouse space or removed immediately after being spotted as they will cause extensive damage if left unchecked.
Spider mites can be controlled by natural means and insecticidal soap. Wash your plants with insecticidal soap or spray them down with neem oil which is a natural pesticide. You can also control spider mites by introducing predatory mites like Phytoseiulus persimilis.
Whiteflies are small, flying insects that nest on the underside of leaves. They damage your plants by sucking the sap from the plants. To compound their damage, they excrete a sticky substance that attracts other pests to your DIY backyard greenhouse. Additionally, they can lead to the growth of sooty mold.
Whiteflies can be controlled by using insecticidal soaps or neem oil to wash or spray down the plant. Another option to rid your greenhouse of whiteflies is by introducing natural predators like Encarsia formosa.
These small, slender insects damage your crops by feeding on plant tissue. This feeding process causes silvery or bronze streaks on leaves. Thrips are additionally dangerous as they also spread viruses and other diseases to plants in your greenhouse.
Thrips can be controlled by introducing predatory mites like Amblyseius cucumeris to prey on them. Other effective ways to control Thrips is to spray them with neem oil cocktails.
Fungus gnats are small, flying insects that cause root damage to plants. These awful pests are attracted to moist soil and destroy your crops from down below. Fungus gnats also spread diseases and damage seedlings.
Fungus gnats can be controlled by allowing the soil in your garden bed to dry out between waterings. This will prevent constant damp soil for the gnats to thrive in. Yellow sticky traps are useful for capturing the adults and add beneficial nematodes like Steinernema feltiae to your soil to hunt and kill Fungus gnats.
These immobile pests are flat, and small and attach themselves to plants. They cause the leaves to yellow because they suck sap. Scale insects cause stunted growth and will eventually lead to the death of the plant.
Scale insects can be controlled by washing plants with insecticidal soaps or spraying them with neem oil. Introduce natural predators like Cryptolaemus montrouzieri to protect your garden from scale insects.
Mealybugs are hard-to-control, soft-bodied insects covered in a waxy, white coating. These pests cause your leaves to yellow and the growth of your plants to be stunted.
Mealybugs can be controlled by introducing natural predators like the parasitic wasp Leptomastix dactylopii and Cryptolaemus montrouzieri. Neem oil is a natural remedy that works well against these pests.
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A DIY greenhouse kit is a wonderful way to grow plants year-round, but it can also attract a variety of pests. Whether you’re dealing with aphids, spider mites, or other pesky insects, it’s important to take action to keep your greenhouse healthy and thriving. In this blog, we’ll share some tips for getting rid of the most common pests in a DIY backyard greenhouse.
Bug-Proof Your Greenhouse: The Ultimate Solution!
FAQ
How to keep bugs out of greenhouses?
- Keep Your Greenhouse Clean. …
- Introduce Natural Predators. …
- Use Sticky Traps. …
- Inspect Your Plants Regularly. …
- Use Insecticidal Soaps or Neem Oil. …
- Avoid Overwatering. …
- Get Separate Footwear. …
- Use Reflective Mulch.
What do greenhouses use for pest control?
Sticky traps or a yellow plate with olive oil are easy solutions for aphids, white flies, fruit flies, and vinegar flies. Wormwood, either dried or as an essential oil keeps the whiteflies, fruit flies, vinegar flies, and aphids away.
What is the most common greenhouse pest?
… greenhouse pests to keep a close watch for are aphids, fungus gnats, thrips, whiteflies, caterpillars, leafminers, mealybugs, mites, slugs and snails
Are greenhouses bug proof?
Greenhouses offer pests an ideal living space and lack natural enemies, leading to potentially worse pest issues. If you’re planning to grow crops in a greenhouse, a crucial step is figuring out how to effectively get rid of pests inside.
How to keep Bugs out of a greenhouse?
It will mean extra effort on the part of the gardener, but you can keep bugs out of the greenhouse using multiple methods, one of which can include spraying the vegetation with insecticide. The substances have the purpose of eradicating, repelling or disabling a variety of pests.
How do you get rid of pests in a greenhouse?
Checking your plants often and trying other ways to stop pests should be your first plan, with chemicals as a backup. What are the most common pests found in greenhouses? Common greenhouse pests include aphids, spider mites, whiteflies, and other small bugs.
Do Plants keep bugs away?
Find out what bug it is, keep it away from other plants, and then treat it. Are some plants good at keeping bugs away? Yes, plants like marigolds can help keep bugs away. Common greenhouse pests: In the world of greenhouse gardening, pests are a common challenge.
What bugs eat my greenhouse?
Common greenhouse pests include aphids, spider mites, whiteflies, and other small bugs. How do I stop bugs in my greenhouse? Keep it clean, don’t water too much, and check your plants a lot. Do I need bug spray? Only sometimes. Try using good bugs that eat the bad ones, or use safe soaps. Can too much water bring more bugs?
Should a greenhouse have a bug-free environment?
It’s impossible to keep a completely sterile, bug-free environment for the greenhouse. Ideally, you want to offer your plants a place close to their typical ecosystem that is balanced and healthy, where they know the way to defend and ultimately recover from an attack. Many bugs are a benefit for the garden.
How to maintain a greenhouse?
Keep tools clean. A 10% bleach cleanse is suggested for all gardening tools before using them in the greenhouse in case there is any chance for bugs or bacteria coming with them from the outside. Ideally, they should go through the disinfection process when working on each plant.