What's eating my english ivy?

English ivy grown as a houseplant is most commonly attacked by spider mites, which thrive in warm, dry indoor air. Mealybugs and scale insects also colonise stems. Aphids can appear on new growth near bright windows. Check regularly — spider mite damage can escalate quickly on ivy's dense trailing stems.

Pale, stippled or yellowing leaves; fine silvery webbing under leaves and between stems; leaves drop in heavy infestations. Shower the plant thoroughly with lukewarm water to dislodge mites; apply insecticidal soap or neem oil spray weekly for 3–4 weeks; raise ambient humidity.

White cottony deposits along stems and leaf axils; leaves yellow and growth slows; sticky honeydew may develop sooty mould. Wipe off colonies with alcohol-soaked cotton swabs; treat the whole plant with neem oil spray; repeat every 10 days for a month.

Brown or tan oval bumps fixed along stems; yellowing leaves; sticky leaf surface from honeydew excretion. Scrape off scales with a soft toothbrush; treat with neem oil or horticultural oil spray (smothers remaining crawlers); repeat fortnightly.