Houseplant hacks: should you always quarantine new plants to avoid pests spreading?

Any new addition to your collection can contain stowaways, so you’d be wise to deploy a little patience – but how long is long enough? The problem There is nothing quite like the joy of bringing home a new plant. You find the perfect spot, nestle it in among your others, and stand back to admire the new arrival. What you cannot see are its passengers: a few spider mites tucked under a leaf, mealybug eggs in a joint, or fungus gnat larvae in the compost. A fortnight later, plants that were ...

By Gynelle Leon