Pests & plant health
Manage small infestations without routine spraying
Identify the insect and its life stage.
When to do it
After identifying the pest and finding damage that needs action.
What you need
- Gloves
- Water and container
- Hand lens
How to do it
- Identify the insect and its life stage. Leave beneficial predators and unidentified or potentially irritating insects alone until checked.
- For a few confirmed crop-eating caterpillars, inspect leaf undersides and remove them with gloves or a tool. Remove recognised eggs only when identification is secure.
- For a small aphid colony, wipe it off gently or use a controlled jet of water that will not break tender stems. Keep water pressure low enough for the plant.
- Remove a heavily infested small shoot only if the plant can spare it. Avoid stripping a weak plant or spraying homemade detergent mixtures.
- Reinspect new growth over several days. If damage continues, use pest-specific advice to decide whether exclusion or a labelled product is justified.
What success looks like
- New damage slows while the plant retains healthy leaves.
Watch out for
- Handling hairy or unknown caterpillars barehanded.
- Spraying all insects on sight.
Related help
Fit insect mesh and wildlife-safer crop netting
Choose mesh for the actual pest.
Decide whether to use a pest product and read its label
Check whether damage warrants treatment.
Sources and review
Checked 24 September 2026. Source-checked editorial guidance; not field-tested or independently reviewed by a horticulturist.