Sometimes you've done everything right and pest prevention didn't work. Knowing effective tips for removing pests quickly can make all the difference in keeping your garden thriving. If you happen to get pests, the best thing you can do is to act fast and be diligent. Continue reading if you've found pests in your garden.
What to do if you get aphids
Aphids — small, soft-bodied insects that feed by piercing plant tissue and extracting sap — are possibly the worst pest you can get in your Rise Garden and will require a lot of attention. Aphids are small green (sometimes brown) insects that love to eat the sap from new growth of your plants. You could find them anywhere a new leaf is growing and they are more attracted to the brassica family of plants (broccoli, cabbage, arugula, etc.).
Once you spot an aphid, it is time to act! If you only spot them on one plant, start by removing that specific plant from your Garden. The cleanest way to do so is to place a bag over the plant first before pulling out the Net cup so that any aphids on your leaves fall into the bag, not back into your Garden. Next, you should make a 50% rubbing alcohol 50% water mixture and wipe down the area where your plant was, removing any debris left by the plant you removed. You can spray your current plants with Insecticidal Soap which is an organic treatment, safe for indoor usage. According to the USDA's National Organic Program, insecticidal soap is an approved organic pest control option that breaks down quickly and leaves no harmful residue on edible crops. Watch your Garden for any signs of more aphids and hopefully, they are gone!
If this method does not work, it is time to say farewell to your current plants as it is best to start fresh after a full infestation. Harvest what you can, then shut down your Garden by removing all plants, performing a deep clean, and letting your Garden sit without any water for 48 hours. This disrupts the growth cycle of the aphids and ensures they stay gone. If you start new plants during this process, be sure to move the Nursery far away from your Garden or you risk infecting your baby plants.
What to do if you get spider mites
Spider mites are another nasty pest that can persist if not taken care of quickly. While aphids can lead to significant damage to your crops, spider mites are just kind of gross. They have very little impact on your plant's health unless left to get out of control. Spider mites — tiny arachnids (not true insects) that thrive in warm, dry conditions — weave shiny webs across the tips of your plant's leaves. You will most likely be able to spot the little webs forming and they can grow very quickly.
To get rid of them, start by cutting off the main infected areas of the plants. The best way to do this is to hold the part you are cutting off with a bag so no spider mites fall back into the Garden as you cut. Next, mix a 25% rubbing alcohol, 75% water mixture and spray down the leaves of your plants as well as the tray lids of your Garden and the wood as spider mites are able to survive on non-living tissue for up to one week!
If your Garden gets too many and no matter how hard you try you cannot get rid of them, it is time to say farewell to your plants, perform one last harvest, and clear out your Garden. Remove all of your plants and deep clean your Garden. Be sure to wipe down the entire Garden with a rubbing alcohol solution to prevent any spider mites from coming back. Leave your Garden dry for 48 hours before starting new plants. It is best to introduce a test plant first to confirm your spider mites are really gone before getting back to full-scale growing. Try planting a basil, arugula, or other fast growing plant and put one where you saw the most spider mites. Researchers at Cornell University's Controlled Environment Agriculture program recommend using fast-growing indicator plants like basil as an early warning system to confirm pest eradication before resuming full production. If this plant is able to grow for 2-3 weeks with no pests you are in the clear! Otherwise, you may need to wipe down your Garden again and double check the pest prevention tips to be sure you are not reintroducing them somehow — whether through contaminated seed pods or other growing supplies — before you start growing again.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you get rid of pests in a hydroponic garden?
The most common pests in indoor hydroponic gardens are fungus gnats, spider mites, and aphids, all of which can be addressed through a combination of physical removal, neem oil sprays, and introducing beneficial insects like predatory mites for severe infestations. Sticky yellow traps placed near the garden catch flying pests early before populations escalate, and maintaining good air circulation around plants makes the environment less hospitable for most insects. Prevention is the most effective strategy — inspecting new plants before introducing them to your grow space and keeping the area clean prevents most infestations from ever starting.
What is the safest pest control method for hydroponic herb gardens?
For edible crops like herbs and greens, the safest pest control options are food-safe solutions including insecticidal soap, diluted neem oil sprays applied only to plant surfaces — never to the reservoir — and physical removal of pests by hand or with a gentle water spray. Neem oil is particularly effective because it disrupts the life cycles of most common garden pests without leaving harmful residues on edible plant parts when used correctly. Always avoid any pesticide that is not explicitly labeled as safe for use on edible plants.
How do you prevent fungus gnats in a Rise Garden?
Fungus gnats breed in moist, organic-rich environments, so preventing them in a hydroponic system involves eliminating standing water on surfaces around the garden and ensuring the grow medium in seed pods stays appropriately moist without becoming waterlogged. Covering the reservoir and any exposed water surfaces blocks female gnats from laying eggs in the water. Yellow sticky traps catch adults before they reproduce, and Bacillus thuringiensis israelensis added to the reservoir is a highly effective, food-safe biological control for larvae.
Are pests a common problem in indoor hydroponic gardens?
Indoor hydroponic gardens are significantly less susceptible to pests than outdoor soil gardens because the controlled environment eliminates exposure to most of the insect populations that plague traditional gardening. The most common source of pest introductions is bringing in new plants or contaminated growing supplies from outside, so inspecting purchases carefully is the best prevention. With basic vigilance and a clean growing environment, most Rise Gardens users never encounter a serious pest problem.
