Course 06
Pests, Diseases and Diagnosis
An intermediate course in reading trouble correctly before you treat it. You will learn a repeatable method for diagnosis, meet the pests and diseases you are most likely to encounter, learn to rule out the many non-pest problems that mimic them, and build a calm, proportionate response plan that never reaches for the strongest tool first.
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7 modules · about 78 min · 3 downloads
Free account — lessons, quizzes and your progress are saved to you.
What you'll be able to do
- Work through a plant problem using a consistent Observe, Interpret, Act, Learn method instead of guessing
- Identify the six most common houseplant pests by sight, location, and the damage pattern they leave behind
- Recognize root rot, leaf spot, powdery mildew, and botrytis, and understand the airflow and moisture conditions behind them
- Tell a genuine pest or disease apart from light stress, salt burn, cold damage, or natural leaf drop
- Respond with the least invasive effective treatment first, using the IPM ladder, and build a monitoring routine that catches trouble early
Modules
A Diagnosis Method
A calm, repeatable four-step method for figuring out what is actually wrong before you reach for a treatment.
The Big Six Pests
Spider mites, mealybugs, fungus gnats, scale, thrips, and aphids: how to spot each one and the damage it leaves.
Fungal and Bacterial Trouble
Root rot, leaf spot, powdery mildew, and botrytis, and why airflow and wet leaves explain most of them.
Problems That Are Not Pests
Light stress, salt burn, cold damage, humidity issues, and natural leaf drop: the lookalikes that fool even experienced growers.
The IPM Ladder
From isolating a plant to systemic treatment as a last resort: responding with the least intervention that actually works.
Natural Repellents and Old Remedies
Neem oil, soap sprays, garlic and chili water, cinnamon, diatomaceous earth, rubbing alcohol, hydrogen peroxide, sticky traps, companion herbs and the remedies plant keepers have relied on for generations — with how each is mixed and used.
Recovery and Prevention
Building the habits that catch trouble early, and the honest conversation about when to let a plant go.
Downloads
Printable charts and cards for the fridge, the potting bench, or your phone.
The Observe, Interpret, Act, Learn checklist
A printable one-page checklist to carry through each step of a diagnosis, from whole-plant observation to a follow-up note.
The Big Six pest identification chart
Side-by-side photos and damage patterns for spider mites, mealybugs, fungus gnats, scale, thrips, and aphids.
The IPM ladder poster
A visual reference of the six rungs from isolate to systemic treatment, with safety notes for pets and children.