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and if you are in doubt – quarantine the plant where it is not connected to the rest of your plants so you could observe it.
    2. U SE R EADYMADE P OTTING M IX 
    The readymade potting mix soils that you buy at the garden stores are disinfected and hence healthy. These soils are not likely to carry any disease or eggs of pests that could in the future attack your plants. Alternatively, you may use self-made organic composting methods, mulching and top-dressing of your soil with compost or natural fertilizer to grow healthy and vigorous plants.
    3. S EAWEED MULCH OR SPRAY
    Seaweed is a natural pest preventive; it also contains a number of trace elements such as barium, iron, calcium, zinc, sulfur and magnesium, which would ensure best growth in your plants. You may use seaweed fertilizer in mulch or spray form to ensure good growth and ensure that your plants have enough strength to resist disease.
    4. M INIMIZE I NSECT H ABITAT
    Keep the area where your indoor garden is clean for any type of dirt can easily become a breeding place for plant pests. Always use clean mulch.
    5. K EEP F OLIAGE D RY
    As much as possible, try keeping the foliage of your plants dry. Wet foliage attracts insects and fungus formation which will damage your plants.
    6. D ISINFECT
    Every time you touch a sick plant disinfect your hands before touching a healthy one. You also need to disinfect all your tools if you found any of your plants under attack of pests or any disease. This will prevent spreading the problem to other healthy plants.

T HREE M OST C OMMON P ESTS I N I NDOOR G ARDENS
    There are many pests out there, but the good thing about indoor gardens is that you would be able to leave most of them outside. Nonetheless, there are a few which would be able to get to your garden indoors, too. Here are the three most common among these:
    I. M ITES

    There are three types of mites that are commonly found in indoor gardens and these are spider mites, spotted mites and black mites. The mites are very small pests, but are powerful and very harmful for they live in colonies. These are in fact, one of the worst types of indoor garden pests. If they find the conditions suitable, you will have over 10,000 mites from just 10 in less than a month. Mites kill the plants by sucking their sap; they bite into veins of the leaves, mostly on the underside where they cannot be seen easily. As it is, they are so tiny in size that it is very difficult to see them until the plant shows symptoms of sickness.

    Closeup photo of a mite pest.
    The attacked leaves will have tiny dots on their underside if you care to look closely. Use magnifying glass when you are in doubt so you could make a correct diagnosis. Start your inspection by checking the undersides of the leaves; that is where they would colonize.
    2. T HRIPS

    Like mites, thrips too are so tiny that they are almost impossible to identify with the naked eye. This is why in most cases they go unnoticed until the plant wilts. Like mites, thrips too are sap-suckers. An important telltale sign is the shiny deposit they leave on the leaves of the plants. Unlike mites, which have a round shape, thrips are oval;  they look just like a grain of rice. A good thing about these pests is that they do not multiply as fast as the mites do.
    3. Fungus Gnats

    An adult fungus gnat.
    This insect is quite visible, even though it is small in size. It is easy to notice them because they would be flying around here and there. At the first glance, they appear to be totally black. It is important to know that this pest spends the first part of its life inside the soil.

    A fungus gnat larva.
    The gnat larvae’s first source of food is the roots of your  plants, and other organic matter they find inside the soil. This is why it is disinfected and made sterile before you pot your plants. Fortunately, the fungus gnats are happier with hydroponics than with soil. As soon as they mature into flying adults, they start laying more eggs