When selecting artificial plants for your home, one thing to be mindful of is how they fit into your space and what changes they make.
With artificial plants, you can afford to create a natural environment in your home without exposing it to different insects attracted to plants.
Although, if you’re a nature lover, having a feel of it in your home is a normal feeling that fake plants can satisfy; this may make you wonder if they attract bugs.
Fake plants do not attract bugs for apparent reasons; they’re fake and do not contain what attracts bugs in natural plants. Fake Plants are mostly made of plastic, rubber, or fabric, which are all inorganic and unattractive to bugs as opposed to organic plants with natural scents and nectar that endear bugs.
Do Artificial Plants Attract Bugs?
Artificial plants do not attract bugs because they’re made of inorganic materials like plastic, artificial fiber, and silk which aren’t attractive to bugs.
The plants may look attractive to the human eye because of aesthetics, but bugs do not care about how beautiful they appear as long as they’re not organic.
When thinking of decorating your home with artificial plants and still keeping away the bugs, worry less because the chemicals used in producing these fake plants are repelling the bugs.
Also, bugs aren’t just attracted to plants based on their appearance but for what they stand to gain, which in many cases is the nectar of the plants.
Although there are times when you can find insects like spiders, mites, or ants, it is not necessarily that the plants attract them.
It could mean that they found it a haven for reproduction since the leaves and branches have dark corners where you can’t see them.
In most cases where insects are hovering around your fake plants, it could mean that it needs cleaning since untidy areas also attract insects.
Do Fake Flowers Attract Insects?
Like every other artificial plant, fake flowers do not attract insects because they’re made of plastic or synthetic fiber.
These materials do not produce any moisture or food for insects and therefore have no value to the insects.
Even though the green leaves can attract some insects that are color sensitive, they do not last for long and cannot be said to be attracted to the plant itself.
Insects perch on organic flowers because of the value it offers them, like moisture, nectar, and food, and some use it as a comfortable habitat to lay their eggs.
While fake plants are only suitable for their beauty, it adds to your home, making them less beneficial to many insects in need of moisture and food.
You may find some insects hiding in tiny dark spaces of your artificial flower, probably because it is dusty and needs cleaning.
Comparing the differences between fake and organic flowers will give you a better understanding of why insects gravitate towards organic flowers and are now attracted to fake flowers.
The solution to many people’s Cons about organic flowers is having artificial plants in one corner of their room.
So they can afford to have a semblance of organic flowers without dealing with the stress of maintenance and the worry of an allergic reaction from a guest.
Which Plants Repel Bugs?
The smell of some organic plants can’t be a bug repellent in your home. These plants contain essential oils that evaporate when exposed to heat and, in the process, repel bugs.
There are different types of big repellents but here are common ones you can find at local supermarkets.
#1. Basil
Basil is known to repel flea beetles and mosquitoes. It contains four different volatile compounds; estragole, citronellal, limonene, and nerolidol. Which, when excited, gives off a smell that some insects can’t stand.
#2. Lavender
Lavender may be a favorite flower for many people, but it is a nightmare for insects like mosquitoes and flies.
So while some people use it as a decorative plant, others use it to prevent insects from hovering around their homes.
It is common to see lavender in many homes because of its ability to repel insects rather than beautify the house.
#3. Lemongrass
Lemongrass is another plant we don’t discuss as much as we should. It may not be among the most attractive plants to use for decoration, but it does an excellent job of keeping insects away.
In addition, it is a significant supplier of citronella oil, which is used in many insect repellents.
#4. Lemon Thyme
This rare herb is most effective in repelling mosquitoes when crushed. The plant is highly adaptive and can grow well on both rocky and wet grounds.
#5. Mint
Mint may be everyone’s favorite toothpaste flavor because it smells fresh, but it is a good mosquito repellent.
It smells mild until you boil it in water and use it to spray the corners that harbor mosquitoes.
#6. Rosemary
Rosemary plant is known for adding sweet flavor to food; what many people don’t know is that, beyond just that, it is a good insect repellent.
You’ll have a homemade insect repellent by simply boiling dry rosemary leaves.
Should I Keep Fake Plants In My House?
Fake plants are your best option if you love to have a feel of nature in your house without dealing with insects and allergies.
They may not be organic and probably don’t smell like flowers for apparent reasons, but they’re still as bright and beautiful as organic plants. Best still, you’ll have value for your money since they last for long years.
Keeping fake plants in the house gradually replaces organic plants because they make having plants around much easier and less messy.
Unlike the natural plants, which require you to water them regularly, you won’t be watering your fake plants and do not need to clean up spilled water.
Also, you can freely host guests without worrying about their reactions to the plants because some people are allergic to flowers.
Except for personal or spiritual reasons, fake plants will serve you better when adding beauty to your home without stress. Besides, they are made especially for indoor decorations.
How to Keep Bugs Away From Indoor Plants
If you’re opting for organic plants, rest assured that you’ll deal with bugs and lots of insects because natural plants attract insects.
So while it will be easier to have fake plants, your choice of having natural plants is still valid and should be a priority for your home.
Here are some tips for keeping bugs away from your indoor plants;
- Regularly spray insect repellents on your plants. You can make a DIY insect repellent by boiling leaves of the repelling plants and spraying or purchasing some of the extracted prays with citronellal oil as its main ingredient.
- Use sticky traps to capture the insects. This is very effective for trapping tough insects that may be resistant to the sprays.
- Use soil toppers to prevent the bugs from laying eggs in the soil. Some bugs enjoy moist environments and, therefore, do not live on the plant but in the soil.
- Use essential oils made from any of the bug-repellent plants like mint, basil, or lavender.
- A mixture of garlic and onion can effectively repel insects.
- Neem oil is also effective for keeping bugs away from your plant.
- Use physical barriers. You may have a show glass to protect your plant from insects. Even with this, you may still have to regularly clean up the space where the plants are kept and remove any foreign plants that can hide the insects.
Artificial Plants will not always require you to spray insect repellents to keep bugs away from them; simple routine maintenance to dust it will prevent insects from using it as a habitat.
But with natural plants, you must be creative with keeping insects away from them.
For example, you can keep some of the bug-repellent plant’s side by side with your desired plant or regularly use oils from these plants to keep off the bugs.
Conclusion
Fake plants are like improved versions of natural plants; they serve the same purpose of making your home beautiful without you worrying about bugs crawling around your house.
However, the idea that organic is always the best does not apply to indoor plants; artificial plants are ideal, especially if you don’t want to deal with insects.