How to rid rosemary plants of bugs

Rosemary is also largely pest-resistant, because its fragrant oils protect it from tiny predators. Some of the pests you might encounter are spider mites, mealy bugs, scales, aphids, or spittle bugs.

For scales, aphids, and spittle bugs, a good spray of water from the garden hose is all that’s needed. You can also clip off scale-infested plant tips. For mealy bugs, spray the plants with water or pyrethrum soap.

Insects that suck plant sap are more prevalent where you’ve used too much nitrogen fertilizer, so you can avoid most insect problems by fertilizing properly—remember, rosemary needs little fertilizer to keep it happy.

Do pests attack your rosemary plants every year? How do you handle removing them—and even preventing them in the first place? Please tell us how you treat your rosemary plants to avoid pests.