Question
In Washington, DC, I have a gardenia plant that lives outside in the spring, summer, and inside in the fall, winter. I'm just waiting to take it outside until it warms up. It's full of buds but they're all covered in webs. Should I go ahead and get it outside or treat it with something?

Answer
Hi Woody,

Love the DC area.  I lived in Burke, Va. myself years ago.

It sounds as though your gardenia may be infested with spider mites, a common house plant problem.  Gardenias are very susceptible to spider mites, which cause tiny webs on the undersides of leaves and at leaf junctions with the stems. (Another way to detect spider mites is to hold a sheet of white paper under a branch, tap the branch onto the paper, then fold the paper in half and press or rub together. If you see little red, blue or brown smears, those are spider mites.) A product called Neem can also be used to treat for spider mites. Follow product instructions for application.

Once outdoors, you can spray them off with a strong blast from the hose (do this daily until they're under control). The problem is usually taken care of when the plant is moved outdoors as the normal predators quickly take care of them.