Same answer I left on the fig forum:

Pest infestations depend largely on cultural conditions and the tree's state of energy reserves. Those plants that are given good light & reasonable humidity see far fewer infestations of any consequence. Also, those plants that enjoyed a summer vacation outdoors will have plenty of stored energy to help them resist pests and get them through the winter. While scale and mites can be a problem, vital trees usually shrug them off and applications of cold-pressed neem or horticultural oil at regular intervals will go a long, long way toward keeping the plant pest free over winter.
Al

See if there are any people who do interscaping in your area and contact them for suggestions. There are some good systemic insecticides available for people to use indoors on non-edible plants.
I don't think the health of the plant has anything to do with it. If it has bugs, healthy or not, it has bugs. Even a healthy plant will sometimes get bugs on it for no apparent reason. I don't think you can "health" a plant into such good shape that scale will just quit being on it.

I can explain the mechanics/physiology of what I said, but can you explain why you "think" vitality levels (health) don't play into pathogen/insect resistance?

Al

When insects attack (should make a good TV show) .....

..... plants mount a number of genetically encoded responses to the wounding, ALL of which require energy allocation. In plant cells, there are genes that control proteins functioning in defense, sending defense signals, altering metabolism, controlling cellular maintenance, and regulating photosynthesis, as well as many genes of unknown function. In short, plant energy reallocation is prioritized in the plant's own defense, & other things, like every day metabolism and photosynthesis are put on the back burner.

When wounding occurs (insect attack) there is a "wound response" that occurs both at the site of injury as well as distally (in other plant parts). Plants can even differentiate between the wounds of a pin and those of insects and react in different fashion to the "attack". Without getting more technical, the plant produces various anti-feedants, anti-metabolites, and toxins that make the insects feel pretty unwelcome - as long as the plant is in good vitality, which means growing strongly, or has high energy reserves. In other words, as long as the plant is in good health. Stressed or strained plants cannot quickly or efficiently respond and ward off insect attack.

The speed with which the response occurs, and the effectiveness of the defense response are also both energy driven, so it should be no surprise that plants grown indoors under constant stress are highly susceptible to insect marauders. If you want to keep the bugs away - your first line of defense should not be to reach for a systemic poison, but to keep your plants growing with as much vitality as possible, which is a cultural - not a chemical thing. ;o)

Al

Sandy, I must cordially disagree. I've been keeping houseplants for about five years. All of my plants are healthy and I've NEVER had a single pest, ever. Not a scale, mite, fungus gnat, or mealy bug. I fertilize enough to keep the plants happy but not enough to encourage fast growth. These plants aren't meant to grow this way indoors and will inevitably acquire some sort of pest under such circumstances. Try to keep your plant healthy by limiting their growth. It will help you and your plants.

Plants always do their best to grow, even under adverse cultural and nutritional conditions. We really can't limit growth, except by introducing deficiencies of light, water, or nutrients, or introducing a pathogen (includes nutrient excesses) that interferes with metabolism. This creates growth-inhibiting stress, and a plant that is not growing, is dying. Plants faithfully try to limit or increase growth according to internal clocks (circadian/endogenous rhythms) while they try to deal with the hand that we (or nature) have dealt them.

What we should strive for is to have the right balance of all essential nutrients in the soil at all times, available for plant uptake as needed. This will lead to the least amount of stress and the best vitality.

Surprisingly enough - this ability to keep all the nutrients available while limiting the amount of salts that accumulate during periods of slow growth comes full circle to, and is most greatly affected by, soil choice.

How many would have believed that insect infestations could so heavily be affected by the choice of what we grow in? Something to think about, hmm?

Al

i have been dealing with houseplants for over 20 years.

what we have to keep in mind is that these plants (as many have mentioned), especially tropicals, are being grown in unnatural conditions. the high humidity and frequent rain in nature cannot be replicated indoors unless one keeps 5 humidifiers going 24/7.

i simply wanted to know, under the optimal indoor conditions in which i keep my plants (full eastern sun; misted frequently; well watered & fed, etc.) if the fig is more or less prone to pests than other houseplants.

Even if you had asked that question originally, it's very difficult to answer. Are pigeons faster than other birds? Am I more apt to fall ill tomorrow than other people? All plants found indoors are growing under unnatural conditions as very few occur there naturally. ;o)

Full eastern sun isn't really ideal for over-wintering Ficus w/o supplemental lighting, and misting actually closes stoma for quite some time, which slows/stops photosynthesis and actually has a weakening effect on plants.

That said, even if properly watered, and with a good nutrition supplementation program, figs fall somewhere in the middle third of indoor-grown plants in their propensity to collect bugs. As noted above - it's a cultural thing. What would be wrong wrong with a little prophylactic intervention to help ease your angst?

Al

"Figs fall somewhere in the middle third of indoor-grown plants in their propensity to collect bugs."

THANK YOU! there's an answer i like. of course i'll take preventative measures against pests.

obviously all plants are different. we could go on for hours about the minutiae and quirks of each fig in each climate zone in each home in each city in every window for every person that owns a fig.

thank you all for your suggestions!