Pest battle with Chinese Evergreen — and how I won

I had a serious problem with fungus gnats in consistently damp potting compost on my Chinese Evergreen earlier this year. Caught it late and had to work hard to bring the plant back. The experience was frustrating but educational.

Now that it's healthy again I can fully appreciate wide range of forms, textures, and light requirements, which is remarkable. I've repositioned it in a bright indirect windowsill away from heating vents and improved my attention to repotting only when roots are visibly emerging from the drainage holes. summer growth needing more frequent watering and feeding was the proof that the plant had fully recovered — genuinely beautiful. Moral of the story: inspect regularly and catch problems early.