Let X be the blow-up of the projective plane in a finite set of points in very general position. We show that X has only standard autoequivalences, no nontrivial Fourier-Mukai partners, and admits no spherical objects. Further, we show that the same result holds if X is a blow-up of finitely many points in a minimal surface of nonnegative Kodaira dimension which contains no (-2)-curves. Independently, we characterize spherical objects on blow-ups of minimal surfaces of positive Kodaira dimension.