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bugs in house plant soil
bugs in house plant soil
Posted by stacey
from south carolina
on 2007-05-11 09:58:00
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Bugs in plant soil
I don't know what kind of flying bug you have in your plant unless it is gnats. Gnats will sometimes gather around soil when the soil is very moist. What I do for mites and gnats is to mix dishwashing detergent into some water and pour over top of soil. It does not hurt the plant and you will not have the smell of using some kind of insecticide. If some of the gnats fly away, I would spray them with household bug spray.
Posted by Janet from Virginia on 2007-06-10 03:06:00
Good Luck-
GNATS!!!!!!!!!
I have gnats and I have sprayed which has cost me $30.00 and I still have them, I've tried dishsoap and that didn't work. THEY ARE DRIVING ME NUTS!!!!!!! They are ALL over the place and I don't know what to do. HELP!!!!!!!!
Posted by Jeannie (jeanniek459@gmail.com) from Lyons, Il on 2008-01-11 05:13:00 -
bugs in plant dirt
Hi...I've also noticed bugs in the soil only when I go to water the plant. Then they come out aroung the edge of the pot and fly. I found the dishwashing soap interesting and I'll try that to see if it works. Any other advice would be appreciated. What ever this is it's really making my plant struggle to live. And I've already changed the dirt once and that when I got the knats or what ever they are. Help :o)
Posted by Betty from Arizona on 2007-07-07 07:38:00-
Bugs in -plant dirt
You are not alone. I also notice them when I water my plants. It is very annoying and makes me wonder. I have lost two plants now. I would like to try the dishwashing soap...a little hesitant though. I have heard of baking the soil in high temperatures to destroy the eggs/pests. Has anyone else heard of this remedy? I have gnats and what looks to be white mites...Help I ask! :O{
Posted by Annabelle from New York on 2007-08-18 03:48:00 -
bugs
That is interesting about the dish detergent.
Posted by Jennifer from CT on 2007-08-17 10:58:00
Those teeny tiny bugs are gnats or fleas. The reason it happens is because commercial potting soil in the US is not made well.
These tiny menaces continue through the winter and re-multiply about every 4 weeks.
The best product I have used is a spray that contains African chrysanthmum as it's main ingredient. It can be gotten at a nursery.
The alternative, the nursery owner told me is to quite literally place a flea collar around the plant. Not practical for me. I have too many plants. I have used the spray. It works! On contact. And does not harm animals, foods humans etc.
The down side is that you MUST spray the gnat as it rises out of the soil. To just spar the soil does no good. You gotta get 'em as they fly up. What I do is have the spray in one hand as i water the plant in the other. As the miserable things fly up I zap them. It is TEDIUS! But it works.
Another alternative is to locate what the professional rent a plant people do who take care of plants in offices etc.. It's a small yellow paper, about the sizew of a post it. It is covered w/ a sticky substance. As the gnats fly up, the paper, stuck in the soil catches them. Good luck!
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