Insects of all kinds live in any normal potting soil. Most animals are useful, do not attract attention and do not harm the plants. However, some insects or their larvae damage the flowers. Therefore, you should fight insects in the flower pot as much as possible. Many home remedies are just as good as insecticides.

Fungus gnats can be fought well with yellow boards

Which insects can be found in the flowerpot?

From the large number of crawling and flying insects that occur, only two very common pests should be mentioned here. A comprehensive list is beyond the scope:

  • fungus gnats
  • springtails

Fungus gnats in the flower pot

They look like small flies (3-4 mm in size) and often appear in winter. The mosquitoes are not dangerous for the plant in the pot, they are simply annoying for people because they fly around in masses.
The maggot-shaped larvae of the fungus gnats, which live in the potting soil, are harmful to the plant. They eat seedlings and young plants and are carriers of fungi and other plant diseases. You can recognize an infestation when the plant grows poorly, buds do not develop or leaves dry up.

Fight fungus gnats

One way to combat fungus gnats is to not keep the potting soil too moist. It is best to cover the soil with a layer of bird sand. Another home remedy is garlic cloves, which you put in the ground.
20 drops of tea tree oil in 1 liter of irrigation water drive away the fungus gnats, cinnamon powder on the surface of the soil keeps the females from laying eggs.
In fact, one should try these home remedies before resorting to an insecticide.

Springtails in the flower pot

These are tiny white or gray critters that jump up from the potting soil when watering. They nest in the root ball of the plant and love moist potting soil and high humidity. They eat dead organic material, sometimes the young plant shoots as well. First and foremost, however, they show that the flower is being cared for incorrectly. As always, too much moisture is involved. If the potting soil is too wet, the roots will rot and the springtails will have a richly laid table.

You can fight the springtails by repotting the flower as soon as possible. The old soil should be disposed of with the residual waste. If the watering behavior is also changed (always only a little water, let the surface of the soil dry out), the springtails should disappear.

Category:

Garden design