Potting soil is the preferred habitat of various pests. Among other things, whitish-grey animals can nest, which are usually springtails or root lice. Guests should be fought promptly to avoid damage to the plant.
Woodlice are actually very useful
Pest infestation in potted plants
If the potting soil is teeming with crawling creatures, it's time to take appropriate pest control measures immediately. It is an advantage if you know what soft animals you are dealing with.
Among other things, the following grey/whitish animals often occur:
- springtails
- root lice
- isopods
- sciarid larvae
springtails
They are annoying little gray and white animals that jump around on the ground, but do not endanger the plant. A diving bath drives the jumpers away. The procedure may need to be performed more frequently. Since the springtails avoid dry soil, sparing watering helps.
root lice
They damage the plant in the root area by sucking the plant sap. Root lice, like aphids, excrete honeydew drop by drop, attracting ants.
To combat it, pour tansy broth or wormwood tea. But it can also be repotted in fresh soil, which should always be loose and moist, as the lice prefer dry and compacted soil.
isopods
These are gray crustaceans that prefer a dark and damp habitat. They eat leaves and roots. Over a longer period of time, this leads to the death of the plant in the flower pot.
Since isopods are basically livestock, they feed on dead plant material and contribute to the formation of humus, you should avoid using chemical agents to combat them. With different feeding baits, e.g. B. a hollowed-out potato, the animals can be attracted overnight and released in the garden in the morning.
Fungus gnat larvae
These pests are widespread and always appear in large numbers. They love moist soil and bite into the plant roots. The affected plant loses its buds and the leaves wither.
In addition to various insecticides, which you should only use in an emergency, there are home remedies available to combat them. The easiest way is to repot the plant, carefully washing off all the roots. In the case of a severe infestation, the use of tobacco has proven its worth. This is worked into the potting soil and then poured abundantly. The procedure should be carried out over a week.