I keep seeing bugs around my spider plants. So far they h...
2ft to light, direct
6β pot with drainage
Last watered 2 weeks ago
12
@I_AM_HOUSEPLANT theyβre black, oval-ish, theyβve got wings, and they might hang in the soil but theyβre mostly around the pot and leaves. I think theyβre fruit flies? I just donβt know if thereβs a natural way to get rid of them, or if chemicals are the best option.
@Booksandplants3 you could try neem oil for a few weeks, itβs a natural insecticide but make sure to read the label before you spray it. Otherwise, you might end up burnt leaves like me.οΏΌοΏΌ
I bought an all natural pesticide on Amazon and itβs worked beautifully for fruit flies, spider mites and even mold. Itβs completely pet and kids safe and smells lovely. Itβs called mighty mint and it comes with a microfiber towel, multiple sizes too! Iβve recommended it to so many people. I hope you try it out, best of luck!
That is fungus gnat they are sooo annoying and tend to show up for most plant parents durning fall/ winter. Fortunately they generally do not hurt the plant unless it is a very young seedling. The larvae π live in moist soil. Since youβre looking for a natural way to get rid of them you can use a peroxide mix just the normal kind you buy for yourself and can find anywhere itβs really cheap but the 3% kind. Use a 4:1 ratio 4 parts water mixed with 1 part peroxide. Then water as usual. It will kill the larvae and eggs. Do this weekly for around 3 weeks. That way you get the life cycle covered. This is because the ones flying will still make eggs so you want to kill the eggs and larvae so fungus gnats donβt form. That is really all you need. Also, since itβs a spider plant allow the soil to dry out before you water again. A spider plant will be fine with that is has tubers below the soil that hold extra water. π¦ The fungus gnat looks for moist soil to lay their eggs.
This also has the added bonus of aerating and adding extra oxygen to the soil. Also killing off any fungus or bacteria in your pot so itβs a win win and is harmless to you and pets!
This also has the added bonus of aerating and adding extra oxygen to the soil. Also killing off any fungus or bacteria in your pot so itβs a win win and is harmless to you and pets!
I also want to add that your soil looks very heavy for a spider plant which may give you problems with rot in the future.
Iβve had mine for over 20 years and they like a chonky soil. For mine I use
1 part peat moss
1 part perlite
4 parts bark
You can use your soil but be sure to add something chunky to aid in air circulation I always suggest perlite to have on hand it cheap and lightweight. If you can add about 50% perlite for this plant, if you can afford perlite I get it pebbles will even work from your yard street etc. you can wash them really good in the sink or even soak them in the peroxide mix and then add them in. Itβs just a suggestion for a happy plant πͺ΄
Iβve had mine for over 20 years and they like a chonky soil. For mine I use
1 part peat moss
1 part perlite
4 parts bark
You can use your soil but be sure to add something chunky to aid in air circulation I always suggest perlite to have on hand it cheap and lightweight. If you can add about 50% perlite for this plant, if you can afford perlite I get it pebbles will even work from your yard street etc. you can wash them really good in the sink or even soak them in the peroxide mix and then add them in. Itβs just a suggestion for a happy plant πͺ΄
It sounds like gnats (ugh! But not as UGH as thrips! Lol they're annoying but they won't damage an established plant particularly).
Shannon @SuperbRaspfern) has you got tips on getting rid of them! My only addition would be... Keep going longer than you think you need to (coz if you miss one, you're back to step one eventually!), use sticky traps to catch the adults, ground cinnamon sprinkled on the soil kills the natural fungus that they eat, cut back on watering a little (they LOVE damp soil!!) and treat ALL your plants... They fly so they spread.
Best of luck! Xx
Shannon @SuperbRaspfern) has you got tips on getting rid of them! My only addition would be... Keep going longer than you think you need to (coz if you miss one, you're back to step one eventually!), use sticky traps to catch the adults, ground cinnamon sprinkled on the soil kills the natural fungus that they eat, cut back on watering a little (they LOVE damp soil!!) and treat ALL your plants... They fly so they spread.
Best of luck! Xx
I had gnats super bad my first year as a plant parent. I too used peroxide. The only other thing I added was a layer of, 1/4 sand to the top of the soil to act as a barrier. Then a layer of aquarium gravel/rocks atop that. It worked - but it definitely took longer than expected to get rid of them. More like 2 to three months for me. But I had 25 plants with gnats. π€¦π»ββοΈ I called my place the gnat hotel. I now have a blue light machine with sticky pads. It comes on automatically at night. Well worth the investment.
I would recommend mosquito dunks. Get the ones in a disc form. Let one soak in water (maybe in the watering can itself) for around an hour or so. Or longer, doesnβt matter really. Water your plants with this every time you water. Water like usual but use this water. It kills the larva and will break the cycle. Eventually they will be gone. Also helps to have sticky traps in them to catch the adults. It will go faster that way. You can get the dunks on Amazon. Itβs pretty cheap!