Sos pleas help with my ficus!!
I just woke up and saw many super tiny ants running around in my ficus' pot!!!
What can I do.
Is repotting the only option? I don't have another big pot like this one, and it's not growing season, so isn't repoting very risky? Thanks in advance
Im sure these aren't fly-like animals, they only crawl
What can I do.
Is repotting the only option? I don't have another big pot like this one, and it's not growing season, so isn't repoting very risky? Thanks in advance
Im sure these aren't fly-like animals, they only crawl
6ft to light, indirect
11” pot with drainage
Last watered 1 year ago
4
Hiiii!!! You can repot whenever! I just did my whole collection bc I’m barring pests & diseases!
Do you have neem oil or pesticide / fungicide? I would do a quick soap & water rinse w/neem oil + soap & water- submerge the whole plant upside down (yep even the soil, you’ll lose some but that’s ok). Then we’ll want to let dry and liberally apply neem oil or the pesticide spray here is what I use below - not this $400 option, but the brand. BEST OF LUCK!!
Do you have neem oil or pesticide / fungicide? I would do a quick soap & water rinse w/neem oil + soap & water- submerge the whole plant upside down (yep even the soil, you’ll lose some but that’s ok). Then we’ll want to let dry and liberally apply neem oil or the pesticide spray here is what I use below - not this $400 option, but the brand. BEST OF LUCK!!
DONT USE ANY PESTICIDES! I can’t see the picture clearly but I think you’re seeing springtails? They are super beneficial to all potted plants! They keep bacterial and fungal diseases at bay by breaking down decaying matter in the soil. ”fast=friend. Slow=foe” is a good way to help identify if what you see is potentially a pest or a beneficial organism. If what you’re seeing are tiny white or sometimes brown bugs that move very fast in the soil then yes it is likely the awesome springtails.. killing off such organisms in the soil by using insecticide will actually greatly increase the likelihood that your plant will contract and succumb to bacterial and or fungal infections originating or thriving in the soil. I made the mistake of doing exactly the above and literally lost all 40 of my houseplants to multiple simultaneous bacterial and fungal infections. ( attacked the plants internally via the roots because the lack of springtails and other beneficial organisms that usually feed on the bacteria and fungi populations in the soil were wiped out from my application of systemic insecticide) All my plants were battling thrips, spider mites, and lacewings after I had bought a new plant online that was infested with those pests. I failed to check it and isolate before putting it with all the others and by the time I identified what was happening, every single plant was affected. The traditional neem, alcohol and dish soap spray and basic topical insecticides did nothing-after research-very specific and very expensive chemical insecticides are the only things capable of eliminating advanced thrip and spider mite plant infestations. Long story short-let the springtails party on and don’t ever use systemic insecticide.