Which vermin can be found in the potting soil?
Introduced through infested potting soil, vermin can usually multiply over a long period of time. The infestation is discovered by chance. The most common vermin species in potting soil include:
- Sciarid gnats
- Lily Chicken
- Springtails
- Root mites
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Sciarid gnats
Small black flies lay their eggs in the potting soil, where after a while the whitish larvae develop and damage the plants.
Lily Chicken
Small, fiery red beetles buzz around the plant and lay their eggs in the potting soil. White larvae develop, which cause great damage to the leaves and stems of the flowers.
Springtails
If small animals hop around on the potting soil, they are springtails that reproduce strongly but cause little damage.
Root mites
The mites sit on the stem of the plant as well as in the earth. They damage the roots, bulbs or tubers of the plants.
Various damage images
Sciarid fly larvae damage the plant roots, which leads to the death of the plant.
The voracious larvae of the lily cockerel remove all sap from the leaves, which dry up and fall off. If there are no more leaves, the stem is sucked in.
Springtails usually feed on dead plant material and do no harm to the plant. If there is a lack of food, they will eat young greenery, but cause only minor damage.
Root mites damage plants when they appear in large numbers. The flowers and leaves of the plant droop, leaves turn yellow and fall off. Little by little, all parts of the plant dry up.
Control measures
First of all, home remedies should always be used. An insecticide kills the vermin quickly, other plants, animals and even humans are also affected by the poison.
Non-toxic, but effective means against vermin are:
- Yellow panels, they attract the animals, they stick and perish.
- Tobacco incorporated into the soil helps against fungus gnats.
- Nematodes, the roundworms, feed on the larvae of all vermin.
- Put soft soap (17.27 € at Amazon *) and 2 teaspoons of spirit in water, spray the plants dripping wet with it, helps against lily chickens.
- An immersion bath for the plant drives away springtails.
- Pouring wormwood tea helps against root mites.
