Bugs in soil in Pots

15 years ago

I want to plant peppers in pots like usual but usually I'll dump the soil from last year and buy new soil for the pots. However, I noticed tiny little crawling bugs in the soil.

1. Will those bugs die out or go away while peppers grow?

2. Should I take the chance and grow the peppers?

3. Is there something I can do to kill them to reuse the soil?

4. Should I just buy all new soil for the 20 pots I have?

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Comments (10)

jean001
15 years ago
Depends upon who they are.

Can you post images?
organicpepper_grower
15 years ago
I have flies in some of my pots to they dont do damage but the sure are annoying. I started foliar spraying my pepper plants with Seaboost and I noticed when I sprayed them the flies would fly away and since then I have very few flies. I do the same and try to reuse soil, 20pots I would reuse thats alot of soil to buy. One thing to do is let you old soil dry up completly this should kill eggs and larve, dont use a spray bottle to water either the moisture keeps them alive.
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Just as the leaves die back. I suppose that would be the time for you. Amazing how much variation in climate there is along the Gulf Coast. Of course you are not coastal, but I should have realized with talk of drought that you would perhaps have a drier winter too. Our winters here are rainy, foggy, sometimes around 40 but not always really cold--except last year was the worst in many years. With the sun low in the sky, it is easier to avoid sunshine on my garden--even though pecan trees lose their leaves to expose a lot of the garden area--by locating pots against fences, beneath evergreen shrubs, such as that. Yes, a saucer over the top sounds perfect, and protected from any heat. You want to keep them below 40 for as long as you can, Shaded for sure. I don't have the problem of anything being totally dry, which is a factor you must consider. I've heard folks say that they put a couple of ice cubes in the pots now and again, but haven't resorted to that here. Since your hosta in pots is a manageable number, it should be easy to keep tabs on them. Perhaps BK can advise on the dry winters....not something I have to deal with. I am amused with the image I'm getting of you going out to check your pots, picking up the saucers and asking, "How are you guys doing out here. Everything okay?"
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These little critters are jus a okay for ur potted plants or ur garden. They eat decayin matter bacteria n r a sign ur a Great. Gardener! Please dont hurt ur pots or lawn w pesticides, the critters come out after watering, trading bad materials into wonderful nutrients.They r springtails u have as do I. Iv done alot of research on mites bugs n all gardening treasure trove of info from natural remedies to plant communication. Last one i kno sounds nuts but its been researched n proven that every blade of grass, flower,moss,fungus, tree are all connected underground in a mass communicating network rivaling our own internet. The insects n animals tapp in to plants chemical convos n can benefit or wreak havoc. Urs mites r just taking care of what the plants n garden r communicating, nourishing the soil n eating invasive bacteria n other mites.
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I purchased this beautiful majesty palm from Wal-Mart.I t was shipped from Florida, im in Massachusetts. I just fell in love with it. Three weeks later I've come to find that there's a variety of bugs in the soil!!!! I found a dead centipede, live snails, a millipede and who knows what else is in there. I researched the plant after getting it and I read that this plant is an attraction to mealy bugs and spider mites but I have yet to see those. I have four lovely and thriving plants of my own purchased from grocery stores and I've never had this problem, ever. I'm thinking of washing the plant in soap and water and maybe some insecticide and repotting it this weekend. Should I do this or just get rid of it? Any suggestions? I love this plant.
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naturalstuff
Original Author
15 years ago
Ok, I'll post some images later but last year I saw them when it got warmer. Not sure if they'll be there now. I just wanted to prepare myself. :) Stay tuned.

If I remember correctly, they had white on them.
jtrux
15 years ago
I had problems with one of my NTR peppers. Seemed the soil got infested with bugs, don't know where they came from b/c I used fresh potting soil, and it only affected that one plant. I tried Neam oil but it only got rid of them for a day or so. I dusted them with Viper dust (an insecticiedal dust similar to Sevin dust but safer), (plants soil and all), never saw the bugs again. Hope this helps.

Jeremy
tn_veggie_gardner
15 years ago
jtrux: Were they by any chance some type of mite? I had the same problem last year with mites that prevented me from growing a single pepper off my 11 plants. I think I may have to look for this Viper dust. Where did you buy it/can you buy it? Thanks - Steve
spencersmom
15 years ago
Did they look like little gnats? I have them too and yeah, they are just annoying. What I did was take an idea from a Canadian product called Stiky Sticks... I took a craft stick and wrapped fly paper around it a couple times then stuck them randomly in the cups. It's less obvious you have fly paper everywhere and the bugs go right to it.

I will say.. it's a very, very sticky project and be mindful of where the sticks are placed.. lest one gets caught in your hair as you are tending to your plants.

Not that it happened to me of course.. someone I know ;)
User
15 years ago
LOL Erin,

RightÂ "Not that it happened to me of course", I believe you ;-))

So, did you get the gnats under control?

Some of my Sticky Sticks are pretty much black with gnats. IÂd post a shot but itÂs disgusting. I canÂt believe how reproductive the buggers are. TheyÂre worse than rabbits!

Bill
smokemaster_2007
15 years ago
Use Mosquito dunks in your water.
Gets rid of soil born critters for me.

Use anything with this in it.- Bacillus thuringienis ssp. israelensis.
Not a poison...

I keep a gal. of water with one of the dunks floaring in it and it keeps the bugs away.Water the plants with so often.I put the used ones crumbled up in my soil mixes.

Here is a link that might be useful: example of moaquito dunks
jtrux
15 years ago
Steve,
The bugs I had looked like a cross between a flea and weavels (like found in old rice/flour, not sure what they were. thay swarmed out of the soil and seems to crawl all over the plant. The Viper dust was bought at a local nursery. It got rid of them with in a day, and I never saw them again. I did a quick search on google and found this link, although this is not where i obtained it. Good luck

Jeremy

Here is a link that might be useful: viper dust
promethean_spark
15 years ago
They're probably okay. Healthy soil has critters in it... Usually they're only a problem with small seedlings.

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Bugs in soil in Pots

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jean001

organicpepper_grower

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naturalstuff
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jtrux

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spencersmom

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