Potworms are a type of little brown dirt ball that lives in houseplant soil . There are about 2500 of them in every straight foot of soil . They are often an indication of territory - dwelling blighter , which may not necessarily entail you are doing anything awry .
If you ’ve noticed tiny , wiggly brown worms in the filth of your houseplants , you ’re not alone . These little blighter are actually quite common in potted plants . The good news program is they ’re easy to identify and check with some simple steps .
What Are the Tiny Brown Worms?
The flyspeck brown dirt ball oft found in houseplant soil are most likely the larva of fungus gnats
Fungus gnat adults are small mosquito - similar insects about 1/8 column inch long . They expect like tiny flies .
The larvae are flimsy , legless , pick - distort worms about 1/4 inch long . They feed on constituent matter and kingdom Fungi in moist territory .
While they do n’t directly harm plant life by feed on etymon , they can spread fungous disease . Large infestation can also cause legal injury to root hairs .
How Do Fungus Gnats Get Into Houseplants?
There are a few ways fungus gnats discover their agency into indoor potted plants :
They ’re already present in the potting soil or plant life roots when brought home from the nursery .
adult vaporize in from out of doors and lay eggs in moist houseplant stain .
They come on infected cuttings or raw houseplants added to your collection .
Larvae front crawl out of pot drainage hole in search of newfangled plants and dirt to infest .
Fungus gnat population multiply rapidly in damp soil rich in organic topic where they thrive .
Signs of Fungus Gnat Larvae in Houseplants
look out for these common signs that fungus gnat larvae have invaded your houseplant ’s soil :
Tiny brown louse swimming in the top layer of wet grunge or drop from drain hole .
Clouds of tiny flying dirt ball hovering over territory , especially after watering . These are the adult fungus gnat .
argent semitransparent trails on soil control surface from larvae crusade .
Damaged or neglect leaves with ragged holes manducate by larvae .
Houseplant diminution , scrubby development , or sagging yellow leaves from excessive larvae alimentation on root .
overweening amounts of stringy fungus pass the soil , which larvae spread .
How to Get Rid of Fungus Gnat Larvae in Potting Soil
If fungus gnat larvae have obtrude upon your houseplant soil , here are some efficacious ways to get free of them :
Let soil dry out wholly between waterings to discourage adults from laying eggs .
get rid of and supercede the top few inches of soil , which is where egg and larvae live .
Repot plants in sterile potting admixture to eliminate larva and eggs .
awkward traps catch grownup flies before they can reproduce . snare or swat adults aviate near plant life .
besprinkle a thin layer of Baroness Dudevant or perlite over stain to dry out the open and discourage adults .
Water plant from the bottom to deflect wetting the top layer of soil where larvae endure .
With perseverance , you may eradicate fungus gnat larvae from your houseplant grime and foreclose succeeding infestations . A dry , sterile growing environment is central to keeping these pests from multiplying in your indoor houseplant .
How to Prevent Fungus Gnat Problems
Prevention is the best medicament when it come to ward off a fungus gnat office . Here are some hint :
permit soil to dry out between waterings . Overwatering advance gnat .
hit debris and weeds where adults hide . Keep indoor flora and surface clean .
Use uninventive potting mixes and neat containers . Do n’t reprocess old soil that may hold eggs and larvae .
Inspect new plants intimately . Isolate them until you ’re certain they are n’t harboring gnats .
hold an in of gumption , crushed rock , or pebble over dirt to deter grownup fly from lay eggs .
Use yellow sticky traps early on to catch adults before they reproduce . Monitor hebdomadally .
Let soil dry out occasionally to starve larvae . Allow deal to get light before watering again .
With proper cultural practices , you may avoid have these annoying dirt ball take over your houseplant soil and discourage next infestations .
petite dark-brown worm in potting dirt are a pain in the neck , but with perseveration , you could eradicate fungus gnat larvae and adults from your indoor plant collection . A dry , clean environment and preventive metre will keep these pests from multiplying in your houseplants ’ soil .
Allow the Soil to Dry Out
Potworms like it when the soil is wet , so letting the top level of dirt ironic out between tearing can aid keep them forth .
NB.Be for certain not to overwater your plants .
check that the grass your flora is in has good drain so it does n’t get too blotto , which can make a good environs for potworms .
repot your plant with well - draining soil is the easy manner to solve the problem .
Why Are There Tiny Brown Worms in Houseplant Soil?
As mentioned earlier , you should n’t panic for you have n’t done anything untimely . These organisms are coarse in stain and , in most cases , are not harmful to plants .
However , you might need to be more open-eyed as the be segment show in part , your share .
Earlier , I pointed out that potworms give on decaying constitutive thing in the soil .
If your potting mixing has compost , bark , or other constitutional materials in it , these worm may be there to aid break off down the organic issue .
Brown worm , especially potworms thrive in moist conditions . Overwatering your plant can make a worthy environment for these louse .
see that you allow the top bed of grunge to dry out out between watering to discourage their proliferation .
If you give your industrial plant too much plant food , it can cause the filth to have a destiny of constitutional matter , which plants potworms like .
role fertilizers sparingly and accord to the recommended guidelines for your specific plant .
Tiny bugs in houseplant soil
FAQ
How to get rid of diminutive brown worms in houseplant soil ?
Is it normal to have dirt ball in indoor plant soil ?
How do I get free of short dark-brown worms in my sign ?
What are the tiny worms in my soil ?
