Natural house plant bug treatment
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Some of my house plants have a bug in the dirt like a fruit fly? I think I brought it home in another plant from a green house. Does anyone have a natural way to get rid of them. They seem to thrive on watering them, but I can't not water them. I tried a store bought bug spray, and it killed the plant.
5 answers
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You may be able to take care of the problem by submerging the pot in water, letting it sit for 10 or 15 minutes, then allowing it to drain. Commercial insecticidal sprays applied according to label directions are generally safer for plants than home remedies because they have been tested for their safety and efficacy. You should always start with the least strong control possible, which is usually an insecticidal soap or neem oil.
Douglas Hunt
on Nov 17, 2013
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It's a little late in the season, but a plant care person gave me a fantastic palm one time that had bugs. She said just take it home and let it rain on it a couple of times. It worked. I guess the rain is the same thing as soaking it in water. And we have been plagued with those fruit fly type things this year! My son finally got a sticky strip and paper clipped some banana peel to it to attract them...within a week the strip was covered and the bugs were gone!
Jeanette S
on Nov 18, 2013
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Thank you, it is to cold here to leave outside right now. I will try the banana peel. I tried the vinegar and soap, but that didn't work.
Sue Brookover-Stilwell
on Nov 18, 2013
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You can also try Neem oil. The plants uptake it (it's non-toxic to mammals), and it will disrupt the life cycle of the insect that eats it. If you don't use it as a soil amendment, you can use it as a spray, but you need to spray daily for about two weeks.
Kelp4Less
on Nov 19, 2013
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One option to consider would be vegetable oil soap. The soap suffocates the bugs but doesn't hurt the plants. Apply it via a sprayer. I have also heard of using soap suds (e.g. dishing washing suds) to suffocate the bugs.
SheilaShrubs.com
on Nov 20, 2013
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