Winter is the season where you may be spending less time in the garden and more time inside, which makes it the perfect time to take care of your houseplants. However, despite being sheltered from the elements, houseplants can still face some issues, such as pests.
Gardening expert and TikTok creator Ish warned green thumbs about the danger posed to houseplants by black flies and fungus gnats. Fungus gnats are tiny, dark flies which thrive in moist soil where their larvae feed on fungi, decaying plants, and sometimes plant roots. Ish suggested a few simple steps to stop them “infesting” your houseplants this winter.
In a recent video, the first step Ish recommended is to avoid overwatering. Not only is overwatering bad for houseplants’ lifespan, it can make the perfect environment for flies to nest in.
Too much moisture in the soil and the warmth from households can be highly attractive to fungus gnats. By allowing them to fester, you can cause havoc for your plants, as well as potentially harm any weak plants or seedlings in winter.
To give your houseplants an extra layer of protection, Ish suggested adding some horticultural grit on top of the soil. This is usually made up of sharp, coarse gravel to help improve soil drainage, aeration, and structure of houseplants.
By layering on some of the grit, it can prevent flies and fungus gnats burrowing in the soil to lay their larvae, ultimately emerging back to the surface.
Lastly, Ish suggested using a natural method to keep the flies at bay, using neem oil. This is a natural plant-based pesticide, fungicidal, and bactericidal that can help protect plants from a variety of pests like aphids, spider mites, and whiteflies.
It can also be used to combat plant diseases such as powdery mildew and black spot. Neem oil will slow down the growth and development of pests.
Spray the oil on the soil generously. Ish explained that the results can be seen in “no time”.
While all of these methods will help to prevent black flies, it may be possible that you still see some pests roaming about your houseplants. In this case, Ish suggested placing some fly paper around your houseplants to prevent any stragglers that are trying to get away.
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