How to deal with the presence of small insects in flowerpots
An article about how to deal with small insects in flowerpots, here we will learn together.
Many plant enthusiasts become concerned when they find small insects in their flowerpots. These insects not only affect the appearance but may also harm the health of the plants. This article will introduce the common pests found in flowerpots, their危害 manifestations, effective control methods, and preventive measures to help you solve this gardening problem completely.
### Part One: Common Pests and Their Hazards in Flowerpots1. Aphids: Gather on the back of tender leaves,吸食 sap causing leaves to curl and turn yellow, their honeydew also induces sooty mold disease.2. Spider Mites: Microscopic mites, leaves show yellow-white spots, severe cases result in web formation and leaf drop.3. Whiteflies: Small white insects that fly off when disturbed, causing leaves to turn yellow and spread viral diseases.4. Scale Insects: Wax-like insects attached to stems, causing growth stagnation or even withered branches.5. Small Black Flies (Fungus Gnats): Larvae eat roots, adults spread diseases, small jumping insects can be seen on the soil surface.6. Ants: Carry aphids and protect their symbiosis, destroying soil structure.
### Part Two: Physical Removal Methods1. Manual Capture: Use tape to remove aphids, use a toothbrush to brush off scale insects. Effective when the number of insects is low.2. Water Rinse: Use a strong jet of water to rinse the undersides of leaves weekly, pay special attention to new shoots, continuous application for 3 times can reduce 80% of the pest population.3. Isolation Treatment: Immediately move infested plants away from healthy ones to prevent cross-contamination.4. Yellow and Blue Sticky Boards: Hang 2-3 per square meter, most effective against flying insects like whiteflies and thrips.
### Part Three: Homemade Eco-friendly Insecticides1. Garlic Chili Water: Soak 50g of minced garlic and 5 chili peppers for 48 hours, dilute the filtered solution 10 times and spray, repels aphids and spider mites.2. Tobacco Extract: Soak 3 cigarette butts for 24 hours, mix with 500ml of water and spray, nicotine is effective against soft-bodied pests.3. Dishwashing Liquid Solution: 1ml of neutral dishwashing liquid + 500ml of water, destroys the waxy layer of pests causing dehydration and death.4. Wood Ash Soak: 100g of wood ash + 1L of water, stir and let stand, use the supernatant to灌根 control underground pests.5. Essential Oil Spray: 10 drops of peppermint oil + 5ml of alcohol emulsified, then add 500ml of water, repels various pests.
### Part Four: Precise Chemical Control1. Imidacloprid: Systemic insecticide, dilute 2000 times with water and pour at the roots, apply once every 7 days for 2 times, effective against piercing-sucking mouthparts pests.2. Abamectin: Biopesticide for insects and mites, use 1500 times solution for red spider mites, spray on both sides of the leaves.3. Dinotefuran: 15% granules, apply 3g per pot buried in soil, long-term control of small black fly larvae and safe for pets.4. Mineral Oil: Spray 200 times emulsified oil in early spring, physically blocks the breathing holes of overwintering eggs.
Notes: Rotate pesticides to prevent resistance, avoid rain for 6 hours after application to protect beneficial insects like bees.
### Part Five: Key Steps for Soil Treatment1. High-Temperature Disinfection: Expose potting soil to sunlight for 3-5 days or bake at 120℃ for 30 minutes to kill eggs.2. Soil Mixed with Pesticides: Mix 1g of dinotefuran granules per liter of soil before potting for continuous pest control.3. Organic Improvement: Add 5% diatomaceous earth to enhance physical pest resistance and adjust soil pH to 6.5, which is unfavorable for pest reproduction.4. Pot Surface Covering: Use 1cm thick fine river sand or volcanic stone particles to block the egg-laying channels of adults.
### Part Six: Biological Control Ecological Solutions1. Release Natural Enemies: Introduce 3-5 predatory mites per pot to control spider mites, ladybug larvae have an amazing efficiency in eating aphids.2. Companion Plants: Intercropping mint to repel aphids, marigold root secretions inhibit nematodes.3. Application of EM Bacteria: Water with a 500 times diluted solution weekly, promoting beneficial microbial communities to suppress pathogens.
### Part Seven: Daily Maintenance Preventive Measures1. Reasonable Watering: Keep the topsoil dry for 2cm before watering to avoid high humidity that breeds pests.2. Scientific Fertilization: Control the amount of nitrogen fertilizer and increase potassium fertilizer to enhance plant resistance to pests.3. Regular Inspection: Focus on the undersides of new leaves, tender shoots, and soil surface where pests are prone to appear.4. Tool Disinfection: Wipe pruning tools with 75% alcohol to avoid cross-contamination of eggs.5. Space Management: Maintain a ventilation distance of more than 15cm between potted plants and promptly clean up fallen leaves and flowers.
Research shows that the incidence of pests in potted plants is closely related to the method of maintenance. Adopting a strategy of prevention first and comprehensive control can reduce pest occurrence by more than 70%. Timely treatment of early symptoms of pest infestation (such as leaf discoloration, honeydew secretion, etc.) can significantly reduce the difficulty of control. It is recommended to establish a maintenance log, record the time and effect of pesticide application, and gradually form a control plan suitable for your own environment.
The above is the specific content on how to deal with small insects in flowerpots, for everyone's reference and operation.