Need help with pest infestation!!!

10 years ago

Since December, I've become very interested in succulents, and have rapidly expanded my little indoor garden. Recently, I've been fighting off a fungus fly infestation. The flies are mostly gone (one or two still flying around), but I've noticed that my plants still aren't doing so well. Upon closer inspection, I found little tiny bugs, particularly around one of my worst-off plants. I suspect it's spider mites, but I'm not positive (there are no webs, nothing under leaves). The bugs seem to reside in the soil and bases of stems. I want to treat this infestation aggressively to get rid of them quick. I don't think my succulents can hold off much longer! Over the past week, I have been spraying with Neem Oil and an insecticide from Nature's Care. I am not seeing any results yet--the bugs are still crawling around in the sprayed soil. Should I try something new, or keep going with my current treatment? I am willing to try almost ANYTHING.

Featured Answer

rina_Ontario,Canada 5a

10 years ago

I don't use it, so can't comment from experience. But it possibly contains lots of peat and could be water retaining.

Adding anything on top doesn't help, you need to mix ingredients to make well draining mix. And I would not use sand either, it is too fine and clogs up drainage even more (unless it is a coarse sand, with larger grains).

Can you get perlite and some grit? Mixing those with small amount of your soil would be better than just soil alone.

If you eliminate wet conditions, gnats and other bugs will likely be reduced. If you considerably decrease (or even better - eliminate entirely) organic content of potting mixes, it will be really good for most of the plants and bugs will go somewhere else.

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Comments (10)

rina_Ontario,Canada 5a
10 years ago
Looks like a mite or aphid - hard to tell for me. I am seeing very wet conditions - is that what your succulents are in? If I am correct, that's why so many pest problems - bugs like gnats and similar love moist, organic environment.
sami_ba98 thanked rina_Ontario,Canada 5a
sami_ba98
Original Author
10 years ago
I haven't watered them in awhile in hopes to drive away the gnats--what you're seeing is freshly sprayed soil. I soaked the plant in Neem Oil
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rina_Ontario,Canada 5a
10 years ago
Oh, didn't think of that...What is that blackish looking 'stuff' in first photo? (backround of the photo) - maybe clumps of soil or?
sami_ba98 thanked rina_Ontario,Canada 5a
sami_ba98
Original Author
10 years ago
Yes, it's clumps of soil. The photo was taken at night--so the flash adds lots of shadows/contrast (not a lot of light fixtures in the room). Also the photo is pretty zoomed in, so a lot of things are blurry.
rina_Ontario,Canada 5a
10 years ago
If the soil is clumping like that, I would suggest to change it. If it contains too much organic material, it will attract bugs a lot.I don't think that your soil drains well.

Succulents do very well in soil that is grainy. Adding grit, perlite, turface, scoria, pumice - couple of these will make a good mix for succulents. May I ask what your soil is like?
sami_ba98 thanked rina_Ontario,Canada 5a
sami_ba98
Original Author
10 years ago
I use a cactus potting mix from Miracle Gro (I attached a picture). Is it no good? Should I add sand on top, or anything else to make the soil better?
Crenda 10A SW FL
10 years ago
I have used it and it is very peaty. My plants did ok for about 6 months, then all heck broke loose. It holds way too much water for too long. And if you let it dry out too much, you can't get water to soak in again and get to the roots. It is very difficult to get off of the roots for a repot.

For me, with my very wet summers, even adding at least 50% perlite to the mix did not help. I won't say to never use it, but do add something gritty like Rina mentioned above and your plants will be much happier.

Totally agree that most sand is not good for succulents. The particle size should resemble aquarium gravel.

I should point out that my plants are outside all year long.
sami_ba98 thanked Crenda 10A SW FL
sami_ba98
Original Author
10 years ago
I will definitely look into getting better soil, thank you!
breathnez
10 years ago
Sami, I would suggest that you wash all the old soil away from the roots when you go to do this repot. It is more stressful to the plant to have all the roots disturbed, but that old soil needs to go.

Once you have plants in good soil and go to repot in the future, then you don't need to disrupt the root ball.

ez
sami_ba98 thanked breathnez