blownz281

In six months my nanners will be coming inside for the winter since they are in pots. We had issues last year with bugs coming out of the soils so they went back outside and into a storage unit. Lost a bunch and ones that made it took forever to come around.

So what can I spray or water into the soil that will kill,ants,spiders,springtails and all the other tiny bugs living in soils..

xavierdlc61887

just do what they do at nurseries Make a table with wire flooring and have your plants on that.....then to keep the ants from getting on the plants you spray insect repellent (barrier) around the legs of the table

or do it like me and use blocks and pallets!

xavierdlc61887

then when u want them inside they are insect free!!!!

blownz281

Good idea only thing is they are on a balcony since we are in a apartment. I'm worried about adding anything to the soil that might hurt the plants to kill the bugs.

sunfish

http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&sourc..._GF-tQ&cad=rja


http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&sourc...PINmNg&cad=rja

blownz281

What if I used my insect soap think that would work?

blownz281

What if I soak the pots in water for a few mins? Maybe that would drown anything in the pots?

sunfish

I would at least put a little neem oil in a tub and soak pot and all for five or ten minutes

blownz281

sounds like a plan to me! Had issues with springtails and ants last year so this should do the trick. Thanks

Tony O

If the pots aren't to large or heavy, I've sunk potted plants in soapy dish water till drenched. You should have seen the ants coming out of the pots. Some I didn't even know that had ants. A spray bottle took care of any that tried getting away. Insect eggs, or anything live that didn't get out, died from the soap. It has never effected the plants, and I've done that to almost any type of plant you can think of. That included a cacti that I sunk to over the top to kill bugs on it.

That is also a good time to go over the rest of your plant

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blownz281

Tony - what did you use soap wise? Just plain dawn soap nondetergent correct. Only plants coming in are the nanners,don't want to risk them, as all my cactus and others do fine all winter in the pots. Thanks

Always wondered if bringing cold hardy plants inside if that makes them not as tough? Like could they loose there cold hardiness and not survive a winter in a zone they would have no issue with? Next year we hope to have a house built and all these will go into the ground.

The Hollyberry Lady

blownz281

Thanks have read about that stuff before.

Richard

I wouldn't want to kill spiders because they are beneficial (eat insects) and technically not insects anyway. Over-the-counter you can obtain Bayer Powerforce which will eliminate the harmful insects and their larvae + the ants and not harm earthworms, spiders, etc. Supermarkets are permitted to spray the active ingredient of this product on produce at night. If you have a pesticide applicators license, then you can obtain Evergreen EC which is more effective and is also approved for certified organic farming. Its a great product but only sold in high concentration and thus unavailable over-the-counter.

Now if you have a stupid neighbor that smuggles in plants from the tropics just so they can grow their favorite fruit, then you are going to need something stronger to deal with the army worms and other exotic pests that come with their special plant. Most of these pests can be controlled with Carbaryl (brand name Sevin), or if you have the applicators license obtain "Intrepid".

And if you are my neighbor -- yeah, thanks a lot for the extra time and expense it took to treat my entire nursery and the other 5 properties around you. No, we didn't spray your plant and that's why it has been devoured by insects.

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