msg@piggy.UUCP (Marla S. Guthrie x8429) (08/30/85)
Summary of responses to article: <368@piggy.UUCP>
Subject: Little Flies around my plants - Help!
Thank you to all the plant-people that have sent me responses
to my plea for help regarding those tiny black creatures
around my plants. The resopnses were interesting and helpful.
I'd like to share them with this newsgroup.
THE PROBLEM:
The appearance (annoyance) of tiny fruit-fly looking
flies that hover around the soil and fly around the plants.
AN EXPLANATION:
The flies are probably of the family, Mycetophilidae, the fungus
gnats. Their larvae feed on rotting vegetable material and fungus.
They appear when overwatering occurs. They're harmless to the
plants, but annoying to the plant-owner.
A SOLUTION:
1) Let the plants dry out between waterings. This should minimize
their desired habitats.
2) Provide ventilation around the plants.
3) Sprinkle garlic powder on the soil surface and work it in lightly
with a fork. (The person that did this hasn't seen a fly since a
previous vicious infestation of the rascals.)
4) Fungicide or insecticide is not necessary, although sometimes it's
helpful just to get rid of them intially with it.
5) Organic insecticides exist, too. The suggestion was to kill one of
the insects and bring it to a garden center to determine what it is.
Then find an appropriate cure, using a book such as Ortho's Organic
Gardening.
6) Companion planting.
ANOTHER EXPLANATION:
They could be white flies - in which case they hurt the plants.
SOLUTION:
1) Spray plants with insecticide.
2) Throw them away if they're infested.
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Again, thanks for the responses and happy gardening!!!!!!!
Marla Guthrie
Holmdel, NJ
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