Desperate! Infestation!

Happy holiday gardeners,
I brought in a hibiscus and brugmansia this fall for winter and have a total infestation of my house plants with little tiny bugs... they are everywhere but seem worst in the hibiscus, when I water they come up in droves. Otherwise they are all over the house, buzzing around ... I have used garden pesticide but it doesn't seem to help. I don't want my my tropicals to be ruined. What can I do to get rid of the buggers? Yes, I admit it, I used some outdoor soil when I transplanted. Very dumb I know, and likely the source Please help!

Are the critters white or black in color? It could be a white fly infestation or if they are black they may be fungus gnats.

White flies: http://www.ghorganics.com/whiteflies.html

Fungus gnats: http://www.pestproducts.com/fungusgnat.htm

I, and many other gardeners have had problems with one or both of these pests before. If the infestation isn't too heavy you might try some insecticidal soap spray. I use a product called Garden Safe Insecticidal Soap: http://www.gardensafe.com/ProductCategories/indoorinsecticide/InsecticidalSoap/ that I buy at Home Depot or Lowe's. You might check your Wal-Mart garden center too, as they may carry it, or something similar.

If they're fungus gnats, I'd try cutting back a bit on your watering, they typically only come around if things are a little bit on the wet side. To get rid of them, you can use yellow sticky traps to catch the adults and then use something like mosquito dunks or Gnatrol to get rid of larvae in the soil, and then keeping things a bit more on the dry side ought to keep them from coming back.

If fungus gnats go get some "Mosquito dunks" and add a quarter of one to your watering can. Use this to water your plants. It will kill the gnat larvae down in the soil. Yellow sticky traps will get the adults above the soil. Have patients and you'll be fine.

Tom

Janet, if they are coming out of the soil, I'd suggest you buy some Diatomaceous Earth (commonly called DE) from a store like Lowe's or Home Depot and sprinkle the dust on the top of the soil (or even mix it in). I have started using it in foliar sprays as well, which kills aphids, spider mites, mealy bugs, etc. I fought all those pesky bugs for years in my house, GH's and garage and finally someone clued me in to the DE. Stuff works like a charm. I'll never mess with the chemicals, neem oils, or soaps again.

DE consists of fossilized remains of diatoms, a type of hard- shelled algae; too small to hurt you since they're microscopic, and it won't harm any plant. Plus no chemicals. I'd give it a shot and see if that at least stops them at the source. Most of the others will die off in time - I had a bunch of the gnats get loose at work one time (I was real popular for a week or so).

P.S. If working with DE in dust form, it's a good idea to wear a mask, just FYI. I've heard a lot of folks say it's no worse to breath in than dust on a gravel road, but I always wear a mask just to be safe.

This message was edited Jan 2, 2009 7:17 PM

Just make sure you don't buy the DE that's for pools, it's been processed differently and is more dangerous to breathe than the other kind. Still doesn't hurt to wear a mask even with the regular kind though, breathing any kind of dust isn't good for you.

I'm having the same problem with hibiscus, a variageted lemon and a few others. I sprayed with insecticidal soap this morning - especially on new or young leaves. I'll try to find the DE today at the store. How often should one spray with soap?
Thanks,
Deb

Deb ALWAYS read the label! Hibiscus are also very prone to aphids!

Aphids about ate my hibiscus alive last year; I had to keep them all in the GH this winter (no problems out there so far). But the nanners make up for them not being in the garage this year, aphids love them too (especially the top leaves). DE has seemingly gotten rid of them for me after applying it shortly after Christmas. Took a few days, but they started disappearing quick. I think it's basically cutting them (like crawling through razors) and eventually they get dehydrated and die.

I sprayed all my plants with Neem a couple of weeks before Christmas then moved them all into temp quarters in an upstairs room. I haven't been able to really get a good look at them as the are really crowded in there but from what I can see some of them are coming around and the ones that were left down stairs are looking pretty good. I had Spider Mites, Aphids and Scale. I have so many large plants that I need to do this every year just to put up a tree. It's always hard on the plants as they don't get the care and light that they are use to. Hopefully next winter the greenhouse will be up and running and I won't have to do this again.

The aphids really like bouganvilla, night blooming jasmine and just about any other new leaf....so far they haven't chewed up but one hibiscus. Last year I found a late ladybug who came into the house and took care of the hoard. :)
I have to take a good look every day or so.
Tommy - thank you- I did read the label - it says spray once a week (sometimes I'm so blonde)

I use to be blonde, I'm gray now!