Tiny white bugs in your soil? You might have soil mites!
Soil mites are tiny white bugs that live in your garden or houseplant soil. Although they might look unsightly, they are often perfectly harmless, however, if you would rather not have soil mites in your garden or at home, there are some easy things you can do to mitigate them.
In this blog post, we’ll explore what soil mites are, how they affect your plants, and most importantly, how to get rid of them using eco-friendly and sustainable methods.
What are soil mites?
Soil mites are arthropods that are roughly a few millimetres in length and are mostly white or brown in colour. They might be difficult to spot in your garden, but they can be easily identified in your houseplant soil. If you take a close look at your houseplant soil, you might be able to spot them crawling around!
Where do soil mites come from?
Soil mites thrive in dark damp conditions and are often found in houseplant soil or shaded areas in the garden. They are also often brought into the home or garden from soil that either already has soil mites in it or soil mite larvae.
Do I have to get rid of soil mites?
Soil mites aren’t as bad as they sound. They don’t actually damage your plants and can improve soil health by helping the decomposition process. Soil mites transform broken-down organic matter into nutrients that can be beneficial for plants. So, if you have identified soil mites, you don’t need to panic too much!
How to get rid of soil mites
If you would rather not have soil mites crawling around your houseplant soil though, here are some helpful tips on how to get rid of them.
Clear up the soil – The first step in getting rid of soil mites is by tidying up the soil. Remove any decaying matter such as old leaves to help stop infestations.
Repot your plants – Another great way to get rid of them is to repot your plants entirely with fresh soil free of soil mites. Shake off as much soil as you can from the plant roots before re-planting and compost the old soil if you can.
Use cinnamon – Cinnamon has antifungal properties and can help combat soil mites. Sprinkle some cinnamon powder over the soil, or add some with water and spray directly onto the soil.
Hydrogen peroxide and water – Add some hydrogen peroxide to water to create a weak solution to spray over your soil. This has disinfecting properties and can help kill mites and their dormant larvae.
How do you prevent soil mites?
You know what they say, attack is the best form of defence. So let’s look into what you can do to prevent soil mites in the first place.
Inspect your new plants – If you buy houseplants from a garden centre, give them a good inspection and check the soil for signs of soil mites.
Don’t overwater – Overwatering plants and overly wet soil can help encourage the growth of mites. So only water your plants when needed to help mitigate their growth.
Don’t use outdoor compost – Making your own compost is great for the environment and for your bank balance, but using outdoor compost for your indoor plants greatly increases the chances of bringing soil mites into your home.
Choose the right houseplant – If you don’t want to worry about soil mites at all, then choosing the right houseplant is an easy way to make sure you don’t have them. Cacti, succulent plants, or other plants that don’t require much water are great choices.
Earth Cycle products
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