Midges in indoor flowers: how to get rid of, the best methods and folk remedies

Methods with chemicals

Sometimes white aphids appear on flowers. These are future small flies, another type of pest. We do not think that there is a difference in what color the individuals attacked your flowers, but how to get rid of them is important.

If aphids appear on the plant or a swirling cloud of flies near the root, try using a pencil (crayon, chalk) from cockroaches. It is enough to just draw a line inside the pot, it usually helps to kill the midges.

Toxic chemicals from flower midges are sold in departments for gardeners and gardeners. Before using them, assess the subsequent risks: whether you want to water the flowers with chemicals, whether it will harm the plant. Known among flower growers "Aktara", it copes well with small midges when watering. There are other similar chemicals, if you purchased them, follow the instructions strictly.

Important! When treating plants with chemicals, watering should be limited.

Flower midges are annoying and hardy enough creatures. If the methods you have taken did not destroy them, we offer the most effective and efficient one.

Home saviors in pest control

We list the tools that you can use instantly. It:

garlic;
citrus peels;
matches;
potassium permanganate.
ash.

Cut the garlic cloves across and place in a pot on top of the soil. Garlic will help you get rid of food moths. Don't like the smell of garlic - take orange or lemon peels and scatter around your homemade herbs. You can even stick a few crusts into the soil. The flower fly does not tolerate these scents. If she does not live in the ground, but flew through the window, she will fly away in the same way.

Matches. You will be surprised, but the sulfur on the tip of the match fights well with the front sight even in the ground! One pot will require 4 - 6 matches, which need to be stuck into the ground around the stem with their heads down. After sticking the matches, water the plant. Check the matches periodically, if the sulfur on them has disappeared, replace with new ones.

Important! The sulfur method is considered the most effective way of dealing with small black flies on indoor flowers.

Watering with potassium permanganate allows you to get rid of not only insects near the leaves and stem, but also from many other plant diseases. Dilute potassium permanganate to a weak staining, watering with a strong solution can damage the roots and cause burns.

Wood ash is effective against any flying pests. The plant does not need an excess of ash; it is better to mix it with the soil before planting the plant. If you don't plan on replanting the flower, sprinkle some wood ash on top of the potting soil. Do not remove until the midges are gone.

Folk methods

Ways of folk breeding of midges have the right to life. They are safe and the necessary components are always at hand. However, in terms of effectiveness, they are significantly inferior to chemical preparations.

Orange peel. Slice and dry the citrus peels. Stick them into the soil in several places. The specific smell will scare away insects. Lemon peel has a similar effect.

Matches. Place several matches with the head down. When watering, a sulfuric smell will appear, which sciarids cannot tolerate. Check matches periodically. If the sulfur has completely disappeared, replace them with new ones. After a week, all adults and larvae will die.

Garlic. Cut a few cloves and spread around the entire perimeter of the flowerpot. You can also use another method: chop three heads of garlic and pour 1 liter of water. After 4 days, strain the composition. Spray the leaves and water the soil.

Tobacco. Prepare tobacco infusion: pour 50 g of leaves with 1 liter of water.Soak the product for 2 days, then strain. Add 1 liter more water. Treat the affected plant with the composition for a month.

Potassium permanganate. Dissolve a pinch of potassium permanganate in 10 liters of water. Add 2 tbsp. l. baking soda. Water the soil for 2 weeks in a row. Keep in mind: If the solution is too concentrated, the root system can be burned.

Green soap. Grind 100 g of soap on a grater. Dissolve the resulting shavings in 500 ml of water. Moisten a napkin with the solution and treat the affected stem and leaves of the flower. This will kill adult pests. An alkaline solution from laundry soap will bring a good result. It covers the plant with a film of fatty acids, which have a detrimental effect on pests.

Duct tape. It needs to be hung near the flowerpot. It is the perfect trap for adult insects. Chalk "Mashenka" is also effective against cockroaches. Grate it and add to the soil. Additionally, you can draw some lines on the pot.

Midges in indoor flowers - how to get rid of?

If one or two flies fly around the apartment, and in the soil the larvae are not yet visible to the naked eye, then you can try to get rid of insects with improvised means. If there are a lot of insects and larvae, then you will have to deal with them with special preparations.

Folk remedies for midges in flowers

First of all, you should replace the top layer of soil and dry the soil in pots a little. The larvae do not like drought, so if the topsoil dries well, they will die. This method will help if only the top layer of the substrate is infected. Otherwise, you will have to use other remedies for midges in flowers:

Potassium permanganate. It is an excellent soil disinfectant that can help get rid of insects. It is enough to dilute potassium permanganate to a light pink solution and pour it over the soil abundantly. When, after a few days, the top layer of the earth dries well, the procedure will need to be repeated.

Wood ash. You can remove the larvae of flies if you sprinkle the soil with wood ash. In addition, this product is an excellent fertilizer.

Soap solution. No pest can resist a solution prepared from 200 g of hot water and 50 g of laundry soap... When the solution cools down, they wipe the stems and leaves of the flower with a sponge, since midge larvae can also lay on parts of plants.

Matches. A very simple way to get rid of flies is to use simple matches. You just need to stick them into the ground with their heads down, and pour a little water over them. The sulfur will begin to dissolve, resulting in the death of both larvae and midges.

Garlic. The garlic solution gives off an unpleasant odor that repels insects. You can prepare it from chopped garlic cloves (3 pcs.) And one liter of water. The solution can be poured over the soil and wipe the leaves with it.

Orange peels. Chopped orange peel dug into the soil will destroy the larvae and scare away flying insects that can no longer lay eggs in the ground.
Dill. You can get rid of the larvae with the help of fresh dill, the branches of which are laid out on the soil.

If the larvae can be destroyed with the help of various solutions that are used to water the ground, then insects flying around the apartment can be fought with the help of adhesive tape hung near the plants.

How to get rid of midges in indoor flowers if folk remedies have not helped? To do this, you can use chemicals that are sold in flower shops or where they offer goods for gardeners.

The most effective remedies are:

Thunder 2 and the Mukhoed. Preparations in the form of powder or granules are very convenient to use. It is enough just to pour the amount of powder written in the instructions on the top layer of the soil and water the soil a little. The pellets will dissolve and harm the pests.If necessary, the procedure is repeated after a few days, but, usually, one use of the drug "Mukhoed" or "Thunder 2" is enough.
Aerosols Dichlorvos Neo, Raptor, Reid. These versatile insect repellents can be used to kill all kinds of flies and their larvae. If there are flies in the flowers, one of the preparations is sprayed on the top layer of the soil and the plant itself. It is recommended to use aerosols in a well-ventilated area or outdoors.
Chalk "Mashenka". The crayon will help to get rid of not only cockroaches, but also of the larvae of flying insects. To do this, you need to crumble it and sprinkle the soil with powder.
Insecticidal preparations: Fitoverm, Inta-vir, Actellik, Bazudin. According to the instructions, solutions are prepared from insecticides, which are sprayed on house plants and soil. Insecticides are used mainly against whiteflies and other pests that lay their eggs on the leaves and stems of plants.

All chemicals from pests in flowers should be used strictly according to the instructions, since an improperly prepared solution can harm plants.

Methods for dealing with midges in indoor flowers

There are three main ways to fight indoor midges: folk, chemical and physical. Each of these options has its own characteristics. It is recommended to start the fight with the simplest and safest folk remedies. In most cases, this is sufficient.

If the attempts were unsuccessful, then you can pay attention to the special preparations of the chemical industry.

Folk remedies with midges:

Soap solution is one of the most popular folk remedies. To do this, 50 g of laundry soap must be dissolved in a glass of warm water. The stems and leaves of the flower must be thoroughly wiped with the resulting solution. In addition, a sprayer can be used for treatment. A protective film is created on the leaves, which protects the plant from pests. Repeat this treatment every five days until the midges disappear completely.
Stick a few matches into the slightly moistened ground. They need to be changed when the sulfur is completely dissolved. The midges will be completely destroyed after 5-6 procedures. This option takes a lot of time, but sulfur, dissolving in the soil, destroys even the larvae.
A weak solution of potassium permanganate will help to destroy the midges. In small quantities, it is diluted in water. This should produce a pale pink color. With the resulting composition, you need to water the plant for several days.
Take three heads of garlic, make a gruel out of them and mix with a liter of hot water. Let the mixture sit for several hours. It is used for watering and spraying plants. After the second procedure, you will notice the absence of midges.

(Video: “Saving indoor plants from pests and diseases”)

Chemicals:

Dichlorvos is used for spraying the soil surface and areas around the pots.
Cockroach chalk. It can be applied to the surface of the pot and planted to the surface of the ground.
Karbofos. A powerful drug destroys all types of indoor midges. When using, it is necessary to observe safety measures.
Agravertine. Kills pests outright. Has a good residual effect.
Actellic. After the first treatment, a positive result will be noticeable.
Thunder-2. For the drug to still work after treatment, it is not recommended to water the plants for several days.

Physical way

If folk remedies did not help, and you do not want to use chemicals indoors, you can apply the physical version of the fight. It consists in replacing the soil. So, if the infection is insignificant, it is enough to remove the top layer of the earth, replacing it with a new one.

If there are already enough midges, the soil changes completely. The main thing is to carefully remove the plant without damaging the root. In this case, you need to shake off the ground well, rinse the roots with warm water.As a rule, the old soil is watered with potassium permanganate and thrown away. Before using new soil, it must first be placed in the freezer or roasted in the oven.

Reasons for the appearance

Midges start in the ground of indoor plants for a reason. Let's consider the main reasons for their occurrence.

Insects in your flower pots can appear if you initially picked up poor-quality soil. If the soil contains plant elements that have not yet completely rotted, then it will become a bait for unwanted pests.
Frequent and abundant watering, as well as using to humidify not only water, but also other liquids (for example, tea). In this case, the plants begin to rot and become more and more attractive to gnats.
If you transplant the flowers into a new pot that is too large in size, the roots of the plant will not be able to absorb all of the water.
Improper use of organic fertilizers can also lead to pests in the soil.

Spawn locations

But midges don't like every flower. They are not averse to showing their taste preferences.

So white midges give preference to plants with soft leaves: begonias, fuchsias and similar flowers. And black midges like plants with dense leaves: azaleas, violets, ficuses and other plants.

Let's try to figure out where they come from, how to lime out uninvited guests, and what to do so that they will never be there again.

Flower midge larvae pose a great danger to indoor flowers, because they live at the expense of young plant roots and its green parts. If you do not notice their appearance in time and do not try to get rid of them, then there is a high probability that your flowers will die over time.

Home methods of dealing with midges

If midges in flowers have appeared recently, you can get rid of the problem without effort and high money costs. For this, there are many grandmother's tools that are safe and effective.

What is also important, each of them is suitable for both white and black midges.

Method 1 - potassium permanganate

This popular method has been around for a long time. Thanks to potassium permanganate, many indoor plants were saved - it disinfects the soil and stops the development of putrefactive processes.

Dilute the potassium permanganate until light pink.
Water the flowers liberally with the prepared solution.
Refuse watering until the topsoil is 2 cm deep.
Then everything can be repeated.

Be very careful - the concentrated solution can burn the plant roots.

Method 2 - orange peel

The citrus scent is the main enemy of the flower midge. To remove it, it is enough to put fresh crusts on top of the soil. You can also stick them in or even dig in. Some gardeners prefer to grind fresh orange zest and mix it with earth. This option is dangerous not only for adults, but also for larval cubs.

Method 3 - garlic

If there are gnats in your flower pot, try removing them with garlic.

Cut the garlic into wedges.
Arrange them in a flowerpot.

The spicy scent of garlic will keep the midges away. They will not only disappear, but they will also not be able to lay eggs in the flower soil. There is another recipe:

Grind 3 heads of garlic in a blender.
Fill with a liter of water.
Pour the mixture over the soil in the flowerpot and spray all the leaves.

Method 4 - matches

The sulfur of the most common matches negatively affects the white midges. Stick them into the ground with their heads down (4-5 pieces are enough) and sprinkle it with water. Check the matches every other day. If there is no sulfur on them, stick in new ones. In about a week, not only the larvae will die, but also the adults.

Method 5 - soap solution

How to deal with midges that have clung to flowers using improvised means? Use a soapy solution. The alkali contained in the soap perfectly protects plants from pests.

Mix 50 gr.liquid laundry soap and 200 gr. hot water.
Cool the composition to room temperature.
Soak a rag in the solution and rub the leaves and stems.

Method 6 - wood ash

Another good way to deal with annoying midges. Moreover, wood ash is an excellent fertilizer. Just sprinkle some soil in the flowerpot.

Method 7 - Velcro

To get rid of adult midges, hang several pieces of Velcro near the flowerpots. But remember, new midges will grow from the larvae in the ground - do not miss this day.

Method 8 - chalk from cockroaches

Buy cockroach chalk, grind it into shavings and sprinkle it on the surface. You can also draw a couple of lines on the flowerpot.

Method 9 - dill

If you see larvae in flower pots, spread fresh dill branches all over the soil. Change every two days.

Method 10 - tobacco infusion

Pour in 20 g. tobacco 0.5 liters of water.
Insist 2 days.
Treat plant stems and leaves.

Chemical preparations for midges

Chemical preparations for midges are much more effective than folk remedies. They destroy adults and larvae, save plants from invasions. However, they also have a drawback. Such drugs can be dangerous to pets, birds, people, and they can also be toxic to indoor flowers.

So use them with care!

The easiest way to get rid of gnats is to use Dichlorvos or mosquito plates. They will destroy adults and larvae in the ground.
Sometimes crayons from cockroaches help a lot. They can be crumbled into the ground and as a result, individuals will gradually begin to die.
For soil and plant treatment, you can also use insecticides like Inta-Vir, Thunder-2, Aktellika, Karbofos. They act quickly, but they are used strictly according to the instructions!

It is better to use insecticides for plants on the balcony, veranda, in the yard. It is better not to use them indoors.

In addition, before diluting the liquid and spraying flowers, it is important to study the instructions!

Specialized chemicals

The assortment of hardware stores is replete with chemicals, which are accompanied by detailed instructions explaining what to do and what precautions to take. Correct adherence to the instructional steps guarantees a short time at home to get rid of the pest problem

The following insecticides sold in stores are widely known:

Dichlorvos. Insects die over time from its effects, since the drug inhibits the nervous system of insects. There is an instruction that allows using dichlorvos to lime not only individuals living outside, but also larvae developing in the ground of indoor plants. To do this, it is necessary to wait until the soil becomes dry and loosen the ground. Put a bag on the flowerpot with the plant, which must be fixed at the desired height so that it does not crush the leaves. Spray dichlorvos into the ground. Tie the bag tightly. Wait 5 hours. Repeat the procedure after 1 week.

Dichlorvos Neo, Raptor have proven themselves well: they do not have an unpleasant odor, they actively destroy all types of indoor midges.

Solutions. Among the solutions, the most popular are: Fitoverm, Grom-2 and Kinmiks

When preparing solutions, it is important to observe the proportions. After treatment with the agent, you can water the plant with water only after 3 days. Before the procedure for disinfecting the soil of the ground part of the indoor flower with a chemical, it is recommended to vacuum all the slots in the room and additionally place adhesive traps, do not open the windows during the day.
The use of chemicals requires compliance with safety measures

Before processing flowers, you must wear thick rubber gloves, a respirator, goggles and a protective gown.

How to remove midges if they appear again? Compliance with the rules of prevention will save you from uninvited guests.

Reasons for the appearance

The appearance of midges can be caused by a number of factors. The most common are the following:

Violation of watering technique. Frequent and excessive soil moisture provokes active reproduction of pests.
Transplanting a plant into a spacious pot. This leads to the accumulation of water in the lower soil layer. If the roots of the culture do not reach the bottom of the container, the moisture parameters increase. This increases the risk of developing parasites.
Violation of the rules for fertilization. Excessive amounts of organic products cause the reproduction of midges. It is also not recommended to water the flowers with tea leaves.

Purchased land

In low-quality soil, the larvae of harmful insects can accumulate. Under the influence of certain factors, the emergence of new individuals is observed. In order not to start midges, the soil should be disinfected before planting the culture. It must be poured with boiling water, placed in the oven or poured with a solution of potassium permanganate.

Fly through the window

When opening windows for ventilation, flies and other insects can fly into the apartment. Midges try to hide from the heat. To do this, they choose the coolest place - a pot with a houseplant.

Wet, overflowing soil

Some people tend to grow too hard on the houseplant, which leads to over-wetting of the soil. As a result, fluid stagnation is observed, which leads to the accumulation of midges.

Folk ways of dealing with midges

To kill gnats, repellents, chemical powders and pencils have been created. But they can be unsafe for children and pregnant women. Not all means can be used to treat agricultural plants.

A safe and effective way to scare away flying insects is folk remedies. Spices, seasonings, essential oils, citrus peels are used. The pungent smell of these substances repels pests.

Outdoors

The blood-sucking gnat attacks people and animals in the forest, marshlands, even in the garden. You can protect yourself from insect bites with the help of folk remedies.

Children under one year old, pregnant and lactating women can use essential oils:

lemon;
orange;
pink;
lavender.

Options for using folk remedies:

From year to year, you can use the oil of mint, juniper, lemon balm. A drop of essential oil is added to baby cream, applied to open skin areas.
Older children make a scented pendant. You will need a small plastic container, such as a Kinder Surprise egg. Holes are made in it, a cotton swab moistened with essential oil is placed inside. The pendant is hung around the child's neck.
Vanillin effectively repels insects. Crystalline vanillin should be taken, not vanilla sugar. It is placed in an aromatic pendant, a bag made of natural fabric. Hang on the neck or wrist.
Vanillin is dissolved in water and mixed with body cream or shower gel. The tool is applied to open areas of the body before going outside. To enhance the effect, add a drop of clove or lavender oil.
During outdoor recreation, smoke from a fire will help drive away midges. Spruce and juniper needles, cones are placed in the fire. Fresh needles also scare away midges. The branches are laid out around them.
Animals also need to be protected from midges. Insects are of particular concern to cattle in grazing. Midges do not like the smell of bay leaves. For cows, neck pendants with laurel leaves are made.
For dogs, small livestock, pendants, collars with bay leaves, bunches of basil or lavender are also made. A drop of geranium, lavender, and mint oil is dripped onto the scruff of the animals.

To view the vlog, how to protect yourself from insects by the reservoir:

On the kitchen

To prevent midges from starting in the apartment, you need to regularly clean the premises, prevent rotting of vegetables and fruits, and store spoiled products.

Options for dealing with midges:

If insects do appear, you can set up a homemade trap.Put a peeled banana or sweet pear in a plastic bag. Tie the bag and make some small holes. Insects make their way in, but they cannot fly out.
The method works only for catching Drosophila flies. The disadvantage of traps is that rotting fruit inside the bag emits an unpleasant odor.
The places where the midges are most likely to breed are treated with a strong infusion of bay leaves. 100 grams of seasoning is poured with a liter of boiling water, insisted for three hours. Then the infusion is used to wipe the window and door jambs, baseboards, countertops.
Cinnamon sticks, cloves, bunches of basil, citrus zest are laid out on the windowsills. The pungent smell of plants scares off midges.

A couple more ways will complement the topic:

With flower insects

Flower flies appear in pots of houseplants if the ground is too wet. Insects damage the roots and stems of plants, fly over to food.

Ways to remove flower midges:

water the soil in a pot with a slightly pink solution of potassium permanganate;
water the flowers with garlic infusion - chop three heads of garlic, pour a liter of water, leave for two days;
bury orange peel in the soil;
sprinkle the soil with wood ash.

To prevent insect breeding, do not allow water to stagnate in flower pots.

To view the ways to fight insects in flowers:

Why midges start

Of course, midges can harm the plant. But this will take some time. A caring grower who regularly monitors his plants will be able to detect pests at an early stage of infection. Do not assume that with the appearance of midges in the apartment, your favorite plants will die. Urgent action needs to be taken here

The first thing you should pay attention to is to determine why pests have appeared. The most common reasons are:

Excessive moisture in the earth. This problem is often seen in hot weather. Florists are sure that the plants do not have enough moisture, so they overmoisten the soil. If you overdo it, the water will stagnate. This creates an excellent habitat and breeding ground for midges.
Often midges just fly through open windows. Having found favorable conditions for themselves, midges settle in the apartment and begin to actively reproduce.
Inexperienced growers use ordinary soil taken from the street to plant a plant. However, it should be remembered that the soil directly affects not only the health of the plant, but also the likelihood of the appearance of midges. If the ground is improperly prepared, rotting processes can occur in it. Pests will gladly lay their eggs here.

(Video: "Midges in indoor flowers, how to fight !? Tips from experienced!")

Insect species and their signs

Let's take a closer look at the types of insects that can start in your indoor flowers.

Legs

Legs are small flies that range in color from white to brown. The periods of their development are late winter and early spring. Most often, such pests arise in moist soil, where they lay eggs and can destroy the roots of the plant at high speed.

Whiteflies

The size of small whiteflies reaches a maximum of 3 mm. They can appear due to high indoor temperatures, high levels of humidity and densely planted plants. Whiteflies not only fly over plants, but also suck out all the juices from them, so they themselves are one of the most harmful insects. Whiteflies carry dangerous diseases, so if they occur, urgent measures must be taken to destroy them.

Mushroom gnats

Earthen mushroom gnats (or sciarids) are black in color, so they are difficult to notice against the background of the soil. The midges themselves cause inconvenience only to humans, but the larvae of these pests have a negative effect on the plant.So, they gnaw the roots of the flower, thereby depriving the plant of all the trace elements necessary for its growth and development.

Fruit flies

Drosophila (or fruit flies) are some of the most harmless insects to house plants. They create discomfort for a person, but do not harm the plant itself.

Lacewing

The color of lacewings is light green, and they have long wings that are translucent. By their nature, lacewings are not pests, because their larvae feed not on the plant itself, but on those dangerous insects that already live around them.

Thrips

Thrips suck vital juices from the plants on which they live. They can be easily spotted in a pot. Coloring can be varied - it all depends on the specific type of insect. In addition, thrips leave traces of their stay on the flower, namely brown sticky spots. Insects reproduce very quickly and are carriers of fungal diseases.

Types of midges

Most often, there are white (they are also called springtails or pores) and black (sciarids). Legs can be seen on constantly flooded soil or near a wet pot. Usually they are small in size (no more than 1 mm), painted in white or yellowish color with a brown tint, and lead an active life, constantly jumping. The larvae they lay cause irreparable harm to the roots of indoor plants. Most often, these midges can be seen in winter or early spring, when moisture is still poorly evaporated from the soil surface.

Black midges annoyingly hover over indoor flowers, and also fly around the house, delivering a lot of inconvenience to its inhabitants, but no more. But for soil and plants, they pose a great danger. A large accumulation of midges contributes to damage to the roots, as well as compacts the soil in the pot and makes it airtight. The scyriads look like translucent worms (their length is from 2 to 5 mm) and a black dot on the head. They appear if you fertilize your pets with decayed leaves, tea leaves or any other organic matter, as well as when using infected land.