How to get rid of worms in flower pots. Earthworms in potted houseplants: to start or not? Getting rid of harmful insects

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If you find white worms in a flower pot, it's time to sound the alarm, because they are by no means harmless. Because of these pests, not a single new plant can grow in the ground, and an adult one can die.

If white worms are present in the soil, but black small flies do not fly around the plants, then, probably, enchitreya, or saprophytic nematode species.

Enchitreya look like small white worms about 1-2 cm long. These are the closest relatives of earthworms. Fans of aquarium fish are specially bred for food. They live in the soil, at a depth of about 10 cm.

You can see them when you take the plant out of the pot. They harm potted plants - they eat roots and tender sprouts. The damaged plant begins to lag behind in growth, the leaves turn yellow and wither, and as a result, the plant dies. High soil moisture and the presence of undecomposed pieces (organics) of plant residues contribute to the appearance of enchitraes. In places rich in food, enchitrei are found in whole balls.

Preventive actions

Avoid waterlogging the soil in pots. When taking plants outdoors, be sure to use pallets to prevent insects from entering pots from open ground.

Control measures

• Dryer content of potted flowers.
• Immersion of flowerpots completely in hot water for washing insects.
• Transplanting plants affected by this scourge: Rinse the pot and roots from the old earth and plant the plant in fresh soil. But such a procedure for a flower is not painless.
• The most effective way is to water the soil with an insecticide solution (Aktara, Bazudin, Inta-Vir, Fury, Fitoverm) or helminth preparations (repeat twice with an interval of two weeks). In the spring, transplant the plants into new soil, thoroughly cleaning the roots of the old one.
• Land must be bought in branded flower shops. First of all, check that the package has not been torn and pay attention to the expiration date. Do not buy soil in fake bags that do not have the brand name and address of the manufacturer.

Soil disinfection

The soil must comply with all standards, and it should not contain any pests, spores of pathogens and weed seeds. But it’s more reliable, after all, to disinfect the finished earth yourself.

You can pour the earth poured into a bucket with boiling water or a hot (90 ° C) solution of potassium permanganate and cover it on top for a longer preservation of high temperature.

But it is better to steam the soil using any large old pot or bucket. Water is poured into the bottom of the container (1/4 of the volume). At a height of 1/3 from the bottom, a lid is installed with drilled holes(lattice, colander bowl), which is covered with a large piece of cloth so that the earth does not wake up. Or pour the earth into a cloth bag. Top with a tight lid and boil for at least 40 minutes.

Decontamination of the soil in the oven requires caution. A layer of earth is poured no more than 8-10 cm, and the temperature should not be higher than 60-80 ° C. Heat treatment causes the death of not only pathogenic microorganisms, but also beneficial ones.

Sterile soil very quickly (within 2-3 weeks) is populated by new inhabitants, both harmful and beneficial. In order for the first to be as small as possible, it is recommended to add biohumus (1:10) to the disinfected chilled soil.

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What kind of white worms are in a room flower:

• Fly larvae;
• Nematodes;
• Enchitreya;
• Larvae of the mushroom mosquito (sciarids);

Fly larvae, sciarids up to 4 mm in length, white. Adult hatchlings have wings. They reproduce in wet and dry soil in the same way - they are more attracted to the situation in the room where they are comfortable.

Since most of the midges and worms are in the indoor flower, we will dry the soil mixture to kill the pests.

How to remove white worms in a room flower:

• Stop watering the plant;
• Fall asleep expanded clay, dry hydrogel, beads - prevents stagnation of water and prevents the laying of larvae;
• To catch and poison midges - spread sticky lenka over the pot and spray midges with dichlorvos (attention: ventilate the room before sleeping);
• Mix wood ash + tobacco shavings into the soil;
• Clean off the sulfur from the match head;

The listed methods will help to kill white worms in indoor flowers, but if there are too many of them, you will have to use chemicals.

How to process flowers from white worms:

• "Aktara";
• "Bazudin";
• "Agravertin";
• "Fitoverm";
• Preparations for worms;

Tillage from white worms in flowers

The soil mixture is steamed or spilled with a solution of potassium permanganate before use. Try not to overmoisten the soil in a pot, lower the humidity and air temperature to a level that is comfortable for indoor flowers. Perform insecticide prophylaxis once a year.

There are two radically opposing opinions about the activity of earthworms in containers with houseplants. Some claim that these creatures harm the root system of the flower, while others claim the opposite. In fact, there is no single answer to this question.

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Houseplants

To keep the flowers from wilting in the vase

​Related Articles​

It is desirable, of course, to completely change the soil, but if this is not possible, then ask a special poison in the flower shop.

http://www.floralworld.ru/illnesses_wreckers/lumbricidae.html

How to properly fertilize indoor plants

Among some part of flower growers, there is a widespread opinion about the harm that earthworms can bring. Which (allegedly) gnaw on roots in pots, gnaw at young shoots, eat seedlings, sprouts, seeds, etc. To destroy worms, they come up with different ways, the most harmless of which is soil freezing.

Fertilizers for gardenia

Good luck in the fight against these wormy pests.

Rose food

Mushroom mosquitoes. Midges in flowers.

Ash for fertilizing flowers

Earthworms in a pot are a disaster - this year I went through a Nike of their eviction, and I always buy land, I don’t save, some of the packages were with ... (under the ellipsis, read nasty words) the arrowroot almost disappeared, until I realized that with now one small leaf is sitting, and in order to get them out, the earth had to be completely washed off from the roots, all other methods did not work, dying coencentric circles went on the leaves of the Amazonian lily, it was not possible to save my beloved rose, I suffered all summer and to this day I’m not sure that everywhere coped, myrtle soaked 4 times, it is big and complete replacement earth to him is like death, and from potassium permanganate he feels bad

Garlic revitalizes plants

Always fresh geranium

Worms in indoor flowers

They feed on the most delicate small roots

Worms in a flower pot, what to do?

Elena*

Dilute a weak solution of potassium permanganate and pour in

Murmur

Flowers in a vase will not wither longer if you change the water every day and add an aspirin tablet to it.

Alexander

The earthworm fertilizes and enriches the earth

Valentina Dylgina

You can. The fisherman's husband will like them very much.

Emilia Bilyauer

And what is most offensive - they tell (especially on the Internet) about earthworms all sorts of unreasonable nasty things and nonsense ...

Vladimir Emelianenko

You need to go to the garden store. there is a means for disinfecting the roots of leaves, and best of all a book about flowers!​

compas

This is perhaps the most “favorite” pest. Why don’t they just poison them! Mushroom gnats look like annoying little midges that curl around flowers. They hatch from larvae in the soil, which look like white worms about three millimeters long.

Olga

show me that idiot cat launches them there on purpose

Irina*

Harmful impact

Lydia

Vera Shelest

Pour very warm water 40-50 degrees into the container

Katya Kotovich

Throw it out soon, nah, it's a nightmare and unsanitary conditions!!
Flowers in a vase will stay fresh longer if you add 4-5 drops of lemon juice to the water.
You need to get rid of them, they multiply very quickly. Water the plant with aktelik or aktara a couple of times.
pour a strong solution of potassium permanganate

Alinka Malinka

Features of digestion make earthworms detritus-eating, i.e. they feed on detritus - decaying plant organic matter (in bite with soil particles) located on the surface of the soil or in their underground burrows, as well as in the soil itself. Therefore, the coprolites that the earthworm leaves behind are lumps of soil enriched with nitrogen, microelements, and having low acidity due to the alkaline environment of its intestines.

Lady with a dog

This is not normal. They will devour them. Change the earth.​
These worms are capable of damaging the delicate tissues of a plant, but they cause much more trouble to a person by the very fact of their existence :)
And I put an earthworm in each pot. We are happy with the flowers, the worms, I don’t know, but they are alive.

Fighting methods
And put a flower pot in it for 5-10 minutes
Digging and fishing... all year round, worms, by the way, are useful for plants - they loosen the earth.
If the roses are drooping in a vase, dip their tips into a basin of water to which 5-6 tablespoons of vinegar have been added.
Of course, they are very harmful to the flower, try (do not be lazy) to change the entire soil, and carefully look at the roots. The flower will not grow while there are worms.​
Potassium permanganate, but not strong, otherwise the roots can be burned.

Catherine

Due to its slowness and thoughtfulness, the earthworm does not have time (and is even embarrassed by prying eyes) to eat detritus, and therefore drags it into the depths of the soil for storage, saturating it with organic matter and feeding its smaller brothers.

Marina Mirutenko

Try pouring a weak solution of potassium permanganate. The worms will come out. I was advised by a florist.

Natalie Filini

Interestingly, midges are an excellent indicator of improper care. They start only with excessive watering.

It’s bad for flowers, but I don’t know for you.

Earthworms spoil the earth with their liquid sticky secretions flower pots, clog drainage, causing the earth in a pot to turn sour.

So that the water level does not reach the top of the pot cm 2
The earth will have to be thrown away, the roots of the plant should be washed in a light solution laundry soap. Rinse the pot and pour over boiling water. new land roast in the oven before use...​

Never put fertilizer under a plant that needs to be watered. Water the plant first, and then apply fertilizer, otherwise you risk burning its roots.​

I disagree with many of the answers. Earthworms are useful for garden soil, but not for flower pots. I convinced myself of this. She brought bitter pepper with a clod of earth from the garden, planted it in a pot. At first it grew well, and then it began to fade and there was still no pepper. When I dug up the ground, I was amazed. discovered earthworm, and at the bottom of the pot the earth was so compacted that it was necessary to hammer it with a knife (although it was wet). Therefore, I advise you to definitely remove them from the soil. At the flower shop, ask for pesticides from them.
They do not need to be removed, they loosen the ground and do not harm the flower.

Elena

In addition, thanks to the numerous passages and burrows of earthworms, the air supply to the soil and all its inhabitants and plant roots is significantly increased.

An ordinary earthworm can be driven out of the pot by placing the plant in a solution of potassium permanganate, so that the solution is above the soil level. The worms will start to choke and crawl out of the ground. After that, start “hunting” them.

samuel etoo

What measures to take to get rid of them?

tell me if worms started up in pots, is it good or bad?

clinical blindness

Any worms (even earthworms) are very dangerous for indoor plants: the plant slows down growth, and then dies.

s-elena66

In the presence of earthworms in an earthen coma, characteristic lumps of earth appear on the surface, thrown out by them from their passages. In the presence of earthworms in a pot, the plant becomes lethargic and stunted.

Alexander Pushkin

Personal Account Deleted

After the worms will crawl out to the top

Puppeteer

I think it’s best to change the land, even if it’s purchased, you never know what kind of worms it is, suddenly don’t bring them out? Wash the pot, change the soil and let your palm tree rejoice.​
The best fertilizer for gardenia is coffee grounds. Dilute it slightly with water and pour it into a flower pot.

and I have one settled in the monster. Everything would be fine, but today my sister broke off a new leaf from the monstera. What is more dangerous: a worm or a sister.

It is not necessary to display in principle, but if they are irritated, put the flowerpot in a pot of water, the water should reach the edge of the flowerpot,. Water will be absorbed through the bottom hole and fill the container, the worms ticking from the water will crawl out. Then remove the flowerpot from the pan, the water will flow out. Potassium permanganate and other strong chemicals will damage the roots.

What practical conclusions can be drawn from the above reasoning?
We need to catch them all.
First, it is necessary to normalize the irrigation regime. But this alone will not bring them out. To finish them off, systemic insecticides will help. "Aktara", "Confidor", dimethoate. The Regent also helps against them.

It is urgent to change the ground, wash the roots with running water and in a weak solution of potassium permanganate. Before planting, “fry” the pot in the oven and cool.

Fighting methods
You can decide here which worms are in your pot

Natalia Kalantyr

You collect them for fishing, as advised above: 0)))

tonyte

I had the same problem - they ate three cacti (((I was also recommended potassium permanganate ... watered, the fourth cactus is still alive. Only the solution should be very weak

Lena

Pour the water over the rose in which the spinach was boiled without salt. This is a very good fertilizer. The rose will get stronger and the leaves will become shiny.

Nifri

You can get rid of worms by drying the earth. They themselves will die. Dry your camellia, loosen the ground. I started in a barrel with ficus. Growing normally. Sometimes in other colors came across. Yes, worms feed on plant debris. But I did not notice that indoor flowers are harmed. And in the previous letter, it was not the worm that was to blame for the death of the pepper. Drainage should be laid at the bottom of the pot. And peppers transplanted from the street generally feel very bad at home. Even grown in a greenhouse. They don't handle this stress well. Immediately light, temperature, humidity, even the location to the sun is different. And also autumn. Also, almost every year, I take home. The result is one. Sooner or later it will rot. Houses grow well, which are immediately left in seedlings. Only cobweb loves to wind up on peppers in the summer.

Im@go

P/S. Sogasen with "Peganov Yuri"

Nataliya

1. No need to be afraid of worms, expecting some harm from them. They cannot cause it because of the peculiarities of their diet (Nature acted very wisely ...). Although they have teeth! As for their life in pots (with houseplants or seedlings), there is only one extreme case that it is desirable to avoid: when the volume of the pot is so small compared to the size of the worm that it turns it (the worm) into Ivan Matveich living in a crocodile ... :-))​

lu-lu

But if the plant is small, it's easier to change the ground.
It is necessary to shed the earth once and spray the plant. The flies will not bother you anymore.

Galina

You need to put the pot completely in a vessel with water so that it is completely filled, the worms do not like excess water and will crawl out

Irina Kirilova

The soil from the street can contain not only adults, but also eggs. Therefore, it is better to sterilize garden or forest land before use in one way or another. If the plants are taken outside in the summer, place the pots only on pallets and so high that earthworms cannot climb into them. At the same time, worms rarely start up and successfully breed in pots with indoor plants due to the peculiarities of preparing soil mixtures and irrigation regime.

Ludmila Otradnaya

​​
The only negative is that the earth gets wet through

How to get rid of worms in a flower pot?

GALINA VLASOVA

A slug crawled out of my purchased land in a sealed bag. Lively, he immediately crawled to eat the leaves. This is the kind of land we pay for! I began to steam the earth now on the stove in a saucepan. I advise you to take the flower out of the pot and steam the ground.

Tatiana

Wood ash is rich in metals, especially potassium. Use it as a fertilizer for indoor and garden flowers.​

Dimm

If you can’t put it in water, then change the earth or the worms will eat all the roots)

Karym

They loosen the earth... But the flowerpot indoor flower- the capacity is small, and over time, the earth in it will become unusable from these worms. They will pass it all through themselves several times, taking nutrients and turning it into small crumbs. I had such a story.

Natalia Lagunova

2. Knowing the peculiarities of the worm's digestion, it is necessary to create appropriate conditions for life, rest and reproduction in the garden. And then all problems with the quality (structure, fertility, etc.) of the soil in the garden will be solved by themselves. More precisely, earthworms will do everything for you.

Worms infested indoor plants...

bark

Or "Spark", it has a lethal effect when sprayed, maybe it will help from worms.
Nematodes. Fields with a solution of potassium permanganate
But if they have already appeared in a pot, you need to immerse the pot with the plant in warm water for half an hour - the worms will either come out to the surface, where they are easy to collect, or drown. Also, when transplanting, it is quite easy to collect large worms. You can well water the soil in a pot with a pink solution of potassium permanganate.
​from 1cm-4cm pale pink
In cold weather, this is absolutely impossible to do
These are most likely trimatodes (small, white), it is not so easy to get rid of them, potassium permanganate will not help here
​If houseplants look sick, bury a clove of garlic in the ground. In a few days the flowers will change appearance for the better, and even their color will change.
They always ask the question about worms! ! Yes, I have all the pots with worms, (you will go broke buying land), I have more than 50 pots. They loosen the earth, process organic matter (if necessary). . they don’t eat roots (or gnaw ??). Well, if only some are disgusted by their presence, then I won’t argue
And why bring them out, we specially plant them in flowers, only in this case do not forget to sometimes water the flowers with tea leaves and it’s good for flowers and for worms too.
I can say that in my garden, when I try to open the soil (in any randomly chosen place in the garden), I will certainly find alive and well worms who are in a great mood ...
I heard on TV, but I didn’t try it: a flower pot with a flower must be placed in a container with water, so that the earth turns into mud - the worms come out of the soil. So that they do not curl again, work the soil with special means.

Can worms be introduced with purchased soil? Yes. But this is a problem of low-quality products, especially if the mixture includes turf or hardwood, poor biohumus, compost. In peat, the worm is a very rare guest and can get in two cases: with careless storage or when plants are exposed to the street. In industrial peatlands, earthworms, despite the huge amount of undecomposed organic matter, do not live. The probable cause is the acid reaction of the environment and very high humidity (in an environment with acidity below pH = 5 or above pH = 9, all worms die within a week). At right technology extraction, transportation and processing of peat, as well as delivery of the substrate to the consumer in a packaged form, infection with live worms or their eggs is excluded. Worms do not live in high-moor peat, therefore, with a high-quality peat substrate, worms cannot get into the pot. Most often, worms or their eggs fall into the pot if unsterilized garden soil is used. Usually, they fall with unsteamed soil in the form of eggs.

Natasha

I don’t know, but my sheffler died because of them;

Elena

Oksana Ghost

So so. DON'T LISTEN TO THE FUCK. GET THEM OUT!! ! everything is connected with their nutrition, they not only loosen the soil, they feed on organic matter, when the rotted one runs out, they will take up the flower ...

Spring Melody

There are three groups of nematodes.
I totally agree with the previous speaker... Maybe not worth throwing out? Well, if they decide, then very easily with the help of vibration they run away from it and climb out. Samm saw how a man used such a thing: he stuck a pin with a winding and a core at the end into the ground and plugged them into the network, that is, collect the worms out at least with a scoop and a broom ;-)
Bad, change the land, better buy it in a store, there definitely won’t be any larvae.

Sofia Prutnikova

This is bad. Transplant flowers.​

Tatyana Raldugina

Earthworms are completely harmless! And they do not eat any kaorns, they consume earthy organics and pass through themselves, structure the earth. But others were described to you how to bring them out.

If earthworms are bred in the ground of indoor flowers, they can be removed without replanting the flower

Karpik

These creatures live on the ground, they just got to you, but the seller does not check the earth, they eat everything, from plant roots and snails to the ground.

tatyana yakimova

It happens that worms start up in flower pots. Boil 100 grams of fresh sage leaves in one liter of water and pour this water over the flower. The worms will die.

Peganov Yury™

​Preventive measures Use a quality peat substrate. Store the remains of the substrate in a closed container, in a dry place. If you take the plants outside in the summer, put the pots on pallets and so that the earthworms cannot climb into them. If you are harvesting land from the garden yourself and using other high-risk components (soddy soil, compost, deciduous soil, biohumus of dubious origin), it is highly desirable to sterilize them thermally or chemically. This is true both for the soil from your garden, and for unreliable cheap purchased mixtures.

They first loosen the earth, and then they are taken for the roots;

​http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Earthworms​

It’s impossible, you need to shake out the whole earth.

Nematodes with free formation of cysts penetrate the roots and destroy their shell. After fertilization, the body of the female turns into a cyst (reservoir with eggs) Brown color hanging from the outer side of the root. The cyst can persist in the soil for years, waiting for favorable conditions.

Only with a solution of potassium permanganate, such an average. This will not harm the flower and the worms will come out of the hole at the bottom of the pot. And they do harm to the flower, I don’t know what, but after the expulsion, the flowers grow better.

don't change anything. just scratch the chalk "Mashenka" above the ground in a pot, it is designed to fight flies, ants. verified by my own experience, all creatures disappear.​

If it’s raining, it’s not dangerous, but if roundworms, pinworms, tapeworms, then apasaysi !!!

so hurry up!

Earthworms are bad. As long as there are nutrients in the ground, they are not dangerous, but as soon as everything is over (when everything ends), they are taken for roots, especially young roots. When earthworms started up in the pot, I tried everything, both aktara and potassium permanganate, washed the roots. Everything is useless. It got to the point that she even left it for the night already with the washed roots in a bucket of water. I thought they would choke. But no. When I raised the plant (it was sickle-shaped asparagus) from the water, I saw a terrible picture. The worms hung like ropes stuck to the roots. I removed them with tweezers. The drug CONFIDOR helped me. Spilled the earth twice with an interval of 1-2 weeks. Earthworms in a favorable environment breed very quickly.

If you have purchased soil, then this is how it should be. After all, worms are used in the production of fertile soil. Worms do not harm flowers.

In the garden - another matter, but in a pot ...

​http://www.green-pik.ru/sections/40.html​

No need to bring them out - it’s even useful - they loosen the earth !!!

- Free nematodes do not attach to the roots in one place, but crawl from place to place.
​Unfortunately, you did not indicate which worms you got. There are a lot of pests of indoor plants. Many species and worms. Here are the main ones.​
If rain is good, thanks to them the roots breathe, and if maggots or something else, transplant ...
ok
​Length from 2-3 cm with a thickness of approx. 1 mm to 50 cm with a thickness of 1.5-2 cm. Approx. 300 species, widely distributed; most numerous in the forest and forest-steppe zones. They live in the soil, are nocturnal, crawl out to the surface during the day after heavy rains. Soil formers. 11 species are protected. Usually earthworms (family of oligochaete worms) are considered as beneficial organisms, but in a small pot with houseplants, they can be harmful.

Igor Platunov

Immerse the pot in a bucket of water for half an hour. . maybe so? don't know.

Andrey Kurochkin

There is such a drug AKTARA. diluted in water. buy at the store and spill pots of plants on them

Linda

Watching what worms!

Ksyushka

Why? After all, earthworms do not harm the plant, they only enrich the soil with their vital activity.

SearchWave

http://www.gardenia.ru/pages/4ervi_001.htm

​EARTHWORM:​

[email protected]

- Gall nematodes penetrate the roots, causing thickenings on the roots with their secretions - galls in which the worms live and multiply. When the galls are destroyed, the eggs fall into the soil, from where the larvae spread further.

Marishk@

Earthworms.

ALEX

This is bad! And if you have lice in your head, will you also find out here whether it is good or not?
earthworm
Harmful impact

Olga Popova

I had the same story

Earthworms have started in my camellia. What to do and how dangerous it is?

Alex

with a fishing pot

Moon Cat

I agree with Natalia.

Beautiful girl

I also had worms in the camellia .. I won’t say that they hurt a lot .. I just don’t like that there is always earth in the drainage hole and the pan (a product of their vital activity) so I got rid of it like this .... after drying the ground before watering .. I immersed the pot almost to the brim for several hours in a basin of water ... the worms crawled to the bottom of the cup. They also advise putting an apple core ... but I have not tried ..

ELENA STRAMOUSOVA

​http://www.aquaria.com.ua/cherv.html​

✿Elena m✿

The family of earthworms (Lumbricidae) consists of almost 170 species, and belongs to the phylum Annelides. All earthworms are similar in lifestyle. They live in damp places, swarm underground, in cold and drought they go deep into the ground. After heavy rains, due to lack of air, earthworms are forced to rise to the surface. They feed on decaying plant debris and soil microorganisms.

Humble incognito!!!

Control measures:

Svetlana

It would seem that earthworms do not belong to pests of indoor plants, some even believe that they are useful because they loosen the ground. However, this is not the case; earthworms can feed not only on organic residues in the soil, but also on the roots of plants. Usually, the plant becomes lethargic and stunted.

Oksana F.

Earthworms in flower pots are good! They recycle the land and fertilize it, some people specially launch them into flowers if it is not possible to transplant and they want to renew the land!

Ludmila

Earthworm (Lumbricidae)

Galina

Normally, they feed on plant debris, but in a pot, with a shortage of fresh organic matter, they easily switch to living plant roots and underground shoots and rhizomes.

Marusya

worms are harmful

What causes worms in a flower pot?

Natalie Filini

If it's raining then it's ok
I make the land myself, when transplanting, I constantly pick out their land (and what a plus. We go fishing, I take it out of the treasured specially-wormy pot). I don’t ignite, I think, the earth after this procedure is dead, not a single flower died

Tatiana M

If this is earthworms, then they are useful creatures, they loosen the earth and fertilize it ...

Ivan Petrov

http://www.sunnygarden.ru/pets/home_worms.html

Marina Turilina

The extremely positive role that earthworms (aka Lumbricus terrestris) have played (and continue to play) in the processes of creating fertile and living soil is widely known. You can talk about this endlessly, but this is a separate conversation. In a nutshell, an earthworm is a continuously operating mini-factory for the production of humus (soil organic matter).​

Marusya

Radical measures to combat the nematode do not exist. Severely infected plants are destroyed along with the soil. You can try anthelmintic medications, for example, "Decaris". 1 tablet is dissolved in 1 liter of water and the plant is well shed several times.

Control measures: Earthworms can be collected in so-called traps, just like centipedes. You can well water the soil in a pot with a pink solution of potassium permanganate.

Garden > Flowers and flower beds > Indoor >

Earthworms in indoor flowers - help or harm the plant

There are two radically opposing opinions about the activity of earthworms in containers with houseplants. Some claim that these creatures harm the root system of the flower. others claim the opposite. In fact, there is no single answer to this question.

What are the benefits of earthworms

Earthworms live in all layers of the soil

Earthworms live in all layers of the soil and play a leading role in creating its fertility. These creatures feed on dead organic matter. Digesting it, they release a huge amount of vitamins, humic and amino acids, enzymes, antibiotics and a host of other biologically active substances that suppress pathogenic microflora.

Together with plant residues and soil particles, the worms swallow the harmful bacteria, fungal spores, nematodes and protozoa that are in them. This is the basis of their protein nutrition. During the day, one individual absorbs and processes a mass of soil with organic matter equal to its own weight.

Simply put, earthworms fertilize and normalize the microbial composition of the soil. In addition, they increase the aeration of the fertile layer, making numerous moves in it. In one summer, each worm creates up to a kilometer of channels through which moisture and air enter deep into the soil.

The presence of water and oxygen is a prerequisite for the occurrence of chemical processes, as a result of which substances useful for plants are converted into easily digestible compounds. In addition, moisture and air are necessary for soil microorganisms, whose activity is important for maintaining fertility.

Due to the fact that there are a huge number of species of worms living in different layers of the soil, the channels they have laid penetrate the soil to a sufficient depth. It is there that the bulk of the minerals necessary for plant nutrition are located.

The waste products of earthworms are coprolites. They are small clods of soil that have passed through digestive system these creatures.

Coprolites help kill bacteria in the soil

Heaps of manure earthworms leave on the surface of the soil. They are collected and used to make biologically active solutions, which are used as a growth stimulator, fertilizer and protection against diseases and pests.

In the digestive tract of earthworms there are special glands that produce lime. It neutralizes acids formed during the decomposition of organic matter. Thus, the worms lime the soil.

The results of the activity of worms in flower containers

Many flower growers believe that earthworms harm potted plants by gnawing their roots. This statement is not true. Worms do not have teeth, so they cannot eat living organic matter.

Another thing is that the benefits of them in a small volume of a flower pot are very doubtful.

Ready-made soil for indoor plants is already enriched with the necessary fertilizers and active substances. It also does not need to increase aeration, since it includes a significant part of peat, which has a fairly loose structure.

In addition, in such soil there is little food for worms - undecomposed organic matter. In search of food, these soil animals will make numerous moves, exposing the roots of the flower in places and damaging them mechanically. As a result, the plant stops growing and may look unhealthy or depressed.

Worms can partially expose the roots of the plant

That is why some flower growers unequivocally consider earthworms to be pests of indoor plants and in every possible way fight their presence. Some people just don't like the slime trails these creatures leave on the surface of the ground. Other worms, in principle, are not cute.

If so, getting rid of them is easy. It is enough to immerse the flower pot in water so that it reaches its edge. After some time, the worms will feel a lack of oxygen and crawl out to the surface. All you have to do is pick them up and throw them away.

There is also a more radical method of dealing with unwanted guests - poison. The poison for them are fumigants and fungicides. Some confuse earthworms with really dangerous pests - weevil and cutworm larvae. They just feed on the roots of the plant, causing its death.

Worms or their eggs get into the pot along with poor-quality soil bought at the store, or when using a soil mixture prepared by yourself. To avoid the appearance of unwanted guests in a flower pot, it is necessary to sterilize the soil used for planting indoor plants, chemically or thermally.

Large plants planted in bulk containers will not be harmed by earthworms.

While watching the video, you will learn how to get rid of pests.

On the contrary, their usefulness in this case is undeniable, especially if the pot is filled with heavy garden soil. These tireless workers loosen the soil, fertilize and aerate it.

More information

earthworms- a family of worms from the class of oligochaetes, such as annelids. The length reaches from 10 to 30 cm. With thick skin, red blood, no eyes. The body consists of rings, or segments. All segments, except for the anterior segment, bear 8 short, small, hooked setae, which serve as a support during movement. They reproduce by laying cocoons with eggs in the ground. Each mature individual lays 18-24 cocoons during the summer period, each of which contains 1-21 eggs. After 2 - 3 weeks, new individuals appear from the eggs, and after another 7 - 12 weeks, the "newborns" themselves are able to bear offspring. Worms live 10 - 15 years. Young mature individuals weigh up to 1 g. Cultivated red Californian worm provides 18 - 26 fold reproduction in the local climate and 500 fold reproduction in special greenhouses, while wild relatives give 4 - 6 fold reproduction. They live in the soil, where they move by pushing its particles with their heads or swallowing them. They lead a nocturnal lifestyle. During the night, the worm can "pass" over the surface of 15 - 20 meters. They come to the surface only after heavy rains, when in saturated water

The soil suffocates due to lack of oxygen (hence the name). they feed on detritus - decaying plant organic matter with soil particles located on the surface or in their underground burrows, as well as in the soil itself.

Earthworm varieties can be classified according to three morpho-ecological criteria:

- Epigeic They live in the upper layers of soil rich in organic matter. These are small worms with a rapid generational change. A member of this class, Eisenia Foetida (known as the Californian Red Worm), is widely used in industrial biotechnology for the production of vermicompost.

- Endogeic Representatives of this class live in soil less saturated with organic matter, and the diet includes a greater amount of minerals. They build horizontal branching burrows at shallow depths and play a very important role in soil formation. They continuously mix and aerate the soil.

- Anecics Bouche Under this name, species are grouped that build permanent vertical burrows that penetrate deep into the soil. They play a very important role in soil formation as well as the fermentation of organic matter. The main species in this class are Lumbricus terrestris and Aporrectodea longa.

Earthworms are unique creatures! Their extremely positive role in the processes of creating fertile and living soil is widely known. Worms feed on decaying organic residues (leaves, grass, manure, etc.), which they drag into their passages. Absorbing together with the soil a huge amount of plant residues, simple nematodes, microbes, fungi, algae, earthworms digest them, releasing them together with

coprolites (heaps of earth secreted by worms) a large number of humic acids, own microflora, amino acids, enzymes, vitamins, other biologically active substances that suppress pathogenic microflora. Excrement of earthworms (coprolites), containing a lot of crushed earth particles and organic matter processed in the intestines, is deposited by them on the surface of the earth. This is a valuable organic fertilizer. Thus, earthworms contribute to an increase in the fertility of the arable layer of the earth, at the same time, with their burrows, they loosen the soil, and by dragging in plant residues, they increase the content of organic matter in the soil. An earthworm in the ground is a continuously operating factory for the production of organic fertilizer. They loosen the soil, penetrating it with minks, which contributes to aeration and moistening of the deep layers, mix it and accelerate the decomposition of plant residues. During the summer, in search of food, the worm is able to lay up to 1 kilometer of passages underground. In the garden, in the flower bed, in the garden, earthworms are undoubtedly very useful inhabitants.

The debate about the dangers or benefits of earthworms in a flower pot does not fade away especially on the internet. By the way, do not confuse them with very bad worms: cutworm and weevil larvae that feed on roots. Among some part of flower growers, there is a widespread belief about the unconditional harm that earthworms bring. I am koby they are vicious pests. They are gnaw roots in pots, eat young shoots and seedlings, sprouts, seeds. They cannot do this because of the structural features of the oral apparatus. It turns out that there are no teeth in the worm's mouth. Therefore, they cannot gnaw or bite, eat living plants. Normally, they feed on plant debris. The food should be soft enough, partially spread out, to pass through a small mouth opening. Some see earthworms as dangerous pests, while others recommend specially bringing worms from the street and running them into pots. Due to the numerous passages and burrows of earthworms, aeration and drainage are significantly improved. Basically, for big plants in bulk tubs, the earthworm is not a pest, it fertilizes, aerates and loosens the soil. This is useful if the tub is filled with clay-heavy garden soil to improve airflow into the poor substrate. However, in a pot with a quality peat substrate, there is no need for additional aeration.

Earthworms do not inflict direct harm to indoor plants, but in a small flower pot, the benefits of their presence are very doubtful. AT the process of movement in the substrate worms actively dig fairly wide passages, expose part of the roots, can mechanically damaging and disturbing very gently th young roots . If there are many worms this is bad for the flower. Crawling on the surface of the substrate, the worms leave a not very beautiful slime. Some people just don't like them. Actually, it's a matter of taste. But when buying a houseplant in a store, there should be no earthworms or any other worms in the pot. Can worms be brought in with purchased soil? Yes. But this is a problem of low-quality products, especially if the mixture includes turf or hardwood, poor biohumus, compost. There is a worm in peat very rare guest can get in two cases: with careless storage or with the exhibition of plants on the street. In industrial peatlands, earthworms, despite the huge amount of undecayed organic matter, do not live. The probable cause is the acid reaction of the environment and very high humidity (in an environment with acidity below pH = 5 or above pH = 9, all worms die within a week). With the right technology for the extraction, transportation and processing of peat, as well as the delivery of the substrate to the consumer in packaged form, infection with live worms or their eggs is excluded. Worms do not live in high-moor peat, therefore, with a high-quality peat substrate, worms cannot get into the pot. Most often, worms or their eggs fall into the pot if unsterilized garden soil is used. Usually, they fall with unsteamed soil in the form of eggs. External signs the presence of earthworms Characteristic lumps of earth appear on the surface of the substrate and on the pallet, thrown out of their passages, the earthen lump is riddled with characteristic passages, the soil dries quickly. Preventive actions Use a quality peat substrate. Store the remains of the substrate in a closed container, in a dry place. If you take the plants outside in the summer, put the pots on pallets and so that the earthworms cannot climb into them. If you are harvesting land from the garden yourself and using other high-risk components (soddy soil, compost, deciduous soil, biohumus of dubious origin), it is highly desirable to sterilize them thermally or chemically. This is true both for the soil from your garden, and for unreliable cheap purchased mixtures. From the fight When transplanting, it is easy to collect large worms. Carefully inspect the earthen room. If characteristic passages are found, remove the plant from the pot and carefully, with tweezers, without disturbing the roots, gather the uninvited"guests". Dip the pot in warm water (you can use a weak, pale pink potassium permanganate solution) and soak for 15-20 minutes. Earthworms will not have enough air and they themselves will crawl to the surface. Collect crawling worms. This method of struggle is the best. In extreme cases, chemicals can be used. Herbicides have a fairly low toxicity to worms, fungicides and fumigants are poison for them.

Sincerely, Yuri Kardash