Worm plant. Earthworms in potted houseplants: to start or not? Fertilizers for gardenia

Enchitreuses(Enchytraeus), belonging to the genus of low-bristle worms - white or gray worms, from 1 to 3 sometimes 4 centimeters in length, very thin. Enchitreus, or white milk worms, got their name not only for their milky color, but also for their rapid reproduction, if you pour milk on the ground. Enchitreuses live in balls in garden soil and between plant roots. You probably met such small and thin worms in your garden or garden.

Enchitreuses feed on diseased or dead plant tissues, rotten strawberries or strawberries, fallen plums, pears, apples or vegetables in contact with the ground. You pick up an apple from the ground, and in the place where it was in contact with the ground, in the damage to the skin of the apple, you suddenly find a ball of wriggling small worms. This is the enchitreus. We can say that the picture is not pleasant. Sometimes, unknowingly, these worms are mistaken for nematodes.

Although it is believed that enchitreus do not cause any harm to plants in flower pot, however, their presence is not in vain for plants: plants stop growing, leaves begin to turn yellow, the plant looks sick, shows signs of a flooded plant. All these symptoms are due to the fact that the worms constantly damage the earthen ball. Even with a small accumulation in the closed space of the pot, enchitreuses begin to eat up the roots of the plant. To determine that it is the flower worms that harm the plant can only be found out during transplantation. If nothing is done, the plant may die.

You can get rid of enchitreuses in the same way as you can get rid of earthworms - by immersing a flower pot in water. Enchitreuses should float. But most often, everything ends with a plant transplant.

Prevention against enchitreus

Monitor the watering of plants, do not allow waterlogging of the soil. Use for the preparation of earth mixtures only the past heat treatment garden soil.

To protect plants from earthen pests and various fungal diseases, garden soil must be calcined or steamed before use. It's not the same thing. You can ignite the earth in the oven or microwave, simply scattering it in a thin layer on a baking sheet. Steaming is steaming in a water bath. Pour water into a large pot or bucket and bring to a boil. A cup of earth is placed over hot water and steamed for some time (at least half an hour).

The use of ready-made store-bought soil mixtures cannot give a 100% guarantee that flower worms will not start in it. With constant waterlogging, enchitreuses start up even in purchased soil.

In the summer, when you take the plants out into the garden, use a variety of pallets to keep the pots from touching the ground. In addition, you need to ensure that water does not stagnate in the pallets after watering. In the fall, before you bring the plants into the room, quarantine them.

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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 live in upper layers soils 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 amount of humic acids, their own microflora, amino acids, enzymes, vitamins, and 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 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. In principle, for large plants in large 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. IN 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 of 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 preparing land from the garden yourself and using other high-risk components (turf land, compost, deciduous land, vermicompost of dubious origin) - it is highly desirable to sterilize them with thermal or by chemical means. 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

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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 to Fresh air 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.
• Most effective way- 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 better soil steam 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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Houseplants are just as susceptible to insect infestation as garden plants. Improper care of flowers contributes to the appearance of flying, jumping and crawling pests. Most of them are very dangerous for plants - they damage the root system, suck the juice from the leaves and stems, bite through the buds, preventing the flowers from blooming. Common phenomenon - small white worms in the ground indoor plants.

White or transparent worms in indoor pots are an alarm. Pests weaken the plant, slow down its growth. The flower stops releasing buds, the leaves turn yellow and wither. These worms can be both adult insects and their larvae. Whoever they are, if timely measures are not taken, the plant may die.

insect larvae

When it comes to larvae, they usually mean several genera of insects from the Diptera order.

Mushek

Springtails (springtails, podura) are tiny arthropods no larger than 5 mm in size. In the lower part of the body they have a jumping fork, which allows them to move quickly. Some specimens are so small that it is difficult to see them. Often the owners notice white worms in the pan, in the water left after watering. Insects live in the soil and feed on organic matter. If this nutrition is not enough for them, the roots of the flower, young shoots are destroyed. Waterlogged soil is a favorable habitat.

mushroom mosquito

Members of the Sciarich family encountered indoor flower growers:

• midges sciara;
• mushroom mosquitoes;
• genus Bradysia.

Only a specialist can find the differences between these insects, but the harm they cause and the methods of struggle are almost the same. The insect is a small mosquito. The length of the thin body is 3-4 mm, the head is round. It has only an anterior pair of transparent wings, in place of the posterior ones there are club-shaped halteres.

Insects fly well, multiply quickly. The young mosquito has a light gray body, blackens with age. Adults do not cause much harm to plants, but can carry various diseases and larvae of other pests.

The main harm is caused by the larvae of the mushroom mosquito - white, transparent worms 3-5 mm long with a black head.

Insects damage the root system of an indoor flower. The supply of the plant is interrupted nutrients and moisture, the flower may die. The larvae get along with the contaminated soil. The second way for adults to enter the apartment is from the street through open windows. Mosquitoes prefer waterlogged soil.

Nematodes

Nematodes (roundworms) are protostomes. Zoologists suggest the existence of about a million species on earth. They live in fresh and salt water bodies, in the soil.

Nematodes are tiny worms in indoor flowers that start in moist soil, feed on living and dead plants.

Types of plant nematodes:

1. Gallic, settling on the roots, their secretions contribute to the formation of thickenings in which pests live and multiply. When the eggs mature, the shell is destroyed, the larvae spread in the ground.
2. Nematodes with free formation of cysts are attached to the root.
3. Free nematodes do not have permanent place living, crawling, damage various organs of the plant.

Signs of damage by nematodes:

• the appearance on the foliage of yellow, and subsequently brown and black spots;
• reduction in the size of the leaves, their deformation;
• curvature of the stems, drying of the apical buds;
• the formation of thickenings and swellings on the root system.

Nematodes lay oval eggs, from which white, partially transparent larvae emerge.

Enchitreya

The appearance of enchitrea in home flowers is difficult to notice, they live on the roots of plants. If no action is taken, the root system will be covered with worms. Signs of damage - stunting, yellowing of the leaves. Enchitreya often appear in greenhouses, they love heat and moisture. Pests look like small mobile white worms with pointed ends. The body of the worm is translucent, through which the digestive organs are visible. These pests are good food for aquarium fish.

Fighting methods

If pests are bred in a flower pot, it is urgent to get rid of them. Depending on the degree of damage, select methods of struggle.

Mechanical

Since white worms live mainly in the soil, mechanical removal ineffective. You can remove or wash off adult specimens from the roots, but you will not be able to get rid of eggs and larvae. If the pests have just appeared, transplant the houseplant into healthy, calcined soil. Treat the soil with insecticides. During transplantation, remove adult insects, larvae and eggs from the root system. Cut off damaged areas, treat with disinfectant solutions.

Chemical

In a specialized store, you will be offered several proven preparations for combating soil pests:

1. "Carbation"- means of fumigation action. It is used once to protect the flower, to sterilize the soil.
2. "Agravertin"- a safe highly effective agent, does not cause addiction in pests, in the hot season the efficiency increases.
3. "Fitoverm"- a few hours after treatment causes paralysis in pests, after 2-3 days they die. It is applied by spraying, re-treatment is recommended.
4. "Confidor"– the active substance penetrates into the plant tissues, the effect is preserved long time. The drug can only harm insects.
5. "Intavir"- a nerve poison that affects most insect pests. After half an hour, the feeding process stops, within a day the pests die. Does not destroy eggs.

Chemical preparations are toxic, safety rules must be strictly observed.

Folk remedies

If you are not a fan of chemicals, try folk remedies:

1. Prepare a pale pink solution of potassium permanganate, water the houseplant several times with this solution.
2. Use soapy water for spraying.
3. Place citrus peels, garlic cloves near the flowers, treat the soil with anise oil.
4. Prepare a solution of 5 g of tobacco dust and a liter of water. After insisting for a day, spray the plant and the soil in the pot. Repeat the procedure once a week for 1-1.5 months.

Many flower growers are convinced that matches stuck with sulfur heads into the soil help to cope with white worms in the ground.

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Prevention measures

It is easier to prevent insects from infecting plants than to fight them.

Heed the advice of experts:

1. Even if you spot one fly or worm, check all the pots.
2. Replace the soil, wash the containers.
3. Adjust watering, do not overmoisten the soil.
4. Do not use folk remedies for fertilizer - tea leaves, meat juice. These products create favorable conditions for the reproduction of pests.
5. Do not place vases with purchased flowers near indoor plants.

Monitor newly acquired plants and soil. Follow the rules for caring for flowers, a healthy plant is less susceptible to pests.

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 color. 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 midges and worms in indoor flower, we will dry the soil mixture to kill 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.