Hi, I have a little problem with two of my plants. One is is a small Jade Tree (or Jade Plant), the other is an Elephant Ear Plant (it was fro Ernest Hemingway's back yard in the Florida Keys!) Anyways, I have the Jade Tree in its own small pot, and the Elephant Ear in a large pot. The jade tree sits in a spot in the elephant ear's pot, where nothing is growing. I went to water them yesterday morning, and lifted up the Jade Tree pot. I noticed there were these very very very almost microscopic white bugs underneath it. You could barely even see them. Does anyone know what these bugs are? Are they harmful to the plants? And, if so, should I repot both of them? And, if I do that, what can I use/do to make sure the bugs dont live in, or get transfered to the new pots. Thanks.
You got prider mites.A spray bottle with verry diluted soap will help.just spray the pot and plant green healing thoughts frog
are they in the soil or on the undersides of the leaves? it could be fungus gnats. They thrive on overwatered plants and eat rotting roots, causing more root rot. Spider mites thrive on underwatered plants and suck the juices out of the leaves. Either pest can be controlled using a soapy solution (soap, not detergent, there is a difference!). Try some non-ultra lemon joy or ivory dish soap.
Thanks Mama Boogie. I did make the soapy solution, and it looks like the problem is clearing up. The bugs seemed to be just on the soil. I think I've got to keep the plants by a sunnier window also. I noticed another sprout of the elephant ear plant is coming up (it's about an inch tall now) and the tiny leaf is dryed or bitten at the top, so Im going to guess that could have been the spider mites? I do keep both watered well though... maybe I will go to watering twice a week, instead of once a week like I was originally told. But, I think the soap solution will take care of the problem!! Thanks again!!!!!
Make sure to redo the soap a couple times to make sure you get any newly hatched eggs that might be there. And if it's fungus gnats, check the roots for damage/rot, and repot in fresh soil if there is root rot.
