This season has arrived: here's how to get rid of the flies and insects that are attracted to the houseplants - voila! Home & Design

2023-05-14T08:56:40.776Z

Highlights: Potted plants and seedlings add a lot of grace and color to any home, but also attract insects and other unwanted animals. Here are six tricks that will help you get rid of them, without too much effort. The fly that most often appears around potted plants is the fermentation fly - small black flies that incubate in places where there is rot. Cinnamon is a spice that flies really don't like and it works like a fungicide, it also kills the fungi and spores on the soil where your plant is planted.

Potted plants and seedlings add a lot of grace and color to any home, but also attract insects and other unwanted animals. So here are six tricks that will help you get rid of them, without too much effort

Fruit Fly Trap (Apartment Therapy)

Houseplants can add a lot of grace and color to any home, but at the same time they can also attract pesky flies. The fly that most often appears around potted plants is the fermentation fly - small black flies that incubate in places where there is rot and in our case in the plant's growing substrate where rot can develop due to overwatering. Adult flies do not sting or harm, but fly larvae feed on the roots of the plant and destroy it.

But don't worry, plant enthusiasts have shared six good ways to get rid of flies and other insects attracted to seedlings.

1. Use a lint

remover The same cleaning tool consisting of a roll of one-sided tape mounted on a pulley with a handle is usually used to remove animal hairs from clothing, but it can also help get rid of insects and eggs on the leaves and kill them.

Simply gently roll it over the leaves of the plant to collect the insects, aphids and their offspring before discarding them. "It's important to replace a new sheet on the sticky roller after cleaning each plant," advises Nick Drew, "this will prevent all plants that have not yet been infected from becoming contaminated with insect eggs."

Here's how it is

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2. Add cinnamon to the soil Cinnamon is a spice that flies really don't like and it works like a fungicide, it also kills the fungi and spores on the soil

where your plant is planted and makes it a place where animals are not suitable to live. All you need is a pinch of cinnamon on the ground.

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3. Sprinkle sand on the surface

Flies are attracted to damp and rotten material, so if you cover the soil in a pot with sand, you can reduce moisture, create a barrier between the insects and the soil of the pot, and kill the flies. "Insects like to put their eggs on moist soil, so drying it out prevents that. Fermentation flies are attracted to moisture and biodegradables found in the soil, such as peat or compost," the experts say, "To prevent them from laying eggs and to ensure they don't infect the other plants in the house, spread sand on top of the soil in the pot."

In addition, avoid overwatering the plants, and be sure to use unique soil for house plants.

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4. Put matches in the soil Another easy and surprising solution to get rid of insects and flies is to stick a few matches in the soil

of the pot. "All you have to do is place a few matches in the ground with their heads facing down, and around 5 centimeters from the edge of the pot," they advise, "the match heads dissolve and gradually begin to release phosphorus, magnesium and sulfur into the soil, which helps get rid of the fermentation flies and helps the plants grow." Once the match head dissolves, replace it to keep your plant protected.

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5. Use hydrogen peroxide spray
Mix <> tablespoon of hydrogen peroxide
with a glass of water, place the liquid in a special bottle and spray the soil and leaves. This mixture will kill the flies and not harm your seedlings, you can repeat it weekly until the flies disappear.

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6. Use orange peels

Flies hate the smell of oranges, did you know? Well - get a recipe that will keep them away from the plants: Peel two oranges and put the peels in a pan with two tablespoons of dish soap and two cups of water. Bring to a boil, then remove from heat and let the mixture sit for two hours, transfer the liquid to a spray bottle and spray generously on the leaves of the plants.

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