Vegetable container gardening allows the enjoyment of harvesting fresh produce even if you don’t have a lot of gardening space. However, exactly the same pest insects which locate vegetables from a backyard can find vegetables in your patio, on your own balcony, or your sidewalk — wherever you container-garden. Inspect plants frequently and deal with infestations once you find them. Several types of little black bugs could be present.
Fungus Gnats
These tiny black flies do not harm plants or creatures but they could have irritation value. About 1/16- to 1/8-inch long, they are not strong fliers and often fly only short distances. You will see them walking about on foliage, containers and soil. Females lay eggs in organic-rich, moist soils. Larvae look like little pastel worms with eyes that are dark. They live in soil and feed on decomposing organic substance and on fungi. Some species will consume Stump Removal roots. Control adults by putting out pest sticky traps. Control larvae by using well-draining potting mix that does not encourage continuously wet soil and by allowing soil to dry partly between watering. Half-bury chunks of raw potato (Solanum tuberosum), cut-side down, in the container soil to entice larvae. After a few days, dig up the chunks containing feeding seams and remove them.
Aphids
Aphids may be black, black, brown, pink or yellow. You will observe immature aphids resting tender Shrub Removal development, usually stems or bows. They suck Stump Removal sap and may kill or damage plants if present in huge amounts. They also transmit Stump Removal diseases. Sometimes winged adults look. Wash away aphids with a strong spray of water or brush them away with a cotton swab or your hands once you find them. If branch tips are covered in aphids, you might want to pinch off and discard that portion. Encourage natural predators, such as ladybugs and their larvae and green lacewing larvae. Control ant access to your container plants. Ants carry aphids to new plants and tend them like cattle to your sweet honeydew aphids produce.
Springtails
About 1/16 of an inch long, springtails come in black, gray, red, blue-gray or whitish colors. They’re most frequent on soil surfaces, and they jump when disturbed. They do not bite, transmit disease or ruin people’s possessions. They live in moist locations and become a nuisance if there are very many. They eat decaying vegetation, fungi, and algae. Control springtails by controlling moisture levels in and around container plants, and by removing accumulations of decaying Shrub Removal materials.
Flea Beetles
Little black beetles that usually range from 1/16 into 1/8 inch long, flea beetles may be black, bluish, brown or gray, often with a metallic luster. They jump with the aid of enlarged hind legs. If you notice small holes appearing in vegetable plant leaves, especially on cabbage (Brassica oleracea) and its relatives, start looking for flea beetles. Assess for their presence by putting out yellow sticky traps. To control them, eliminate plant debris piles in which the adult beetles overwinter, cover exposed plants using row covers, or plant a trap crop such as radishes (Raphanus sativus) which flea beetles prefer. They’ll eat radishes as opposed to your other vegetables. Collect flea beetles from the radishes and ruin them.