December 7, 2023 Hans Leong

What are the tiny white bugs in the soil?

What are tiny white bugs in the soil? They are soil mites or springtails and they will appear when the soil is excessively moist and high in organic matter. Don’t worry, they won’t harm your plants.

These bugs are responsible for consuming organic matter, decaying leaves, and roots in the soil. They don’t feed on fresh and healthy leaves, so rest assured, they won’t harm your plants. They can also help with soil aeration, and their excrement serves as nutrients for the plants.

What to do if you really don't like seeing them? You may take the actions below help to reduce their presence:

Firstly, regularly check the soil to see if it is too wet or waterlogged, especially during rainy days.

Secondly, you can also add coarse sand, about 2cm thick, to the top layer of the soil. They don’t like to lay eggs in dry surface layers.

Thirdly, when fertilizing, use a little but more frequent approach. Reduce the dosage by half and divide it into two applications per week. This can also help reduce their population.

Lastly, you can also add Mr. Ganick Neem Cake to the soil or spray some Mr. Ganick Neem Oil on the soil. This will make them less inclined to inhabit the area.