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I have just discovered some small white bugs in the soil of my herbs which are in pots I also realise that the tips of the rosemary are turning brown and some of my parsley is starting to dry what could be causing this please HELP!!!! LOL

By GrowerInLeeds on 01 June 09 in Pests and diseases | Report misuse

6 Responses

  • I would agree with helpers2115 that your bugs are likely vine weevils. I would wash all your pots thoroughly with Jeyes fluid after removing the soil and disposing of the same. Vine weevils are notoriously difficult to get rid of. I used to run a garden nursery and they desecrated the stock. Good luck

    By growers18399 on 09 June 09 | Report misuse

  • if the bugs are in the soil they may be vine weevil larvae- check out pics on the web and see if they match what you've got. For these I use a drench that you water into the pots, your local garden centre should have a suitable product - if it is vine weevil then remove all the compost and replant. Don't put the old compost in your compost bins though, dispose in the council bin. these bugs eat all the roots so will eventually kill off you plants hence treat the soil in all you pots now

    By helpers2115 on 05 June 09 | Report misuse

  • My pots are outside on the patio, so when it rains they do get extra watering, so maybe I should not water them after a rain shower. As at present I water them everyday.

    By GrowerInLeeds on 03 June 09 | Report misuse

  • They sound like scarid flies to me- they feed on nutrients from the compost and won't actually do the plants much harm. Rosemary can turn brown from too much or too little water but too much is most likely, or it may just need a bigger pot. Good luck

    By sara venn on 03 June 09 | Report misuse

  • I don't see flies they look like little bugs crawling arounf in the soil not on the plants, also do you have any suggestions as too why the rosemary leaves are browning at the tip?

    By GrowerInLeeds on 02 June 09 | Report misuse

  • Do these white bugs fly at all? If you look closely, do they look like tiny triangles or elongated white hearts? Are you plants in a greenhouse or otherwise indoors? If so, they are whiteflies, which are not unusual for pot plants raised indoors. You can use simple yellow sticky traps, that you can buy in Homebase. These yellow sheets are hung near your plants and flying adult whitefly will stick to the traps and die.

    Oliver.

    By oliverkinne on 01 June 09 | Report misuse

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