When you're growing any kind of plants, you might receive unwelcome visitors. Bugs don't come with Auk (the coconut soil and seeds are sterilized), but due to the favorable conditions, they can easily find their way to the Auk once they're in your house.

Flies and insects can come from store-bought herbs or other plants. They can also enter through windows in the summer or hitch a ride on clothes from someone who's been outdoors. In this article, we'll give you tips on how to prevent bugs in your Auk. 

In summary:

  • Remove dead plant material, which attracts insects and mold.
  • There are various types of insects – most of them are not dangerous.
  • Thrips are the most challenging to get rid of – if you have them, we recommend discarding the plants and starting over.
  • If you’ve had insects in your Auk, you should start over to eliminate them. We recommend cleaning the pots and the base plate, and using new coconut soil.
  • Check nearby plants for insects before starting again.

Aphids (small, green insects that sit on leaves) - remove the infested leaves.

Aphids often live on the undersides of leaves and can be seen if you look closely.

 

If only a few leaves have aphids, remove the infested leaves to prevent the aphids from spreading. You can also take the pot out and shake the plant or spray it with water. If the entire plant is infested and shaking or spraying doesn't help, we recommend discarding the plant and starting again. Remember to clean the base plate and pots before starting over.


Springtails (small, white insects visible in the soil or water) are harmless to both you and the plants

You can see them hopping around, especially if you disturb the soil or water.

There will just be a couple of springtails in the beginning, but they can multiply fast.


Springtails are common and won't harm you or your plants – the plants will grow normally and won't become toxic or dangerous in any way. These creatures thrive in humid environments and can be challenging to get rid of once they appear, but they like dead plant matter and mold, so remove all dead plant material.

If you end up with springtails and don’t want to put up with them in your Auk, you can dip the pots in water to make the springtails float off, then remove them.

Another method you can try is watering the pots with a hydrogen peroxide solution (this is often suggested by gardeners, but we haven't been able to test it ourselves, and can't guarantee the results):

  1. Mix 1 part hydrogen peroxide 3% (available at pharmacies) with 4 parts water (e.g., 50 ml hydrogen peroxide + 200 ml water).
  2. Pour the mixture into the pots. You can also lift the pots and pour a little directly into the base plate.
  3. Repeat the process after one week.

If you want to get rid of springtails and the above tips don't help, you should start again with new coconut soil.

 

Fungus gnats (resembling fruit flies) - you need to catch them with fly traps.

Fungus gnats are small flies that resemble fruit flies. To eliminate fungus gnats, you need to catch the adult flies to prevent them from laying new eggs.

You can create a homemade fly trap: mix dish soap, vinegar, and water in a bowl and place it near the Auk and other plants. Let the bowl sit for a while to attract the flies.

Fruit fly traps are also effective for catching fungus gnats.

Another option often recommended to eradicate the larvae (before they become flies) is watering the pots with a hydrogen peroxide solution (we haven't tested this ourselves and can't make any guarantees for the result):

  1. Mix 1 part hydrogen peroxide 3% (available at pharmacies) with 4 parts water (e.g., 50 ml hydrogen peroxide + 200 ml water).
  2. Pour the mixture into the pots. You can also lift the pots and pour a little directly into the bottom plate.
  3. Repeat the process after one week.

 

Thrips (small, yellow, or dark insects that sit on leaves) are the most challenging to eliminate.

You can see thrips on the leaves (they feed on plant sap):

Over time, leaves can become pale, yellow, or brown with a silvery sheen.

Thrips often come in with new houseplants, so isolate new houseplants for a week or two and check for thrips before placing them with other plants or near the Auk.

Unfortunately, thrips are hard to get rid of and can cause damage to your plants. If you've got thrips, we recommend discarding the plants and starting over. Clean the base plate and pots with soapy water and let them dry for a few days before starting again with new coconut soil. Remember to check that there are no thrips on other plants you have at home before starting again.

Don't hesitate to contact us if you have any questions :)