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I believe this is an egg of some sort. However, I am in no way a professional or even a hobbyist. I have a total of 2 plants. Anyway, can someone please tell me if I need to be concerned about these? They are all in the soil for my houseplants
I believe this is an egg of some sort. However, I am in no way a professional or even a hobbyist. I have a total of 2 plants. Anyway, can someone please tell me if I need to be concerned about these? They are all in the soil for my houseplants
If I was in your position, and with only two house plants, I'd transplant them immediately. I would take the plants out of the pots, shake all the soil off the roots and then dip them in a bucket of tepid water to rinse any remaining soil off the roots so they are completely bare of any soil, then immediately re-plant them in all new, sterile soil in brand new pots. Spread the roots out as you are repotting so the roots won't be all bunched up and clinging to each other.
The plants will go into shock for a few days (go all limp and wilted and sulky), because of the roots being so rudely disturbed and laid bare before re-potting. But if you give them plenty of water when you repot them and keep the soil evenly moist but not soaking wet, they should bounce back to normal in a few days.
Thoroughly dispose of the soil that you took them out of into the garbage, don't dump that soil out onto the ground outside where the eggs might hatch. If you keep the old pots they will need to be washed right away with soap and bleach in hot water before they can safely be used again.
They do look like those slug/snail eggs. They were in the soil for your houseplants indoors though?
It can happen. If the OP got the plants already potted up in the same soil it means there was either eggs in the soil to start with, or a couple of baby slugs were in there that the seller never knew about, and those babies grew up into egg laying adults. So OP has adult slugs now living in the pots and the pots have become a nursery for new eggs. The plants don't stand a chance if those eggs hatch, and adding slug poison is NOT going to help in a situation like this where the pots have been used as a nursery and larder and now they're full of new eggs, so getting the plants out of the soil and completely cleaned up and repotted is the only answer.
Or else OP can throw the entire lot, plants included, into the garbage.
It can happen. If the OP got the plants already potted up in the same soil it means there was either eggs in the soil to start with, or a couple of baby slugs were in there that the seller never knew about, and those babies grew up into egg laying adults. So OP has adult slugs now living in the pots and the pots have become a nursery for new eggs. The plants don't stand a chance if those eggs hatch, and adding slug poison is NOT going to help in a situation like this where the pots have been used as a nursery and larder and now they're full of new eggs, so getting the plants out of the soil and completely cleaned up and repotted is the only answer.
Or else OP can throw the entire lot, plants included, into the garbage.
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Good to know! Thank you.
This reminds me of fungus gnats that were horrible on a beautiful palm of mine. I was so determined to keep the small tree. I repotted, washing the roots and the whole tree with a mild mild soap. I was really at a loss and trying to save my tree but it's been two to three months now and it's recovered very well in brand new soil, disinfected pot etc. No more fungus gnats. Boy, they were such a nuisance in the house. Not a sign of any of them now.
Do you think this might also help save her plant if she repots it, disinfects/cleans the roots and new soil?
This reminds me of fungus gnats that were horrible on a beautiful palm of mine. I was so determined to keep the small tree. I repotted, washing the roots and the whole tree with a mild mild soap. I was really at a loss and trying to save my tree but it's been two to three months now and it's recovered very well in brand new soil, disinfected pot etc. No more fungus gnats. Boy, they were such a nuisance in the house. Not a sign of any of them now.
Do you think this might also help save her plant if she repots it, disinfects/cleans the roots and new soil?
That's all she can do if she wants to try to save the plants, which is why I told her to do that in my first post. At this stage nothing else will help, other than just dumping the plants and everything into the garbage.
That's all she can do if she wants to try to save the plants, which is why I told her to do that in my first post. At this stage nothing else will help, other than just dumping the plants and everything into the garbage.
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I didn't see the edited version. Good points. I have had to do that, dump it in the garbage, for a couple of plants that had spider mite. I believe spider mite is one pest along with aphids that I have had trouble with in the past. I keep my plants quarantined for awhile upon bringing them home mostly because of aphids and spider mite issues especially if they are gifts as these are really difficult for me to deal with (have not been able to save a plant from spider mite). If they are not gifted to me, it's easier for me to be more cautious before bringing them home.
You can always set the eggs aside in a container, and feed them whatever they were on or around, and discover for yourself what they are. It's actually kind of fun. I've done that repeatedly, and found moths, butterflies, box elder bugs, and sawflies. Consider it a science project.
The egg stage is probably the hardest to determine, but see them in the larva / worm / caterpillar stage, and it should become easier to tell what they are. Or continue to feed them and see them as adults (i.e. the egg-layers). You can also try BugGuide.com for ID help.
It can happen. If the OP got the plants already potted up in the same soil it means there was either eggs in the soil to start with, or a couple of baby slugs were in there that the seller never knew about, and those babies grew up into egg laying adults. So OP has adult slugs now living in the pots and the pots have become a nursery for new eggs. The plants don't stand a chance if those eggs hatch, and adding slug poison is NOT going to help in a situation like this where the pots have been used as a nursery and larder and now they're full of new eggs, so getting the plants out of the soil and completely cleaned up and repotted is the only answer.
Or else OP can throw the entire lot, plants included, into the garbage.
.
No. One plant I've had for over 7 years. It's been repotted this past spring using Miracle Grow Moisture Control soil. Both have. The other is a cut off of the first, but much smaller. They are both Angel Ivy. I'm beginning to wonder if they aren't those water pellets you sometimes see in that water control soil. when "popped", there's just a clear liquid in them. No baby or whatever.
It can happen. If the OP got the plants already potted up in the same soil it means there was either eggs in the soil to start with, or a couple of baby slugs were in there that the seller never knew about, and those babies grew up into egg laying adults. So OP has adult slugs now living in the pots and the pots have become a nursery for new eggs. The plants don't stand a chance if those eggs hatch, and adding slug poison is NOT going to help in a situation like this where the pots have been used as a nursery and larder and now they're full of new eggs, so getting the plants out of the soil and completely cleaned up and repotted is the only answer.
Or else OP can throw the entire lot, plants included, into the garbage.
.
Well, I've had the larger one for close to 7 years. It was a mother's day gift from my son. I really don't want to "toss the whole lot" unless I absolutely have to. I know, they're only plants. Stupid to get attached. But as I said above...
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