Actually Springtails are a sign of healthy soil filled with organic matter. When it comes to potted plants, Springtails can be a nuisance. I recommend letting the pot dry out in-between watering since they like the moist habitat.
I did send a sample of the Springtail that was found in the garden to the Collembola Guru in the world and it was found to be a species that was never found outside of Florida. It too was not known to be a "home invader". I joke that the Springtail came on holiday and ended up in a rainstorm. How we did decrease populations was to spread the mulch thin and let it dry out completely. The populations went back to normal in about 3 months. I'm sure everyone has seen one without knowing what it was. Have you ever read a book in Park and saw something the size of a flea that scurried across the page? Most likely that was a Springtail. Deborah > Deborah and Evan > I agree that using bioremediation would be great to use to heal the soil. It > is not right that pollution can be an excuse to take the land and use it for > private gain. It also shows such a lack of respect for a garden that has > been there for so long. What about raised beds for the areas which are > farmed?Also there is a good thread on this topic at: > http://www.ibiblio.org/london/agriculture/bioremediation/1/threads.html#0006 > 8 > > More and more it seems that there isn't land anywhere which doesn't have > some sort of pollution and we might be at a point where we all have to do > something to help, not just scape the land and dump it 'somewhere'. Any > thoughts? > > Deborah, > Thanks for the article. > Collembola is an interesting and ancient lifeform! > > [Isn't it funny how many minds can be thinking/writing about the same things > at once. For some time I have had collembola in every pot on my back steps. > I have also had a lot of plants and seedlings die or look under the weather. > I didn't know what they were and caught a couple and took them to nurseries > to find out but no-one seemed to know, and the otherday after a search on > the web found out about springtails. Now, I know they are great recyclers > and feel that their presence must be a symptom not just a cause. I am > experimenting with different ways to try to convince them not to be around > my plants in such great numbers. Repotting after laying out the soil over > bricks in the sun seems to be working, as is raising the pots off the ground > with pebbles. Gardens are such complex ecosystems and it is hard to know > what causes what without testing everything, and maybe the type of > springtails here do like an occasional nibble on fine roots (I have strong > suspicians), more than anything though, I think maybe they are visiting in > such numbers in order to convince me to spend more time in my own little > patch, paying attention to the little pot garden than I have.] > > Tamsin > Melbourne > > ______________________________________________________ The American Community Gardening Association listserve is only one of ACGA's services to community gardeners. To learn more about the ACGA and to find out how to join, please go to http://www.communitygarden.org To post an e-mail to the list: [EMAIL PROTECTED] To subscribe, unsubscribe or change your subscription: https://secure.mallorn.com/mailman/listinfo/community_garden
