Q. Why do the tips of some of my houseplants turn brown? Patricia D., Somerville
A. There are several possible reasons that there are brown tips on your houseplant leaves:Improper watering; be sure to water the potted plant over the sink and let the water run through the soil and out the bottom of the pot. Frequent shallow watering can cause leaf tips to dry out.
Most houseplants are tropical and are used to heat and humidity. If the home air is dry, spritz the plants with water every few days to add moisture to the leaves and/or run the leaves under the faucet to give them a bath.
Too much salt build up from soft water or too much fertilizer. If your water is softened, use distilled water for the plants.
Q. There are these tiny little bugs flying and jumping around my houseplants. I use organic soil, too. What are they, and how do I get rid of them? Patricia D., Somerville
A. These tiny flying bugs are most likely fungus gnats and are a common houseplant problem. Any houseplant can be a host for the fungus gnats, as adult fungus gnats lay their eggs in moist potting soil and around the plant base. The hatched larvae feed on fungi, decaying organic plant matter, and on plant root hairs. The fungus gnats are native insects and can be found in lawns and garden soil. They generally appear indoors in winter and early spring, as they mostly spend the late spring and summer months outdoors.Using the following control methods can help reduce their numbers:
Limit plant watering so the soil dries out completely between watering.
Provide good drainage, and be sure there is no standing water in planter trays to attract gnats.
Fill a jar just about to the top with vinegar. Poke several small holes in the lid and place the jar near your plants. The gnats will go down the holes, get trapped and drown in the vinegar.
Place yellow sticky trap strips on the potted soil or near the plants to trap the flying gnats. These can be purchased at your local garden center or hardware store.
Put an inch of sand or coffee grounds on the exposed soil to prevent eggs from being laid.
Don’t leave fresh fruit on counters during warm months, as gnats are attracted to the fruit.
Screen and caulk leaky windows and doors to prevent gnats from coming into the house.
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