Question
We have two spaghetti palms that are infested with the fungai bugs that look like fruit flies but are smaller in size.  I have completely replaced the soil in both plants and treated the soil in both pots with Neem Oil.  I water the plants every 3 weeks and still the bugs came back.  How do we get rid of these bugs?  We have server room that is kept cold, can we put the plants in there?

Answer
Hi Carolyn,

"Spaghetti Palm" is someone's made-up name. I did a search and cannot find any Palm species that is commonly called Spaghetti Palm. It would help if you could get a proper botanical name for it. That way I could provide you with proper care instructions.

Nonetheless, your problem is the fungus gnats that are breeding in the soil of the plant. I understand the impulse to replace all of the soil in order to get rid of the gnat larvae, but in doing that you have damaged the tiny roothairs that do most of the work. That will seriously compromise the health of the plant far more than the presence of fungus gnats. In addition, the fact that th gnats returned means that the replacement soil you used was also contaminated with gnat larvae. Neem oil is not very effective in treating gnat larvae.

Let me explain what you should have done. The larvae are nearly always an indication that the soil is staying too moist and roots are rotting. It is the decaying organic matter the larvae feed on. The first step is to remove all loose soil not in direct contact with the roots and discarding it. Because the larvae mostly reside in the upper portion of the soil, this step will eliminate many of the larvae. Removing the excess soil will also allow the remaining soil to dry out sooner. Keeping the soil as dry as possible is better for the plant, but will also deprive the larvae of the moisture they need to survive. That is the key to eradicating gnats. It is quite simple and requires no pesticides. It does require discipline with watering and patience while the larvae slowly dry up and die.

The prospects for your Palm are not great because of the soil replacement and the contaminated soil used. Unless it is extremely valuable to you, I suggest that you discard the plant because the plant's long-term prospects are not good. If you choose to keep it, then keep the soil very dry and add a small quantity of water when you do water. There is little else you can do.

As far as temperature goes, I would have to know the species that you have and just how cold the server roorm gets. To ID your Palm you can post a clear photo that shows the entire plant here or email it to me at my address below.

I have written articles on treating indoor plant pests and on Palm care that I will email for free to you (or anyone else) who emails a request to me at [email protected].

Please let me know if any of this is unclear or if you have any additional questions.

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Regards,
Will Creed, Interior Landscaper
Horticultural Help, NYC

Visit my website at: A link to HorticulturalHelp.com