Question
hello, I have a dracaena fragrans massangeana, a ficus elastica robusta, a ponytail palm, a dracaena marginata, and a chinese evergreen.  I noticed that all of them seem to hold moisture for too long.  Right now i have them all in Miracle-gro potting mix.  I dont like it at all.  What what kind of soil would you recommend?  Also Ive read that adding perlite is good to use.  HOw much would i add? thanks lindsay -------------------------
Followup To
Question -
i noticed about 2 days ago that there are small black flies that look like gnats on my houseplants.  Do you know what they are and how to get rid of them?   Thank you very much
Answer -
Hi Lindsay,

Adult fungus gnats fly around and are an annoyance, but they are not harmful to people. Each gnat lives for about 5 days. The trick is to get rid of the next generation - the gnat larvae that live in the top layer of the soil. The larvae feed on decaying organic matter. Decaying pine bark in potting mixes and decaying plants roots feed the larvae.

Try to keep the soil as dry as possible. Remove all loose soil from the surface and put a light layer of coarse coir (coconut husk) or sand or diatomaceous earth on the soil surface. These substances have sharp edges that carve up the larvae. (Recent studies indicate that fine-textured peat moss also deters gnat larvae.)

Another safe technique is to place ?inch slices of raw potato on the surface of the soil to attract the larvae. After a day or so, discard the slices along with the larvae inside. Repeat this until there are no more larvae in the potato.

For more serious infestations try Knock-Out Gnats to treat fungus gnats available from Gardens Alive for about $20. See

http://www.gardensalive.com/item_display.asp?ProductNumber=1962.

Another bio-control method is Gnat Not, a parasite that destroys gnat larvae and other soil pests. It comes on a sponge in plastic (5 weeks shelf life) that is rinsed into water and applied to the soil. For information, go to http://www.goodbug-shop.com/gnatnot.htm

Detection trick: Add a little water to the soil and then look very closely for tiny fungus gnat larvae swimming in the water as it pools on the surface. You need good light and good eyes to see them. If you don't, then your plant is probably gnat free.

Prevention is often the best remedy. Use sterile potting mixes that are free of bark chips. The potting mix should have ample drainage material, such as perlite so that it drains well and allows the soil to dry out frequently. Fungus gnats can nearly always be traced back to overwatering and/or poor soil quality.

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

Regards,
Will Creed, Interior Landscaper
Horticultural Help, NYC

You can E-mail me directly at: [email protected]

If this information has been helpful, please remember to give me an AllExperts rating and nomination.  

Answer
Hi Lindsay,

The best potting mix is usually the one that the plant came with. The professional growers know what they are doing and use the right potting blends for the particular species they are growing. That is why I recommend NOT repotting new plants and NEVER completely changing the soil.

When I have occasion to pot up cuttings or to up-pot a plant, I use Pro-Mix potting mix. It is a peat-based, soilless mix and is a good all-purpose blend.

If you want to make your own, mix 4 parts peat moss with 1 part Perlite and 1 part fine bark chips. Add a little timed release fertilizer.

For your ponytail, mix equal parts of peat moss and Perlite.

Also keep in mind that using pots that are too large keeps the soil from drying out quickly enough, so that might be part of the problem.

Will Creed