Question
I have about 7 or 8 indoor plants, all different varieties. I recently noticed that all of the plants have small worms in the soil. The worms are about a quarter to half an inch in length, thin, and are a brownish color (I can't really tell the exact color). The plants still look very healthy and the only reason I saw the worms is that I was trying to dig something out of one pot, saw a worm, dug around some more and found a few more. I proceeded in checking the rest of the plants and found the same thing. Now, don't get me wrong, there aren't like tons of worms in the pots jumping out but it is a tad bit disconcerting to have them there. I have had other indoor plants before and have not had this problem. So, why are these worms in all of my plants? How can I get rid of them? How did they get there in the first place? Will they be harmful to my plants? Will they eventually come to overrun my pots and scurry out of the pots into my house? Thank you for any information you can provide me with. I really appreciate it. As an FYI, I used the same bag of potting soil for these plants. The pots are all clay pots of different sizes.

Answer
Hi Roxy,

The worm-like critters came in with the potting soil that you used. If you use a soilless, peat-based potting mix you are less likely to have pest problems. They are harmless and are unlikely to leave the soil. If you did nothing to treat them, they might eventually die off, but that would take a long time.

Try plunging each pot up to its rim in a sink or tub filled with plain water. Leave them for about 30 minutes. The critters should float to the top searching for air, making it easier to skim them off the top and discard. After that let the water drain out and don't water again until the surface of the soil is dry.

If that does not work or you prefer a simpler remedy, there are systemic pesticides that are mixed with water and poured into the soil.

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.