qwade
Shohin
I seem to have a very healthy population of these crustaceans in, under and around my potted bonsai. should I be concerned? The population seems to be increasing.
Pill Bugs/ Sow bugs
- Thread starter qwade
- Start date
I've had them around my collection from the beginning. Never noticed harm to the plants. Where they are a problem for me is on root on rock plantings. They like moisture and they like moss to the point of consuming a lot of the moss cover over time. I tried picking them off with tweezers, but they could reproduce in the porous rock much faster. I finally got rid of them by leaving the rocks out in a hard, prolonged freeze. After that, I always kept the plantings in a basin of water so they wouldn't invade again.
Cypress187
Masterpiece
I didn't think so, what do they eat?
Stan Kengai
Omono
They eat detritus, broken down organic matter like old fertilizer and leaf litter.
qwade
Shohin
Well for one thing, according to my research, their own fecal matter. Yum! Stated usually decomposing matter. Seen no ill effects on my Trees.
wireme
Masterpiece
For the last 2 years now since I moved I have a ton of them in and around my trees. I've read that they will eat live roots if there's nothing else but mostly eat decaying organics. No harm seen so far. A couple trees repotted last summer had lots of tunnels created by them. I think for the most part they're OK and maybe even good, increased aeration, a good source of chitin when they die etc...
jk_lewis
Masterpiece
If you have LOTS of them, it probably indicates you have watered too much (and that there is more organic material in your soil than is needful). Except for the water issue, they are harmless to your trees.
Cypress187
Masterpiece
Is this maybe a good sollution for my bad soil mix? Make it more drainy with sow bugs
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