Question: I wick-water my plants and have noticed very tiny, thread-like insects hopping around on the surface of the soil and sometimes in the water. How do I get rid of these?
Answer: What you most likely have are “springtails” or “soil mites”, which are long, thin, grayish-white insects perhaps 1/8″ long. They can occasionally “hop”, but often just wriggle around on the soil surface. Don’t be overly concerned with their existence, first, because they usually do little harm to your violet, and second, because they are easily gotten rid of. Springtails feed on decaying organic matter in the soil and usually will damage the violet’s root system only when there is a pre-existing problem such as root rot. To eliminate them many recommend a Malathion or Clorox drench, but we find they can be easily eliminated without the use of any chemicals. Simply let the soil go dry before watering. Springtails thrive in wet soil, and if let dry thoroughly (but before wilting) you’ll find that they will soon disappear.
Because plants that are “wicked” stay constantly wet, springtails can often be a problem for these plants. If you decide to wick-water, let the water reservoir (and soil) go dry before refilling. Besides controlling the springtails population, your violets will appreciate the short vacation from constantly wet feet. The soil will stay fresher longer and your violets will be healthier. In any event, we would strongly recommend not using (toxic) chemicals to control a problem when a nonchemical alternative is available and just as effective.