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Today we will look into some natural or organic remedies to control or get rid off Greenhouse Millipedes or Garden Millipedes in your potting mix and elsewhere in your garden. We will also learn whether these are poisonous and also some chemical pesticides that can kill these pests in your home and garden.
The greenhouse millipede, also known as the hothouse millipede, short-flange millipede, or the garden millipede, is a common creepy pest in your garden that can cause severe damage to emergent vegetable seedlings and young plants.
How do I identify These Millipedes?
There are few types of these millipedes with hundreds of legs and can be white or brown or black in color. Unlike their cousin, the centipede, millipedes are not carnivores, instead they eat dead and rotting vegetation and they hide in moist places like your soil mulch layer, debris or inside the top layer of soil. They prefer darkness and moisture and hence they are more common in rainy season.
Are Millipedes Poisonous or Venomous?
Do not be
too scared, Millipedes, unlike centipedes, are not venomous and are generally
considered to be non-poisonous. However, there are some millipede species that release
some fluids that can cause irritation to human skin. Hence its always better to
wear garden gloves and employ safety precautions.
How do I kill or get rid off these
garden pests?
There are many solutions to control millipedes. We will list out these one
by one in 5 steps:
5. Visible Millipedes can be smashed or can be swept with a broom or a vacuum cleaner and can be disposed. But this is difficult because most of these are not visible and are found hiding under the soil or mulch layer.
4. Sticky Traps and Light Traps are another option that attract and trap these millipedes. But these are not available easily.
3. Chemical Pesticides: We will just name these pesticides because, we will not use any chemicals in our garden, specially vegetable gardening. The chemical pesticides that work are Propoxur, Cyfluthrin, Pyrethrins, Piperonyl butoxide, Deltamethrin, Cypermethrin, bifenthrin, etc.
2. Chicken and Cats: Before we proceed to our natural remedies, we will discuss on chicken. Chicken love to eat these type of insects and pests. Keeping a few hens can do wonders to get rid of these millipedes and even other pests in your garden.Cats, though they do not eat millipedes, they may chase them, play with them and smash them to some extent.
- Natural and Organic Pesticides. The mechanism of action of any pesticide whether organic or inorganic chemical is Systemic effect which can be slow in action and Contact poisons which kill the pests when they come in contact with it.
- Diatomaceous Earth is first in the list: This white powder is easily available at many garden stores and even online. Its completely harmless to people and pets.
- Borax: Similar to Diatomacous Earth, Borax is derived from boric acid and dries the millipedes out and kills them. It also acts as a stomach poison that will kill millipedes if ingested. It’s completely safe to humans. Just sprinkle the boric acid over the areas of infestation and do not water it for atleast 24 hours. You can check out my detailed video and article on boric acid or borax powder for plants and garden.
- Wood Ash: The action is similar to borax powder which dries out the soil and the pests. I also have a detailed video and article on the benefits of wood ash in gardening.
