My garden has never looked better, if I may say so. The plants are producing their final summer flowers, and the green leaves are vibrant and healthy after being exposed to sunlight and rain for several months. I like to imagine my small city garden as a piece of paradise. That being said, there’s always a snake hiding in Eden.
My cherished agapanthus are not blooming, and they have not done so at all this summer. I cultivate four of them.agapanthus varietiesIn my garden, and all of them have been sulking and not blooming. I became worried when I saw worm-like insects moving across them, so I turned to the internet, feeling quite upset. It appears my agapanthus has been affected by the agapanthus gall midge. Though small, this garden pest is very harmful and extremely difficult to eliminate.
It seems that many agapanthus gardeners are in a similar situation – dealing with unhappy agapanthus plants and an infestation of pests in their yard. In this post, I outline the steps I took to address the problem, and how you can recognize and fight these annoying little insects.
How to recognize the agapanthus midge
If you’re questioning how to identify if the agapanthus gall midge has taken up residence among your agapanthus plants, it’s probable that they haven’t, as their presence is clearly visible due to the severe impact they have on the agapanthus flowers.
If your agapanthus plants appear to be in poor condition and you suspect an infestation of agapanthus gall midge, watch for the following signs:
- The whole flower head is not developing in any way
- The blossoms that manage to develop remain closed and appear as if they have dried out and lost their color.
- Any flower buds that manage to open are misshapen and frequently start to decay shortly after.
- Small worm-like larvae located within the individual flower buds
When I realized that this tiny fly had begun staying in my agapanthus blossoms, I foolishly thought that applying a small amount of dish soap mixed with water would solve the problem, and if that didn’t work, I planned to use a bottle of insecticide to completely eliminate them.
It appears that it’s not quite that straightforward.
So far, no insecticide spray appears to have any effect on the agapanthus gall midge.
This typical garden pest was only recently identified and classified as a new species. It makes sense, therefore, that its weakness has not yet been discovered.
How to eliminate the agapanthus gall midge
The initial step should involve using straw mulch, which will decrease the number of larvae that manage to form pupae after they have fallen from the agapanthus flower and landed on the soil.
A fantastic tool I have used in the past isThis organic mulch is available on Amazon.
Currently, the sole proven and reliablepest control methodTo eliminate the agapanthus gall midge, it is necessary to remove all the blooms from every agapanthus plant in the garden and dispose of them.
This occurs because the agapanthus gall midge deposits thousands of eggs, and the larvae develop and expand within the flower buds.
Therefore, to reproduce, the agapanthus gall midge requires agapanthus flowers. Keeping this in mind, even robust agapanthus flowers must be removed as well, if you want to completely resolve the problem.
It’s important to remember that these flowers must be taken out of the garden and entirely destroyed. Do not include them in yourcompostheap, as this will ensure the larvae remain alive and reproduce in your garden.
How can you fight the gall midge during the winter season?
It is very probable that the agapanthus gall midge spends the winter beneath the soil and emerges as a pupa the subsequent spring.
With this in mind, numerous agapanthus growers who have struggled with the nuisance of the harmful gall midge choose to uproot and dispose of all their agapanthus plants, including the roots, in an effort to completely eradicate any possibility of eggs remaining.
This is the path I, unfortunately, believed I had to follow. While this has been expensive (extremely so), there is currently no product available that eliminates the agapanthus gall midge, and therefore I cannot afford to risk an infection that persists through winter and ruins my display next summer as well.
I eliminated all of my agapanthus plants, even those that appeared to be healthy and not affected, including the blossoms, stalks, and root systems, and took them out of my garden and destroyed them.
To be safe, I changed the soil in my agapanthus border, making sure to remove all unwanted guests.
I incorporated fresh soil, to which I added a generous amount of organic fertilizer, and selected one with a high potassium content to ensure robust and vibrant agapanthus blooms. I usedthis potassium sulfate fertilizer, available on Amazon.
Therefore, even though it may appear severe, there are times when it’s wise to face the challenge and implement bold measures. I am confident that my future agapanthus plants will more than compensate for this rather bleak (and non-flowering) year.
Shop agapanthus growing essentials
I regularly nourish my agapanthus during the summer, and the most effective fertilizer for long-lasting blooms appears to be organic bone meal. This product is ideal and delivers excellent results for roses as well.
Don’t overlook the importance of deadheading agapanthus to prolong their flowering period. These are light, very sharp, and reasonably priced. It’s worth purchasing a few pairs.
It’s advisable to cover your agapanthus during winter when temperatures fall, as many agapanthus types are not fond of severe cold. This fleece is ideal because it allows airflow, yet shields them from sudden temperature drops and frost.
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