Question about in house plants

[dreamaker]

I play a little, growing some herbs and some veggies plants, I start them in the house over winter, in small containers. I have two bedrooms in the back of the house, at the window I have shelves for the plants, it catches southeast sun, when it shines. One bedroom I don't use, so I shut off the heat and close the door, it runs about 55*. The other my bedroom is warm, I run daily 63*- 69*. In the warm bedroom on the plants I notice gnats, on the plants and can't figure out where they come from. The only thing I can figure is, I use organic soil and the eggs or larva in in the organic soil. Last year I was growing spearmint in the house in the winter, and noticed aphids on the stems, and have no clue where they came from, put those outside. Its like the eggs are in the soil and hatch based on the plant that grows. When I was growing the spearmint, I had other plant growing with them, but the aphids were on only the spearmint.  Also the plants on the cool room have no gnats on them.

[Jess from VA]

Get a small fine mister and fill with water and a few drops of dish soap. Won't hurt the plants, but bugs will pass away.  Or use Volck oil (in proper dilution).   

[dreamaker]

These are edible plants, so I am concerns about direct chemical contact, I found out vinegar with some dish soap, in a dish. 

Thank You!! for you help.

[Michvalk]

Yeah, they were probably in the dirt. Dish soap is a good solution, and use the green kind (good for the environment). May cut down on your concerns for the quality

[Patrick]

I may be getting the wrong idea, but, you get seeds to germinate at 55º ?

Different plants seem to attract different bugs. I find it hard to get a spray that differentiates between bad and good bugs.

A spray I like to use is, water with a couple drops of dish soap as the carrier along with vinegar and baking soda.

A little of topic, a spray for spiders: water, dish soap, vinegar and coconut oil. Even smells nice.

[dreamaker]

I may be getting the wrong idea, but, you get seeds to germinate at 55º ?

Different plants seem to attract different bugs. I find it hard to get a spray that differentiates between bad and good bugs.

A spray I like to use is, water with a couple drops of dish soap as the carrier along with vinegar and baking soda.

A little of topic, a spray for spiders: water, dish soap, vinegar and coconut oil. Even smells nice.

The room at 55* the plant is already started, but it is Sorrel, not Stevia. Now about the coconut oil, what does that do? I have 3 gal. of it. 2 of them are, raw food grade and the other one is filtered, I use it for dry skin, but if it works on plants, that would be great.

[Jess from VA]

About any oil, and liquid soap, clogs insect's ability to breath, and kills them.

Any soap or oil you use is in such dilution that it would unlikely have any harmful affect on you whatsoever, and you wash things before eating anyway.

[Patrick]

I may be getting the wrong idea, but, you get seeds to germinate at 55º ?

Different plants seem to attract different bugs. I find it hard to get a spray that differentiates between bad and good bugs.

A spray I like to use is, water with a couple drops of dish soap as the carrier along with vinegar and baking soda.

A little of topic, a spray for spiders: water, dish soap, vinegar and coconut oil. Even smells nice.

The room at 55* the plant is already started, but it is Sorrel, not Stevia. Now about the coconut oil, what does that do? I have 3 gal. of it. 2 of them are, raw food grade and the other one is filtered, I use it for dry skin, but if it works on plants, that would be great.

Sorry for the confusion. I use the spider spray around the house and in the basement. I have no idea what the coconut oil does except smell good. But, it does work, and, far better than the regular commercial sprays.