plant problems

[gtc]

I bought a new plant for my indoor enclosure (an organic lemon thyme plant for $60) yesterday. Big mistake I've had only problems with it:

1. After I took it out of the pot I found out it had lots of small rocks in the dirt and between the roots (impossible to get out as far as I can tell).

2. There are also lots of small white perles of some sort in there.

3. The worst(?) part: There are hundreds of bugs in the dirt and between the roots.

I am worried my tort will eat the rocks and white perles and the bugs will infest the whole enclosure.

The store has a "no returns" policy. Does anyone have any ideas?

 

[JoesMum]

Try washing the root ball under the tap (sorry I am British, should I say faucet?,)

 

[johnsonnboswell]

Consider that you now have a new culinary plant for your garden or window sill, and keep it from your tortoise.

Lesson sadly learned. Organic isn't always enough to make a plant suitable.

 

[Kirin]

You can mix in a spray bottle liquid soap and water. I just fill up my spray bottle with water than I add about a tablespoon or so of dawn dish soap and shake it up. I will spray it on the bugs and it kills them. It breaks down their skeleton and they die. Then you can wash the root ball of the plant and replant it in a pot with clean dirt. Good luck.

 

[gtc]

Thanks everyone. I tried washing in under the tap but the little rocks didn't wash out. Some bugs did make a run for it however. johnsonnboswell is right: organic does not always equal tortoise safe. Thanks for the soap idea Kirin, I would have tried it if I had better luck getting out the little rocks and white perles. I checked and lemon thyme is a hardy plant, so I'll be planting it in my garden tomorrow