I have tried everything to get rid of these nasty gnats but nothing seems to work this year. I’ve dealt with them in the past and they were in control with mosquito bits and less watering. So far I have tried: mosquito dunks, mosquito bits, neem oil and letting soil completely dry out before watering. Anything I don’t know about or should do differently? TIA
by yourhelpingpal
30 Comments
Ever tried beneficial nematodes? Those always get rid of every single one for me
Do you have access to Bonide Systemic Houseplant granules? They kill fungus gnat larva. I’ve always added them to new plants or freshly repotted plants and haven’t had a gnat infestation yet.
I mix the mosquito bits in my potting soil. Never had any issues after that. I open my windows for fresh air multiple times a week.
With bits, you have to do treatments daily until the population goes all the way down, its not a one day type of thing. I pour it in all of my drains and toilets in the house, and ive dropped one or 2 pieces in my water props.
Theyre drawn and procreate in moist areas so you have to be really thorough, creative, and persistent about treatment. Itd also be a good idea if you have any standing water around your home even outside to get rid of it and drop some bits in those areas as well.
Have your tried diatomaceous earth yet? Be sure to wear a mask when pouring it onto the top of your soil. But even just a dusting should take care of this. But if youre worried so a thin layer across the soil of each plant. Will 100% get rid of this issue
Fungus gnats thrive in wet moist soil, not in the plant itself. You need to treat the ***soil***, not the plant. Neem oil won’t help.
Keep up with the yellow traps. They will attract and catch the adult flies. The mosquito bits is a larvicide that kills the larva in the soil.
Water with mosquito bits tea for **6-8 weeks**. The bits *won’t* harm the eggs. The eggs can survive a while before they hatch into larva, so long term use is key. Basically.. keep watering with bits until the stick traps can go a week and still be clean.
If you have a bag of soil near by they could be in that too. Toss it or bake it.
Lastly, increase **air flow**. Fungus gnats barely fly. Basically flop through the air. A soft breeze from a desk fan will push them away from the soil.
Good luck and stay persistent with the watering!
Hang in there-switching to only bottom watering with the traps solved my problem after a couple of weeks!
You are overwatering, plain and simple. Make sure the top few inches of soil is being lowed to dry before rewatering and you will stop the food supply and they will disappear.
(Side note, if you’re growing in Miracle Grow Potting Mix, it’s also aagnet for these things, their “Indoor Mix” specifically is ok but their general one is terrible. If you’re really struggling with plants which need to stay very moist, use mosquito dunks in the water).
Bottom watering, diatomaceous earth and the yellow stickies has worked wonders for my plants with pests.
Mosquito dunks
Bottom water your plants from now and when the top 1/4 inch is finally dry add Diatomaceous Earth. Try not to add water on top of the DE since it’s really only effective on the surface of dry soil. You can reapply DE according to instructions on bag when the surface does get moist, but if you bottom water DE is still effective after top layer dries again. This has helped me a lot with tropical soils and soils with peat.
I’m a little spooked I’m not seeing hydrogen peroxide listed, are we not doing that anymore?
I’ve had phenomenal luck with basic ass 3% HP in my soil. I do it when the soil is moist and not hydrophobic. You can hear the larvae snap crackle and pop, I hate to love it
Systematic granules (every 2-3 months) and mosquito bit tea (every 7 to 14 days). But it’s never going to be a one and done. You have to regularly treat the plants at least long enough and consistent enough to kill several generations of gnats.
The watering thing, I find irrelevant because I find them crawling on my bone dry cactus soil, and some plants need moist soil. I’ve got a lot of fern and delicate leafed plants they don’t do well with dry soil.
You can also add castle soap with either alcohol (i prefer alcohol for leaf spray cuz bugs) or peroxide (I prefer peroxide because its better for the plants and can help control mildew, mold, fungus) with any of the herb oils that bugs hate like neem, cedar, mint, oregano, etc, to a spray bottle with water. For watering, spray, or leaf treatment/cleaner.
I can always tell when I’ve gotten lazy because the fungus gnats start up again and more appear on the stickies.
Personally I just repot everyone that shows signs of them and then water with hydrogen peroxide mix and cover the top of the soil In cinnamon. Gone within a day or two.
If you have the soil and energy it’s the easiest solution 😂
Honestly for me the yellow traps made a massive difference. I barely use them now because they took all adults and then I noticed getting less and less gnats and now I barely see them.
And watering better than before, less overwatering and no misting
You must have lazy spiders. No bugs survive near my plants for very long.. I do have to keep the webs tidy tho
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Mosquito bits are the way. Your soil is too wet for too long.
Systemics are my bff 👯 consider it a small investment for the health of your plant army. I attached a pic of the one I’ve been LOVING.
I have 175(ish) plants and I use about 4 containers every few months.
https://preview.redd.it/4d4td6i2d58f1.jpeg?width=1320&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=8679f724984d3f0838ceaa50482aa3ec0f6c9821
Fast acting mosquito bits will kill them within the week. Soak the bits in water for 30 mins then water your plants. Finals gnats are a thing of myths at my place because I always water with mosquito bits.
Try a hydrogen peroxide flush of the soil.
Honestly, a few yrs ago I was losing the gnat battle and purchased a Katchy Indoor. It’s an electronic indoor bug trap that I put on the floor in a corner in my sunroom, because that’s where the bulk of my plants live. I turn it on every night at bedtime. I also have 2 smaller bug “zappers” that just plug into the wall flat(zevo brand). 1 goes in each bathroom and is turned on at night. They catch tons of gnats and other flying insects (think mosquitos and housefly’s). We usually use them throughout the summer and fall. They get cleaned and packed away for the winter months.
Those traps dont work. Gnats are a soil problem. You have to fight them there. Anything else is wasting time and money. You have to keep them from laying and hatching eggs. They do that in the soil. Its the only way. There are different methods, nematodes, cap layers, poisons, but the thing is, they all treat the SOIL because thats the only thing that works. I use sand and nicotine. Totally organic, 100% effective. Those single use plastic traps, nope. nope. nope. your prolonging your agony.
I sprayed hydrogen peroxide on the soil and it got rid of them immediately.
It’s hard to deal with, sometimes the answer is literally replacing all the soil with new soil.
If it helps, I’ve found bug light traps have been extremely effective: https://a.co/d/cohsHUs For at least keeping bugs and flies at bay
Have you tried one of these
https://preview.redd.it/mp2z87l0h58f1.jpeg?width=1290&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=561d4f40e5e30bd0dbec1e083626ca61d9cab1c7
At least until any other treatments work – like beneficial nematodes
I repotted all my plants with an inch of sand on top. All my succulents are planted in gritty mix. Haven’t had a problem since!
Lightly dusting mine with diatomaceous earth worked for me
Diatomaceous earth. The sticky paper doesn’t do anything to control their reproduction—you have larvae in your soil and you need to commit gnat baby genocide. Sprinkle some DE on top layer of the soil and get ready to witness a literal miracle
Bonide systemic houseplant insect control will get rid of all of the bugs!!! Add it to the top inch of soil then top water the plant. Dont let the water from the drainage hole touch your skin. Its pretty toxic stuff but does the job. Last a long time too.