I have a fungus gnat infestation š« ALL my indoor plants have them. I started by just putting sticky traps in all of them, some eco-neem and a sprinkle of fungus gnat barrier on all of them but ofc that didnāt work. I didnāt realise I would have to go really hard and treat them constantly rather than just a one off so Iām back to fight.
Now Iāve placed them all outside in the shade for a couple of weeks so the soil can dry out. Iāve bought a lot more sticky traps along with more eco-neem, fungus gnat barrier soil, and mosquito bits. What order should I put these all in and how often?? I know a mistake I definitely made with the barrier soil was only putting a thin layer on when the instructions say quite clearly to do a 3cm layer so Iāll do that but should I first put the eco-neem and then barrier? Or does it not matter? Should I alternate between the eco-neem and mosquito bits every week?
Getting worried as my plants are definitely getting thirsty being outside. Also worried as some plants require more watering and some need very infrequent watering so how do I make sure Iām not overwatering them if Iām meant to be treating them with eco-neem/mozzie bits frequently??
by imanechidna
8 Comments
Bottom water. It will solve your problem as the top layer of soil will never get wet. It takes effort and time but it works.
The pots are way too big for the size of the plants, this is keeping the soil wet for way too long and is the perfect habitat for fungus gnats. Downsizing or watering less will help eliminate this problem in the future! Iām honestly shocked none of them have root rot.
use diatomaceous earth
I was overrun with fungus gnats as well till I used death drops. Theyāre a bit pricey but they work wonders! I add a couple drops each watering with my fertilizerā¦took about two weeks to notice a difference but I havenāt seen a single fungus gnat in over three months now.
https://preview.redd.it/6s9quf54o1he1.jpeg?width=1170&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=bc2bfc4cd5dcdf9dbcfe38eaaf01ddaee0f0c3eb
God, reading about fungus gnat issues gets annoying. (Not aiming at you, OP.) Thereās all these dumb solutions to address the gnats as a symptom, but not the cause. The cause is always overwatering. Every time. Your pots are huge and thus the mix is staying wet for way too long. Gnats are a symptom, but if it goes on much longer, your plants will begin to suffer too. Killing gnats does not matter. You could kill a million, or 99.99% of them, but they will still come back until you fix the root problem.
When I use Miracle Grow potting soil, I got fungus gnats infestation. I put Mosquito bits with my water let it steep for 24 hours before using to kill the eggs in the soil and yellow sticky trap for the adults.I keep doing this until no more fungus gnats. And I dont miss them a bitš
https://preview.redd.it/c7dn7wqfh2he1.jpeg?width=1440&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=6b47ec9a1703b5830d33497b95d3ff7c65f0cb0d
Nematodes or predatory mites are the only things Iāve found that actually work. Especially for an infestation this size.
Everything else will probably help but wonāt solve the issue.
Water your plants with concentrated neem oil