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Moved all my plants in for winter and fighting gnats like crazy.… | Pests, diseases and problems | Planta community

Country girl

Moved all my plants in for winter and fighting gnats like crazy. What’s the fastest way to get rid of them? Any help would be appreciated.

1 like 5 comments

5 comments

  1. KD 🪴

    Systemic granules and sticky traps.

    2 likes
  2. Sunny

    I second the above comment. The brand Mosquito Bits granules worked into the soil kills the gnat larvae before maturity. The gnat larvae thrives in continuously damp soil and eat plant roots. Let the topsoil dry down an inch between watering.

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  3. MummaDeb

    I water mine with a mixture of one part hydrogen peroxide to three parts water to kill the babies. Then I put a temporary cover of sand or gravel on the top so that they can’t get back in. Put up a couple of sticky traps for good measure, and when the fungus gnat problem is gone, remove the sand or gravel. Also, doesn’t hurt to sprinkle some cinnamon on the gravel. They don’t like it. If it continues to be a problem, start bottom watering. I tried everything because I had them in over 50 plants. I don’t have them anymore.

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    • actux

      Interesting insight on the cinnamon. I have a question if you don’t mind! I made a DIY pest repellent (or so I read) spray with water, isopropyl alcohol and some drops of clove, rosemary and peppermint oil. Based on the cinnamon insight, technically, if I regularly spray that mixture on top of the soil or leaves, and add some cinnamon drops to it, do you think it could act like a gnat repellent? Appreciate you may not know but was curious to hear some thoughts or probability around this. Thanks in advance!

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    • MummaDeb

      The alcohol spray would make me nervous, although I do use it watered down to wipe off plants and straight for mealy bugs. I would just worry that used regularly. It would try them out, but I really don’t have any experience with that. I make my spray with neem oil, peppermint oil and water. The cinnamon does repel them, but what worked for me completely was covering the top of the soil until the infestation was gone. I would remove it after though, especially off any succulents. Mine were getting root rot. You also might want to start bottom watering.

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