--- title: "I recently found out I have Fungus Gnats on my succulents. People…" description: "I recently found out I have Fungus Gnats on my succulents. People have recommended misquote bits, but I’m not sure how to use them. Also are there any other…" url: "https://getplanta.com/community/lKxUkhzRR_aIJD7o1QvtwQ/WhXqDb5kQ0ukeiK7hTIf2w" community: "Pests, diseases and problems" author: "Maddie" published: "2024-06-26T19:23:50.072501Z" language: "en" image: "https://images.getplanta.com/v2/cloudinary/global_data/communities/pestsDiseasesAndProblems.jpg" --- [Community](https://getplanta.com/community.md) / [Pests, diseases and problems](https://getplanta.com/community/lKxUkhzRR_aIJD7o1QvtwQ.md) # I recently found out I have Fungus Gnats on my succulents. People… _Posted by Maddie on 2024-06-26_ I recently found out I have Fungus Gnats on my succulents. People have recommended misquote bits, but I’m not sure how to use them. Also are there any other ways to get rid of the gnats? Any advice is appreciated!! ## 11 comments ### Plant Father commented on 2024-06-26 are your plants in plain potting soil? or has it been amended with additional drainage material, like pumice and perlite? most of the time when people have fungus gnat infestations it’s the soil they’re using. miracle gro is well known for being full of pest eggs and larvae, typically because the bags are stored outdoors. you may also be overwatering your plants. fungus gnats breed and thrive on moist soil since they eat the fungus that also breeds and thrives in moist conditions. if your soil and watering habits are all good and you still have a gnat infestation, i would recommend a product like mosquito bits with BTI as the main ingredient— it’s a type of bacteria that kills the larvae and eggs in the soil. a trap of some sort will take care of the adults. #### Plant Father replied on 2024-06-26 once i switched media, subjecting my plants to regular drought eliminated the gnats completely. those that cannot tolerate the soil drying completely got a dose of peroxide in the soil to sterilize the media, and then a mycorrhizal inoculant once the gnats were gone to reintroduce healthy microbes. #### Maddie replied on 2024-06-26 I am using regular potting soil, but not miracle gro. The plants haven’t been overwatered. I’ve been on a watering schedule on Planta for about a month now. #### Plant Father replied on 2024-06-27 are you checking the soil before watering? if you’re following the planta schedule exactly, your plants still may be overwatered. i and many others have noticed the schedule tends to be too frequent for many plants. with the new adaptable schedule feature, it should work better but only if you’re snoozing for wet soil. for almost all houseplants, the soil should be dry \*at least\* an inch or two down to prevent rotten roots. however, most houseplants will prefer to dry out completely or almost completely between waterings if they are healthy and soaked thoroughly every watering. i recommend either your fingers or a bamboo skewer or chopstick to gauge the soil moisture. for plants that like to stay wet, feel the topsoil. for most tropicals you’ll want to stick a skewer in the soil and remove after a few minutes, it should be nearly clean when it comes out if your plant is ready to be watered. wet media will stick. watering when there’s a little bit of moisture at the bottom of the pot is okay for most tropicals though. i like to use the weight of the pot for my succulents, they’ll feel basically empty when they’re ready to be watered. for most beginners, i suggest getting familiar with the feel of your plants after they’ve been watered and as they dry. each plant will be different, but they’ll all be significantly heavier when wet. i only water when i’m sure all the water weight has gone, either evaporated or used by the plant. oftentimes, to make sure i don’t overwater, i will wait for “thirsty leaves” too. the leaves of almost all plants will get a little wrinkly and floppy or “sad” looking when it’s time to water— spider plants droop and gain a bluish hue. if you’re trying to eliminate fungus gnats, it’s important to wait as long as possible between waterings to kill the larvae in the soil, without killing your plants. i noticed your comment about natural solutions, and i’d like to add that a media change and drought is the most effective natural way to eliminate the gnats in the soil besides the BTI drops or other forms. i would recommend picking up a bottle of dr. bronner’s castile soap if you don’t have any already, as it’s a great natural insecticide and will work for any potential pests you encounter in future like spider mites, etc. if you put a few drops of soap in a spray bottle filled with water and spray any soft bodied insect it will kill them, science isn’t exactly sure how it works but some theories say it dissolves their exoskeleton and others that it suffocates them. you can take care of any adult gnats flying around with this. my apologies if any of this is old news to you, i assumed you’re relatively new to the world of plants and i love to share information, i’ve been told i should write a book haha. good luck on your plant journey, i hope i was able to help 😊 ### Josie commented on 2024-06-26 I got mosquito bits myself and had to google the ratio but you basically make a “tea” out of your plant water and the bits. For now I personally use one loaded teaspoon per gallon of water u til I know for sure it won’t harm my plants. Though I haven’t heard of anyone having issues but I am trying to be cautious. I think google said four teaspoons per gallon but it’d be worth looking it up just in case. I also have zeevo plug in and a zeevo max stick trap for the adults and so far it’s been a magic combination. I have over 30 hours plants so I had fungus gnats REALLY bad and after a few weeks of mosquito but water it’s about half what it was. ### Amy Morgan Grace commented on 2024-06-26 When I first started collecting plants I had a bad case of gnats the first year. I tried everything and the only thing that worked was Bonide Systemic Granules. It takes up to two weeks before you notice a difference and you add it to all your plants every couple of months. I now add it to every pot. Haven’t seen a gnat in two years. ### Luke commented on 2024-06-26 I’m using diatomaceous earth at the moment. I’ve seen a reduction after my fungus gnats were out of control but not a complete elimination #### Maddie replied on 2024-06-26 Okay thank you. I was looking for a more “natural” way to get rid of them. I only have seen one or two. But I have tried to hard to keep them alive, I don’t want to loose them now. 😂 #### Luke replied on 2024-06-27 Very thoughtful of you! ### Sydnei commented on 2024-06-27 cinnamon and bottom watering when dry #### Maddie replied on 2024-06-27 Okay thank you!!! --- _Source: the Planta community (https://getplanta.com). Reading is open to everyone. To post, comment and like, get the Planta app: https://getplanta.com/download_