Planta
Terug naar Pests, diseases and problems

Best ways to get rid of fungus gnats? Nothing is working for me, at… | Pests, diseases and problems | Planta-community

Maddie Swanson

Best ways to get rid of fungus gnats? Nothing is working for me, at least the at home remedies. Need the hard stuff 😭

4 likes 16 reacties

16 reacties

  1. All_things_plants

    Neem oil

    0 likes
  2. All_things_plants

    Or I use insecticidal soap Recipe 1 part vinegar 3 parts water Few drops soap ( more or less depending on the size of the spray bottle)

    0 likes
  3. Plant Father

    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. i don’t recommend neem oil first because many pests are resistant or even immune to it from overuse, but also because it is a hormonal/chemical pesticide and i prefer to use mechanical pest control methods like soapy water when possible due to environmental concerns.

    3 likes
    • Luke

      I feel like you have this answer ready to copy and paste for everyone here dealing with fungus gnats!

      2 likes
    • Dave_opuntiaface

      I started using Mosquito Bits a few weeks ago. I have seen a reduction in mealybugs, for sure. That’s as much of an endorsement I can give at this time :)

      1 like
    • Plant Father

      i do have this answer prepared, because the fungus gnat question is asked multiple times daily and i see lots of misinformed or just plain bad advice offered frequently. it’s easier for me to provide a prepared answer than retype every time i feel like helping. the most important point is that fungus gnats are attracted to peat moss, and most commercial potting mixes are much too heavy on the organic matter to be appropriate for indoor growing, even if labeled for houseplants— looking at you, miracle-gro houseplant, tropical, and succulent mixes… i recommend people either mix their own media or buy a soilless mix like one from sol soils or molly’s aroid mix, available online. i would suggest using BTI for the plants that remain in plain potting soil during the transition period, the bacteria will kill the larvae in the soil while you work on changing media to ensure they don’t continue to populate, but it’s not necessary. i never needed a BTI product to eliminate the gnats, just a soil change and drought. once i stopped bringing peat into my home the gnats began to die off.

      1 like
  4. kateui

    dry the plants out a lot like water once a week max. don’t spritz them anymore. water with 1 part rubbing alcohol to 4 parts water use neem oil and insecticide isolate the plants from each other worst case scenario repot using all new soil. good luck. i just got rid of them in our 10 new office plants but took awhile

    1 like
    • Lynda

      I’ve never heard of using an alcohol mix for depopulating fungus gnats. I have used hydrogen peroxide, but alcohol??? Are there any side effects to using this or any benefits? And where did you hear about using alcohol for this purpose? TXS for any info! Regards😊💚🪴

      0 likes
  5. Magneticgarden_

    I highly recommend purchasing a Katchy. Mine has definitely saved my sanity. I also recommend letting your plants dry out prior to watering for the most part. 😊🪴

    0 likes
    • Lynda

      What is a Katchy? TIA for your response. Regards… 😊💚🪴

      0 likes
    • Lynda

      I’m still waiting to find out what a Katchy is. TIA. Regards. 😊💚🪴

      0 likes
    • Magneticgarden_

      It's an electric indoor insect catcher!! I bought mine on Amazon.

      Bijlage 1 van 1
      0 likes
  6. Tigerlilly

    you must kill the gnat larvae to stop the cycle. there is no other way! get some BTI drops. they’re a bacteria that kills the larvae in the soil. use 1-2 drops per gallon of water and water every single plant with this every single time. if you skip, they’ll come back. one gnat can lay over 200 eggs in soil!

    1 like
  7. Tigerlilly

    there’s a dropper inside this tub container it’s shipped in. it’s the same bacteria as mosquito tea/dunks. just easier to use in liquid form.

    Bijlage 1 van 1
    1 like
  8. Maddie Swanson

    Hey everybody! Thanks for the input! I got sticky traps for the adults and got systemic granules for indoor houseplants (I know some of you were worried about the toxicity and in for use). I will also make sure I’m not overwatering. Thanks for the help!

    0 likes
  9. Lynda

    After reading these texts, you seem so knowledgeable that I would like to ask you one definitive question: if you were to use a product for fungus gnat control, would you use something like hydrogen peroxide, or the Biological Mosquito Control that was recommended in one of these texts. I’ve used peroxide for quite a while and I know the extra oxygen is good for my plants, or so I’ve been told, but in the final analysis, which of the two treatments would you pick? TIA. Regards, 😊💚🪴

    0 likes