gnats!!!

[maciascl]

I usually manage to kill every plant I ever try to grow, however I have 1 that is actually thriveing...amazing! It is a house plant, but it is breeding gnats like crazy. They are everywhere & I don't know how to get rid of them. I REALLY don't want to get rid of the plant, but I don't know what else to do. Anyone have any thoughts?

[maciascl]

Anyone? Little tiny, fly like creatures are making me CRAZY!!

[phoebemommy]

Hi! I've just been battling gnats myself, and I think I'm winning the battle. We had a few here, a few there, not enough to even notice, and then a couple got into my worm composter in the laundry room and raised a whole civilization in there, and so, gnats everywhere.

Here's what I did. First I looked into what exact kind of pest I was dealing with. Chances are, if they're loving your potting soil, they're fungus gnats. Here's a website that helped me id mine: http://www.happydranch.com/invertebrates.html.

So then, if it is fungus gnats, the best way I found is beneficial nematodes. They're a little microorganism that attacks these gnats and their eggs and larvae, and actually hundreds of other pests, and they don't harm any good bugs you might have around. Mine were about $30 for enough to make a gallon of water with them, which I put in the worm bin and every plant in the house. You can order them online, but if you have a good, organically minded garden store near you you can possibly get them without the expensive shipping (they have to go next day air because they have to be kept cold).

There are also other ways to trap them or probably some cheaper sprays, even organic, that might work to some degree, but I tell you, I've seen massive gnat death over the past few days with the nematodes and it's been very gratifying. (Hate to say it. Not very Buddhist of me. ) Also, they stay active for two years, so you probably won't need to retreat unless something goes awry.

[maciascl]

Very interesting! Thanks for the info!

[PGTlatte]

Fungus gnats. They happen when the soil is constantly moist.

I got rid of them once with nicotine without killing the plant. However several sources I've found say not to do what I did !

http://www.gardensalive.com/article....cd2=1221497446

So if you try it be aware that the liquid is potentially really toxic and don't get it on yourself, and dispose of any remaining liquid and the cup and paper towel etc safely where nobody will accidentally have contact with them.

[maciascl]

Originally Posted by llp34

Fungus gnats. They happen when the soil is constantly moist.

I got rid of them once without killing the plant. First I borrowed a coworker's cigarette (it was an office plant) and made a nicotine tea (not to drink !!!!!) with the tobacco and some hot water. Then I strained out the tobacco, let the tea cool, and watered the plant with it. Then I let the plant dry way out over a week, then resumed only minimal watering. It was a fern. It did survive the dryout.

Please tell me more about how you made the tea. I don't think I know anyone that smokes, but I am sure I can find a way to get a hold of one.

[oneKnight]

I figure you soak the cig in warm water till it's brown. I know sometimes DH will drop cig butts into a jar with some water, and the water turns brown - it's pretty yucky looking.

Also gnats seem to like those sticky fly traps. They have a paper-towel-tube-looking sticky trap here that catches more gnats than flies.

[PGTlatte]

The Gardens Alive website says not to ever do this:

http://www.gardensalive.com/article....cd2=1221497446

So if you try it be aware that the liquid is potentially really toxic and don't get it on yourself, and dispose of any remaining liquid and the cup and paper towel etc safely where nobody will accidentally have contact with them.

I have to admit it worked very well though. I had already tried a couple different sprays that hadn't worked at all. (good thing I didn't get it on my hands though !!!!)

[maciascl]

Thanks for the sticky paper idea, oneKnight!

llp34, I'll have to take a look at that link to see what they do suggest. Thanks!

[PGTlatte]

I looked through their suggestions to see what I could have done (in an office environment) that would have been safer. I like their sand idea.

(I was under pressure to either get rid of the bugs quickly or get the plant out of the office though...so the methods that just keep one generation at a time from laying eggs might have been too slow for me then).

Originally Posted by maciascl

Thanks for the sticky paper idea, oneKnight!

llp34, I'll have to take a look at that link to see what they do suggest. Thanks!

[sillygrl]

Would apple cider vinegar not work for those? Every time I start getting gnats, I put out a cup or two with some ACV, water and a drop of dishsoap as traps. I usually catch quite a few this way. I get them in the kitchen, though, I don't think I've ever had one in plants before. Then again, the only plant I have inside is an aloe, and it always dries out before I water it.

[texmati]

have you ever heard of mosquito dunks? it might be a southern thing... but see if they have at your local home improvement store.

basically, I think it contains the same nematodes, or micro-organisms as mention in pp. stick it in your watering can/bottle and voila! no more gnats.

The other thing I've done is to put sand in the top two inches of my pots. the gnats are not supposed to be able to lay eggs in the sand.