Full guide: https://www.epicgardening.com/fungus-gnats/ Fungus gnats are one of my least favorite pests to deal with both indoors and out. They can seem impossible to get rid of, so here are my best fungus gnats control tips, as well as some deeper understanding on how they “work” so you can combat them effectively in your own garden.
IN THIS VIDEO
As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Other links may be affiliate links in which we receive a commission.
→ Mosquito Bits: https://amzn.to/2WpX4A1
→ Sticky Traps: https://amzn.to/3dhnzye
→ Neem Spray: https://amzn.to/2YxI0mt
SUPPORT EPIC GARDENING
→ Buy Birdies Raised Beds: https://shop.epicgardening.com
→ Buy My Books: https://shop.epicgardening.com/collections/books
→ Support Directly: https://www.patreon.com/epicgardening
LEARN MORE
Epic Gardening is much more than a YouTube channel:
→ 2nd Channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/epicurbanhomestead
→ In-Depth Articles: http://www.epicgardening.com/blog
→ Daily Podcast: https://apple.co/2nkftuk
→ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/epicgardening/
→ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/epicgardening
→ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@epicgardening
→ Discord Server: https://discord.gg/cuXxvKRwKN
→ FB Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/epicgardening/
→ Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/epicgardening
→ Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/epicgardening
DISCLAIMER
Epic Gardening occasionally links to goods or services offered by vendors to help you find the best products to care for plants. Some of these may be affiliate links, meaning we earn a small commission if items are purchased. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases. More info on our process: https://www.epicgardening.com/disclaimer/
More resources: https://www.epicgardening.com/fungus-gnats/
→ Mosquito Bits: https://amzn.to/2WpX4A1
→ Sticky Traps: https://amzn.to/3dhnzye
→ Neem Spray: https://amzn.to/2YxI0mt
So… I’m laying in bed and saw one small gnats flying around my computer screen. I couldn’t see what kind of gnat it was bc it’s dark in my room right now. But I do have plants on the other side of the room, but haven’t seen any signs of bugs (they are all repotted and thoroughly checked) so I’m just wondering how far fungus gnats travel from the soil? I heard they don’t travel very far and usually stay near the soil. It could have just been a gnat that came from outside since we do usually have a lot near our front porch light and we only just shut it off a couple hours ago. And I’m a new plant mom so I’m still trying accept that if I want plants I’m going to have to deal with bugs but they’re still so gross and annoying.
I have them, I'm pretty sure. I watched this video + then poured hydrogen peroxide into my corn plant, which is not at all what you said to do. I'm pretty sure I'm having a bad plant lady moment.
honestly the absolute WORST thing that's ever happened to me was one time I bought a bag of potting soil (my FAVORITE soil, mixed by a local gardening center), and when I opened it up a few days later it was FILLED with fungus gnats. UGH. so here I was with this big bag of fungus gnats in my houseplant jungle, theyre already flying around everywhere, and what I found to work really well is this: scattered around your houseplants, put little bowls here and there filled with one part water, one part dish soap (preferably orange colored and fruity smelling), one part sugar. You can even add a drop or two of fruity essential oil. The gnats LOVE this stuff but they can't fly out of it because the soap breaks the surface tension. Worked way better than any sticky trap I've ever used.
How long is the holding period on new plants?
What is the ratio of mosquito bite for pots? Like how many tablespoon should I put on top of 4 inch pot?
Best way to get rid of gnats in house plants:
1. Repot with new soil (even in existing pot). Throw the soil in a garbage bag and seal tightly, to dispose of eggs, larva and junior gnats in the soil.
2. Spray roots with Garden Safe Insecticidal Soap. Make sure to spray in the remaining soil on the roots.
3. Refill pot with new soil, making about 1.5 inches for room on the top of soil for sand.
4. Add a thick layer of 1.5” – 2” of sand. Pat down to keep it tightly packed.
5. Water the plant. If sand moves to expose soil, add more sand at the top.
I tried everything and couldn’t get rid of gnats in my plants, until I tried this method with sand. This worked, no more gnats going on 2 months. Gnats can’t dig into tightly packed sand, nor can larvae or gnats crawl up through the sand if packed tightly.
Do fungus gnats actually cause root rot or do they
Appear when root rot is present
Oh. That makes me sad. 🙁 All gardening YouTubers talk about this one product being the way to fix the fungus gnat issue. 🙁 Which is useless if you're in another country that doesn't have this or anything like this product 🙁 And shipping is a ridiculous number even before converting to my country's $. Doubtful that my country would allow that product past the border, too, so I can't even go "the cost is worth it cos it works".. as I would be paying money for nothing.
Can you research something that you don't have to be in the States to get? I've even tried flea powder, but it is so hard to buy that here too. No pet shops stock it any more because it is bad for pets (this is a good thing for the pets, that it isn't stocked). Tried all the other things in the video constantly. Even water plants where I can from bottom… they just live in the bottom of the pots instead, fly out the base.
I had a severe problem of fungus gnats and the one thing that really helped was putting a layer of steel wool over the exposed soil. I have tried all the other solutions available over the internet but this one really really worked .
What about fungus gnats loving my indoor basil? What is safe to use on that considering that the basil is going to be consumed?
Figures, I watered my plants today and got my mosquito bits from Amazon AFTER I watered the plants. Are the bits effective if just placed on the soil or do they need to be watered at the same time?
Feet
Apple cider vinegar works well also essential oils peppermint is good 4 spider mites an lavender is good 4 flying insects if u got a real bad infestation or a pest thats notoriously hard to combat such as hemp russet mites use wetable sulfur an castle soap at a ratio of
2 tbs sulfur
1 tbs castol soap
Per gallon H20
Don’t forget cinnamon, it stops fungus from growing which is their food. Also epsom salt, the Magnesium is toxic to them
I just went through my first, fungus gnat assault. What a royal pain! I ended up using a mix of "remedies."
1. Mosquito Bits tea: 4 tbsps of Mosquito bits in an old cut off stocking. Add to 1 gallon of very warm water. Let it seep for 1 – 2 hours. Apply to the soil to kill the larvae and walkers. Simple math if more than a gallon is needed – i.e., 8 tbsps for 2 gallons, 12 tbsps for 3 gallons, etc.
2. Hydrogen Peroxide spray: In a spray bottle, mix 5 oz. of Hydrogen Peroxide with 20 oz. of water. Use this to spray everything above the soil (i.e., leaves, stems, etc.). This kills the flying gnats.
3. Apply 1" – 2" layer of sand over the potting soil. Pack it down and make sure no gaps anywhere (planter edges, around stems at soil level, etc.).
4. A yellow sticky insect trap for each plant (I used LIGHTSMAX Sticky Paper traps).
On a side note. . . .DO NOT USE Miracle Gro topsoil and potting mix products. I didn't have a problem until I repotted four plants using Miracle Gro products. Everyone I've spoken to have had the same problem – use Miracle Gro topsoil and potting mix and have a fungus gnats infestation.
i have place my ficus in a clear plastic bag for months until there were no more live gnats
I am hearing a tea can be made with hot water and the mosquito bits. Watering with the cooled tea kills them all
I tried everything! Including the mosquito bits & making mosquito bits tea water to water my plants with that. Unfortunately, I kept getting fungus gnats infestations. What helped me put was bottom watering & diatomaceous earth.
I spray all around the area where the gnats are with a solution of bleach, water, and dish washing liquid, like kitchen and trash cans. I spray this around the area near my house plants too. Do NOT spray the plants! Some people use garlic in the plant medium to kill eggs.
Can I use the mosquito bits and neem oil together? Would that also be okay to put on any growing fruits/ vegetables?
I had to repot all of my plants. Fresh potting soil back into sterilized pots. The plants are now watered from the bottom, leaving the top soil mostly dry.
I use a bug light that fits on a window sill behind some of my plants. It attracts the adult gnats and kills them. Also helps with fruit flies, house flies and mosquitoes. I found this way more effective than vinegar traps.
I had them inside my house.
Step 1. I sprayed the rooms with insect spray (which I hate) but it did thin the numbers … aka adults
Step 2. Those sticky yellow things. AMAZING. That also helped, but didn't eradicate.
3. I put blue cleaning cloths (the really cheap ones) as liners on the top and base of my plants and then lined them with rocks (Pebbles or decorative stones). The cloth prevented the larvae from emerging into flying babies, and the rocks prevented the adults from laying eggs
4. I put the yellow stickies in the pots to catch any eggs that emerged and any adults I've missed
5. I made a spray of soap water to kill any flies I see. Since doing the above, it's only been a couple a day (as opposed to a couple every 10 minutes or an hour).
This has worked tremendously, but I need to wait a MINIMUM of 30 days to break their cycle. Adults only last 5-7 days, but any larvae will need up to 30 days to eradicate.
I've also purchased mosquito bits to make a "tea" when I water. And I've also bought a brightly lit zapper to get any adults.
I feel like I'm trying to kill a zombie plague. I F'ing HATE these things
I grow vegan in the house can I use this on them and not get sick eating my vegetables?