lillgardnr
Senior Member
Posts: 168
Joined: Wed Jun 13, 2007 12:12 pm
Location: El Dorado, CA.

tiny annoying little gnats "help"

hi all, I was wondering if any of you have any helpful advice on these nasty little nats...they seem to have taken up residence in every pot in my green house....I was hoping for an easy fix :roll: , but really would hate to use poison...(some are veggies) any ideas??? :D

User avatar
webmaster
Site Admin
Posts: 9484
Joined: Sun Feb 08, 2004 12:59 pm
Location: Amherst, MA USDA Zone 5a

Welcome to the Helpful Gardener Forum. :)

How often have you been watering them? They could be fungal gnats which come from overwatering.

This is what HG suggested in a previous thread about [url=https://www.helpfulgardener.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=739]gnats[/url]:
Probably fungus gnats and that means you've probably been overwatering. I like BT (Bacillus thuringiensis) for control; should be able to find it at any good garden center. Follow up in two weeks to get the next hatch and then again whenever you see more, Could be fruit flies if they're fruiting plants...

lillgardnr
Senior Member
Posts: 168
Joined: Wed Jun 13, 2007 12:12 pm
Location: El Dorado, CA.

ahhhh, well that explains it...wasn't able to get the whole roof up on the new greenhouse before the first rain...and one whole side was soaked.
"damn silent g" :oops: that explains why I couldn't find any posts...

opabinia51
Super Green Thumb
Posts: 4659
Joined: Thu Oct 21, 2004 5:58 pm
Location: Victoria, BC

Your watering problem should corrected ASAP to decrease your gnat population. The larvae are in the soil, feeding on the soil fungi (which is actually good to have, the fungi. So , don't go using fungicides). A light sprinkling of diatomacious earth will helpf with the problem by mechanically killing the larvae.

For the gnats, place sticky traps around the infected area.

Good luck with the problem and be sure to keep us updated! :)

Newt
Greener Thumb
Posts: 1868
Joined: Tue May 25, 2004 10:44 pm
Location: Maryland zone 7

Potato slices also help to collect the little nasties.
https://www.extension.umn.edu/projects/yardandgarden/AAMG/houseplants/fungusgnats.html

More organic ideas.
https://www.ipm.ucdavis.edu/PMG/r280300811.html

Newt

lillgardnr
Senior Member
Posts: 168
Joined: Wed Jun 13, 2007 12:12 pm
Location: El Dorado, CA.

thanks all,.... :wink:
potatoes...hmmmm, love it...now that's what I'm looking for....I'll try it today... :D ....I'll keep ya posted on how fast it works....



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