Fungus gnats and cinnamon

[KimsGarden]

I noticed that a few people had mentioned cinnamon being a good remedy for fungus gnats, and since I have a good amount of that on hand (just regular ground cinnamon-not Ceylon cinnamon, but rather Cassia) and sprinkled it over the top of the soil in my herb garden. Should I cultivate this into the soil, or will it be just as effective sitting on the surface? I also have some chamomile tea that I can brew, cool, and pour into the soil. Will this work in addition to the cinnamon, or should I just try one remedy at a time? Waiting is the worst...I want these little pests out of my kitchen ASAP!

[rainbowgardener]

So this is an indoor herb garden? The gnats thrive in situations of consistent moisture and not enough air circulation. So if your herbs are not seedlings best is if you can let the herbs dry out pretty thoroughly between waterings and make sure the potting soil is free draining, like cactus mix. Many herbs prefer those conditions anyway.

But yes you can use the chamomile and cinnamon together. And yes, it needs to get in to the soil, not just sit on top. I generally put the cinnamon (it just takes a little) in the water I am watering with to help it soak in.
I have found it very effective at keeping fungus gnats out of my indoor seed starting operation. It does not work instantly. It is not a poison. It is anti-fungal, so works against the fungus in the soil that the adult gnats eat. So after awhile, there is nothing to eat, they go away. But if there are eggs in the soil, new ones may keep hatching out for awhile.