tips on getting rid of fungus gnats?

[linlaoboo]

Hello,

What products/methods have you used to rid fungus gnats? They are in my serissa, fukien tea and ficus and chinese elm in all stages such as adults, larvae and pupa with wings. I notice them when teasing the soil and when watering. The small larvaes as small as 2mm are wiggling around which is so grose.

[bonsaiboy]

I would change the soil and spray the plants with neem or a similar insecticide. This should get rid of them.

[Ozark Lady]

I had a major invasion of them. And they aren't in my plants, they are after our food. Every time I try to cook or we sit down to eat, here they come, not sure where they hide when we aren't eating.

I finally just had to put those unsightly fly strips up everywhere!
It took awhile, but, finally, they are mostly gone. I killed babies wherever I found them, and caught the adults, it still was a process, to get rid of them and use nothing toxic.

I have bananas in the kitchen... and no gnats! yeah! Success!

[rainbowgardener]

Fungus gnats usually occur when there is moist soil and limited air circulation. If you can let your plants dry out more between waterings it should help.

Cinnamon and chamomile are natural antifungals. The adult fungus gnats eat the fungus in the soil (larvae eat plant roots which is why they are harmful). If you cut down the amount of fungus, you cut down the fungus gnats. I put cinnamon and chamomile in the water I watered my seeds/seedlings with last year and had zero fungus gnats, for the first time.

Other threads on fungus gnat control:

https://www.helpfulgardener.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=131726&highlight=fungus+gnat+control#131726

this one has a lot of other links in it:

https://www.helpfulgardener.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=114899&highlight=fungus+gnat+control#114899

[linlaoboo]

I have some chamomile for tea, wonder if it works. With cinnmon, do u soak the whole piece in water or? Thanks for the great info.

I read using inorganic bonsai mix made of stuffs like turface gets rid of gnats. Is that true? Seeing those buggers make me sick enough to want to switch all my soil out. Some plants like ficus you can let dry out more but most others prefer damp soil which invites fungus gnats.

[Gnome]

linlaoboo,

I read using inorganic bonsai mix made of stuffs like turface gets rid of gnats. Is that true? Seeing those buggers make me sick enough to want to switch all my soil out.

The only time I have ever had a problem with them was after giving certain trees a good dose of solid organic fertilizer. I say solid to make the distinction from liquid ferts but the 'solid' fertilizer certainly did not remain solid, it got wet and moldy and soon attracted pests. If you stay away from heavily organic soils, (including bark does not seem to be a problem in this regard) and ferts, the pests should be greatly diminished.

Norm

[rainbowgardener]

I have some chamomile for tea, wonder if it works. With cinnmon, do u soak the whole piece in water or? Thanks for the great info.

Yes chamomile tea is just dried chamomile flowers (unless it's a blend, in this case you want pure chamomile). Just throw some chamomile and a piece of cinnamon stick in the water and let them soak. But the cinnamon can burn your plants a bit if over done, so don't use too much or do it all the time.

[linlaoboo]

Cool, learned some more from you guys, thanks a bunch!