I have been in a war with these gnats for a long time, but finally got rid of them completely :) I used an air humidifier/diffuser, put three to five drops of tea tree essential oil in it, and let it run for a whole 8 hours. I repeated this process a couple of times within the next few weeks and now I am proud to say that I won this war. They are all gone! If I happen to bring home more of these when I buy new plants or soil, I just give them the same treatment and they dissappear.
i bought a bugzapper that attracts them at night. The adult ones get zapped and slowly their population died off. I had like hundreds and hundreds of gnats coz of houseplants.
Yes I was just about to mention that,I have got a dog & it's poisnous for dogs aswell,always best to do your reasearch..I think it's a brilliant Idea though..have a great day🤘🏻💜🤘🏻💜
MI Gardener said when he worked in a commercial green house. They would bring in a load of sand. They would place a quarter inch barrier of sand on top of the soil. The layer of sand prevents the gnats egg laying apparatus from reaching the moist soil material to deposit their eggs.
But you can't see the soil anymore... and any mulch layer is going to prevent the top layers of soil from drying out... which is what we want... the problem is as the soil dries, it pulls away from the edges of the pot, and if you watch, they just land on the pot and walk right down to the moist layers... so I would use my moisture meter, which has two long metal prongs, and rough up the top layer of soil... I would mix the top around and collapse the edges where they would walk right down... this really drives them nuts and keeps them partially under control
Bug zap lites worked for me. Loved hearing them get zapped! Dont forget to empty the dead ones out of the trays! Its over a year now, and all gone! Good luck! Rev. J 😊
Small tip...they love old coffee with old cream. I left my coffee in the grow room for half a day by accident. When i found it,it had a centimeter of dead flies in just 3 hrs. Do with it what you want.
@@Grow_Up_Man55 yes, i accidentally left my mug in the grow room. I came back a few hours later and it was loaded with dead ones floating in my intoxicating cup of Joe. Try it ,it works fast
Most of those sticky traps dont work,after a while the bugs are too oily to stick to the tape or trap. They also smell like plastic. Entice the brandons to their doom lol
I've placed sand on top of the soil which eliminates entering and leaving the dirt along with bananas in paper cups with plastic wrap and pin holes where they can enter but not escape. It's amazing how many gnats are collected in these but the older the fruit the more the fungus gnats are attracted.
Cheers Jeffrey I really appreciate that! 😁 It's not always easy with a full time job too - but I'm always trying to 'up my game'. Any suggestions are welcome...
I also had a larger scale infestation recently. Diatomaceous earth on top, then not watering for a full day seemed to cripple the community of gnats. Since then I put diatomaceous earth on top of all of my newly potted plants, and I make sure to open the bags of soil all the way and dust a layer on top so anything that hatches before it gets to the pot is also gone. Additionally, I bought a spray bottle of neem oil to see if that will help and the results so far good. We only saw two gnats after the diatomaceous earth, and have seen none in two days now!
I found this tip on UA-cam and it’s been working for me. I use fans around my plants to keep constant air flowing late spring/ summer months. The gnats don’t do well with air movement.
I can't believe that such a little bug can be such a big problem. It appears that not one person has a solution to this pest just a lot of try this and try that. I think I will try the toss everything out and grow succulents method this year. 🤪
Unfortunately most attempts deal with either the flying insects or the grubs - here I'm trying to point out that attacking one or the other won't cure the issue - you need to deal with both simultaneously. It's worked for me. One way to be sure not to get them in the first place is to move to inorganic media. Good luck with yours!
Yeah I did try that - but they're the devil to get hold of in the UK. Ended up with 'bits' which might have worked but they fill the water with, well, 'bits'! 🤣
Here is what worked for me, in combination: - Garlic granules and cinnamon powder. Several spoons per pot, evenly mixed with top soil, then gently sprayed with water to soak for 1-2 hours. Then pouring water evenly to the pot, until it starts coming out through the pot hole. - Sticky tape. - I stopped putting pots in decorative pots. Gnats love that area between the 2 walls. Instead, I drilled holes in all decorative pots, planted the plants directly in them, and started using saucers. - Stopped using excessive amounts of compost. Almost every compost comes with gnat eggs. - Stopped using compost which didn't compost completely. - Started using 50% perlite in every soil. - Stopped overwatering.
Great tips. I have had them - on one house plant in one day I had 5 sticky pads completely covered. I resorted to a cheap way, which has resulted in 8 gnats only, in over a week! I took the plants outside, took out as much soil as I could, put some new soil in (which came with sand mixed in already), and put a one inch topping of sand, which prevent larvae from digging up, and gnats from digging down!
Just a little information about what I done. I changed all the soil, bought bottom watering plants and put a layer of sand on them. Also make sure to use yellow stickers to catch stay flys. I was at war with these fly for about 6 months. Thank god were fly free now. Hopefully this helps someone, best of luck.
This video has come at a very good time for me. I have a lot of plants indoors and although a lot are in leca I still have quite a few orchids in bark mix as well as regular house plants in potting mix. At first these little flies were hanging around the fruit bowl where we keep our stone fruits and then I noticed more of them coming from the soil in the plants. They’ve been driving me nuts, it seems like they are everywhere. I just ordered some of the yellow sticky things so I’m glad you mentioned the bit about folding them over. Next thing I’ll do then is get some of the tablets. They look like the next easiest way to deal with eggs etc. I hope I can go somewhere towards eradicating the little pests. Thanks for a very informative video.
I'm really pleased to have been useful, Renate - that's what it's all about.😁 Funny you should say this - as I've just bought some lecca - my first ever - as I plan to try and reduce numbers of pests but also prevent so much orchid root rot I always get through winter. Glad to hear you're going to tackle the soil born stages - but don't forget the adults - you could get a small sprayer bottle and spray the soil surface and the foliage - maybe with the same organic solution I bought, or maybe some other contact insecticide - that way you're preventing them from getting frisky and laying more eggs!🤣
Neem cake tea. Use the tiny Pallets in a large spray bottle of water. Shake well and let it sit for few hours. The water will turn reddish brown or tea color. Use that water to spray your plants. The neem tea acts as a fertilizer as well as an anti fungus gnat larva killer.
Geoff, I had a very small infestation but I only have a few peperomias, a couple of orchids, a Nepenthes and about a dozen types of Drosera sundews. My sundews are covered with dead gnats! They haven’t eradicated them fully but they sure have kept them under control! I don’t need to supplement them with additional feedings for now. And my sundews are growing very vigorously! :)
Yeah I think my real infestation has come from all the Begonias I now have in multipurpose compost. I still find the flies like even bark media - but the finer media is where it's at! I definitely need more Drosera - and not just for the flies...
Hi Geoff, gnats can also come in the soil of new plants brought in. I use Mosquito Dunks, crumbled and soaked in water to water my plants. I’ve also used a small yellow bowl with water. Bending the sticky traps is a great idea, it make sense too. It’s interesting, the key seems to be getting them out of the soil. When I was little I remember my Granny watering her plants once a week with the used soapy dishwater. I’m sure the dish soap in the late fifties/early sixties did not have the chemicals like now though. Maybe Dr. Bonner’s liquid soap? This was a really good video, good luck and thank you! ☘️🌿🌱😊
That's true Judy. These I'm using are very similar to Mosquito Dunks. It's funny I've never really been bothered by them much till moving into the Hothouse - but they've just gone crazy recently. I'm sure soapy dishwater certainly will help as it kills aphids too. Glad you enjoyed the video.😁
GREAT JOB MATE! When applying your technique with the tablets in a watering can...can you add them into your fertilizer mix or do you have to use the tablets with just water?
I’ve been battling these beasties since I brought my plants inside in the fall. In the past I got rid of them with mosquito bits. This time it’s not working as well. I have loads in my orchid bark, and think I spread the larvae by re-using the water. I have noticed that after soaking my orchids in mosquito bit water there are still live larvae floating on the surface of the water. I even tried live predator mites without any success. I would suggest putting the mosquito dunks (your version) into your rain barrel. I need to do another round of watering with mosquito bits. I have my carnivorous plants and have put the yellow sticky traps in almost every plant. Good luck to the both of us!
Just using mosquito bits won't necessarily work - as you'll only be tackling half the problem i.e. anything in the soil. The adults flies live for a month so can continue to lay eggs. This was my mistake. I think you need to tackle both flying flies and soil born stages simultaneously. I've considered treating the water butt but as it rains almost constantly here, I thought it would be a waste of tablets. I'd rather drop them into every watering can of water so at least that can of water will be clear until I've used it all. I've just been into the hothouse and didn't spot a single living fly - so fingers crossed the 3 pronged attack has worked. I'll keep treating them in the same way for a few weeks yet though - just to be safe! We'll crack this together!!😁🪰
@@margaretlavender9647 They're just tablets similar to the ones I showed in the video. You can actually buy them from Amazon - but they're really expensive - probably due to the shipping over to the UK. They're cheap over in the US.
I get to continually start my plants over and over again, so I set up my pot and pour over a couple cups of boiling water over the soil the day before I plant... That worked for me... My plants were in my room so I constantly had these things in my iced tea... I leave out a half cup of Arizona green tea w/ ginseng at all times... it collects a lot if they are bad... they love the stuff... it works like the sticky traps... but with the boiling water I can almost drink my tea again without first checking for gnats
Thanks! I don't think I've done the 2 camera thing since. I'm only using mobile phones and it's a pain to set up and edit. I might try it again at some point - maybe when I hit 50K subs! 😂
I used to have an issue in my worm bins until I started using Dunks with BT. I use the worm castings in my houseplants and I think that keeps them out of my plants as well.
I'm fighting an infestation in my indoor worm bins right now. They are driving me crazy. What is BT? I have the sticky traps, apple cider vinegar with dish soap and mosquito bits. Saw another video with covering my worm bins with 2 layers of garden row fabric to trap them. Just waiting for delivery of those. Would love to know what BT is though?
Glad they work for you. I'm not sure why the treatment would cause mould - other than watering more than necessary. That hasn't happened to mine - yet...🤣🤷♂️
I've been using the mulch method for years and it really works for me. I have not seen any fungus knats in years! I think it's the best method, It's better than spraying chemicals in the air and on your plants 💚🌱
The mulch idea is a great tip - and fine for many people but not me - as I explained why in the video. Both of the products I bought are organic so no problem with chemicals in the air on my part. I expect different people will prefer different methods depending on their individual circumstances.😁
As I like lighting josh sticks (NAG CHAMPA) i have notticed that this must suffocate them as I find the big ones dead of the floor, so I just light two now close the door and let them burn, and I will find dead ones around the pots and windows, and this does not harm your plants at all.
Skip the line and just amend all of your soil with neem cake and regular cinnamon powder. Neem cake is the leftover crushed and powdered neem seeds from making neem oil. Neem oil is great organic pest repellent, but since I'm a succulent guy I can't just spray all the farina off of my little friends with oil. But if you amend your soil with neem cake, your plant absorbs it when you water it and the repellent in the neem cake becomes part of the plant. It takes about 2 years to degrade and turn into a slow-release 3-3-3 fertilizer, and that's usually time to re-pot anyway. Bonus, neem cake smells less unpleasant than neem oil. The oil has this burnt broccoli & gym socks kind of thing going on, neem cake smells like you ordered Chinese food last night and fell asleep before putting it away. It's not unpleasant, but some nice fragrant plants like jasmine or lillies can mask it easily. It's okay for preventing fungal growth to a point, but cinnamon is the real fungus killer. Cinnamon on fungus is like sea salt on slugs. Speaking of, they hate the smell of neem too. So do grasshoppers. The only use-case against amending with neem cake is for a pollinator garden, bees and butterflies dislike neem as much as aphids and fungus gnats. I use a 5% by volume for neem, 2% for cinnamon. Doesn't matter the plant, I'm using the same amendment in different soils for echeveriae, cacti, euphorbiae, begonias, everything from as fragile as orchids to as indestructible as sempervivae.
Thank you for sharing all of your information! They are an awful situation to have these little flies! I haven’t had orchids for 15 years and I’ve never had flies until recently. I’ve had to do a lot of research first to find out what they were and then I’ve tried umpteen things to try and get rid of them. The one thing I found that has worked really well these are primarily orchids is a small yellow dish with soap vinegar and water and tea tree oil in a humidifier. It’s just a small humidifier that I stuck right in the middle and I let it run for six hours a day, it’s on a timer and problem solved! I spent a year figuring this out! Mine are all indoor so that made it problematic.
Thanks Kristie - I'm glad you've found something that works for you. I think for the most part people go wrong because they simply don't use whatever treatment they've opted for, for a long enough period.
@@Grow_Up_Man55 Yes that is exactly it I would do it for a couple of weeks and then they would go away and then I’d get them back and then I would do it again and it was when I finally did it for three months straight it worked and it was actually the first time I had ever re-potted my orchids and it must’ve been in the soil I’ve never had that problem before! Another thing I was doing was hydrogen peroxide spraying the top of the soil they definitely don’t like that but the plants love it.cheers🙏🏻
Another thing to do is put your soil on a baking pan and put it in the oven at 375°F for 30 mins halfway through mix the soil. Most soil come to us just slightly damp.
I put a 1/2 bag of seed stating potting soil in a food grade bucket. Poured boiling water into the soil. Mixed it up really good. This is supposed to kill the eggs and larvae in the soil. Letting the bucket of muddy soil sit until I'm ready to use it for starts.
I used mosquito bits in the water and a katchy clone from Amazon. Took about a month to clear them out. I also bottom water and have moved all my plants to pon.
Yeah I agree that air circulation is good for the plants - less so to 'deter' the gnats - but then more robust plants will cope better with any attacks to their roots.
I never had fungus gnats until I brought in a bulb in peat soil. I read or someone told me peat draws them. I won't use it as a growing medium for starting plants or adding it. I've read alot about Neem oil and I use it with soap as an emulsifier. However in my research and reading I found out that the mixture of need, water and soap should is only viable for 5-7 hours after mixing. Why it didn't say but I follow it and have also watered plants with the Neem combo to kill pests at the soil level.
I think not so much peat specifically, just finer composts seem to be what they prefer - as opposed to orchid bark or something at the other end of the scale like lecca. I haven't heard that about neem oil only being viable for 5-7 hours. I don't see why that should be - unless they're referring to the fact that it solidifies again - which is why I've stopped using it. The 2 substances I bought are organic so I'm happy with that aspect of it. Neem oil just isn't for me - but I know plenty of people swear by it. Whatever works for you is the right thing to use I guess! Thanks for your input, Molly, very valuable and very much appreciated.😁
@@Grow_Up_Man55 Thanks Geoff for this information! I really enjoy your videos and learn so much. Unlike you, my fungus gnats are in my kitchen as that's where most of my 100 plants are. Thankfully I have only a few right now. Can only blame the little buggars on the ripe bananas so much!
I give you the exact treatments I currently use at 7:59. But the point of the video is not which treatments I use - any contact killer or soil drench would work - it's how I'm using them. Good luck with yours!
That is a pretty great collection of plants you got there. If I lived on the UK I would ask for some cuttings. Great tips, I'm going to do the mulch with Expanded Clay that can be easily moved to check the soil, It's just a bit of a nuissance with orchids along with the pills + yellow traps
😂 And you wouldn't get any because I shut it down some months ago! Alas, the electricity heating costs got the better of me. I did actually save most of the plants which are either in the house or in the greenhouse now. But yeah, orchids are the most tricky to solve because you can't really mulch them. I tend to spray the area with regular fly spray and use a sprayer with an organic gnat killer in it for them. It works pretty well for me. Good luck in the never-ending fight!
Seems like you might also need some circulating air in there also, it'd help your mediums dry out a bit better, it also helps most plants develop a healthy and Strong main stem from the low stress training from the wind produced by the fan, I'd highly recommend an oscillating fan so you get even coverage and multiple wind angles so you're not just pushing the plants in one direction like a stationary fan would do. BUT, it seems like you've got them mostly nipped in the bud already anyhow.
Thank you for the tip on bending the sticky pad. I’ve used need solution and the yellow sticky pads as well as apple vinegar + dish soap . I’m on to the mosquito bit solution . I’m on week one need to repeat weekly.
There has been a study on Bounce dryer sheets. There's chemicals in the sheet that won't let them land on the soil. Place them all over any soil surface.
lol I cut up nylon tights, also stops em. Also bottom watered all my plants with diluted insecticide for 20 minutes each a few days ago, not one gnat since, the sticky sheets are waiting on guard tho and I’ll repeat the process the next watering.
@@RD12349 sorry I wasn’t clear, cut a piece of nylon tights straight across so that you can slide it over the pot bringing it over the soil to the plant stem. I cut just enough so that there’s a cm of nylon round the edge of the pot holding it on.
I like having carnivorous plants like drosera around to catch the adults. I used to hate having the gnats around but now I actually don't mind it, just more food for my CP friends
Yeah I have several Drosera hybrids, a few pings and many Nepenthes. The problem comes when the gnats start to breed exponentially - and this is the first time it's happened to me in many years of growing.
They are eating my monstera adanosii my favourite plant. I'm currently trying neem solution which is not that effective so far and a electric fly killer. Which has reduced quite a few of them. But I am still seeing some flying about. I have ordered the sticky patches and I have an insecticide spray, but have only used it once as not keen on non-organic methods. I am considering trying the mosquito bits to drench the soil. It's an on-going battle.
Yeah absolutely. I think if you grow your plants in an enclosed system - like in a house or a grow room then you've at least got half a chance of total eradication. But for me - both my grow spaces are necessarily open to the elements in summer so I have to use the media drenches every single watering.😫
I didn't have fungus gnats until recently when I bought bark and sphagnum moss for my anthurium ! I think that sometimes the eggs are in those soils ! thank you for the video, your geranium luxurians is beautiful, mine is struggling this winter, he didn't get enough light, I am going to chop those poor leafless branches and starting fresh for the spring time.
Thanks! Yeah I was the same with fungus gnats - nothing for years then clouds of them! Once they get going in an enclosed space without predators they multiply very quickly. I think you're referring to my Begonia luxurians? It hates the cold - mine is now pushing up the daisies due to several things that happened this last few months. Fortunately they're fairly cheap in the UK. Means room for either another one or something different entirely.
@@Grow_Up_Man55 thanks for your answer, I meant begonia luxurians, he sits next to a geranium and I mismatch the two !!! and I am French so sometimes I have issue with my English (but begonia and geranium are the same in the two languages)
@@tarantellalarouge7632 Don't worry about it - like most of my country-folk, when languages are concerend we English are the ignoramuses of the world! If there are any of my videos you'd like French subtitles on just tell me in the comments of that video and I'll happily sort that for you.
Thank you for the video on dealing with fungus gnats, I am going to do it. (Best Video I had found!) Have you done one on dealing with aphids? They are so annoying!
Thanks Margaret that's praise indeed and very much appreciated!😁 I haven't made a specific video about aphids - they get the same treatment as mites i.e. contact insecticide in the first instance, then systemic if the contact one doesn't work - which it usually does to be honest. Aphids are among the 'easiest' to eradicate in the pest world. Soapy water usually does the trick - it's cheaper too (I use Fairy Liquid).
Geoff continue to use the larvicide even after they are all gone. This will insure any new eggs that are laid when you're not looking will be killed off. I've been using the mosquito dunks for decades and have zero gnat issues. Your plan should work fine! The larvicide is the real key to winning the battle.
Yeah I fully intend to. Now that I appear to be on top of them I'll periodically use the tablets. My only issue was that even if you used the eggs and larvae killer for 30 days straight, for example, but there were still adults flying about - they'd return in no time at all - hence the contact killer too. But mine was a particularly bad infestation.
Yeah I know I should but I’m not a fan of obstacles. We have enough obstacles around the place to stop Fudge getting to places he shouldn’t! So I guess it means always having to contend with pests…😩
I use a very similar strategy. Except for the soil/larvae I use nematodes. Nematodes are like microscopic worms and they eat them all up. After two treatments a couple weeks apart, you will stop their life-cycle cold.
I prefer a mild contact insecticide. I find I get better results using it once a week and as needed then using a systemic. I like SB Invigorator because I can lightly spray new growths and flower buds without any ill effects. I spray the media so the top inch or so gets soaked. So far my Pinguiculas only have one or two gnats on them. Once a week when I am watering my plants I just add SB to it. I am sure there are other contact insecticides that will work just fine. My problem pest are moths! Little monsters love flying into my greenhouse and laying their eggs on Dendrobiums. I don't have the yellow fly cards hanging around my greenhouse, I have the moth cards you hang in your wardrobe. Latourias seem to be their favourites.😡
Systemics would only work with sap suckers which I don't think fungus gnats are. Unless perhaps they're licking the leaf surface perhaps? It's possible I guess. I think orchids are less likely to get huge infestations. Although I've seen them in and around bark-filled pots, without a doubt they much prefer the finer composts. I think my sudden infestation is due to the increase in Begonias and other pots planted in multi-purpose compost. Glad to hear your methods are working for you. I would never have thought of moths as an issue. We don't really get them here till late summer, and then only for a month or two before the frosts kill them off. This job would be so much easier without the pesky pests!😁
Thank you for your video! I’ve been slowly eradicating them with mosquito bits and sticky traps. I will be adding your third prong of an insecticide to my regimen to hopefully wipe them out for good! You’re definitely right about the orchid medium. My gnat problem started in my orchids. Also bought a new bag of orchid bark on Amazon, and it came infested with gnats. 😫 I examine all bags of new soil and bark every time I open them now. It’s made me very paranoid.
My pleasure! I read your comment and initially thought, 'why does does she bark when she opens bags of new soil?!' Must be some kind of fetish!🤣 Probably on my mind after just washing my dog for the 10th time today. In terms of fungus gnats - I haven't seen a single one since around October so it does work - but you have to continually treat them for a prolonged period initially - to break the cycle. Good luck with yours!
Yours is by far the best information on how to get rid of these wretched gnats. My house plants got infected because I brought in some new plants which the soil must have been contaminated. I winded up throwing out several plants that seemed too far gone. When you went through the list of failed treatments I identified with them all Thank you for this valuable video. I will be looking into purchasing some of what you recommended
Oh thank you Mitzi - I'm so pleased you think so! Whatever you eventually use, just make sure you apply the treatment for long enough to break the life cycle. That's where many people go wrong. Good luck!
hi every one i use a four pronged method first i microwave my compost for five minuets on full power then once i have plated the chiilis i give them a hydrogen peroxide drench then i cut fleece to measure the inside of pot one cut to middle then top with sand with a sticky taped to the side working great and i allways water from the bottom 👍
Yeah I’ve got pinguiculas and droseras - all very useful - but they’re not enough to put a dent in the huge infestation I was dealing with. Definitely worth growing though. 😁
@@Grow_Up_Man55 it's the stuff they use in a horse stalls. To keep the ground from getting moist and damp. I put it in the pots on the top part of the soil about a half an inch deep so the fungus nats can't lay eggs in the soil.
@@JamesD1776-uc Oh right! Yeah any sort of mulch should work in 'ordinary' media. Couldn't do that with orchids in bark, of course, or it would just fall right through.
Where did you get the yellow sticky traps. I would have to buy a package of 32. I only have five plants and do not plant to get any more. I received these beautiful plants when my 29 year old daughter died 4 months ago and I simply do not want them to die.
I’ve had problems in gnats in the past, though not as bad as yours. I found sprinkling enough to cover the soil with cinnamon powder cured my problem. Doing this dries up the top part of the soil and kill the eggs.
Thanks for the tip Stephen.😁 I'm sure that'll work great for many people. For me though, I don't want to use barrier methods for the reasons I explained in the video.
I’ve done it all. I first tried diatomaceous earth, the mosquito dunks with the sticky traps… nothing worked then I used steel wool and covered all the soil then put pebbles on top. They ate through the wool to get to the soil. I let the soil dry out too for a month Then I used vermiculite and put a layer on top of soil, now that works! Now I’m back to mosquito dunks again. Ugh. It’s insane. Ty for the video.
I think perhaps one of the main reasons for various methods not working is a misunderstanding or just plain 'lack of knowledge' about the fungus gnat life cycle (I'm not saying this was your issue by the way - it certainly was mine though!). If the adults live a month, then you'd need to use any barrier method or watering method to kill pot-born stages repeatedly for well OVER a month. You can imagine a situation where you water a fungus gnat killer on for 29 days. Then on the 30 day the adults lay more eggs. That's assuming no further flies have hatched out recently - as it's unlikely you'll have hit every bit of every pot. Put simply, many people just don't treat them for a long enough period. Good luck with yours and thanks for the tips! 😁
I have an enclosed terrarium. They bother the hell out of me, but I discovered since I have a natural bio enclosure, to fight nature with nature. A few hungry arachnids and now I have some really cool webs that get filled almost endlessly with food for my other invertebrates. Any excess I just vacuum out.
Yeah that's a great solution and perfect for an enclosed space like that. I decided against doing that in my greenhouse as there are so many expensive plants in there I'd have to suffer many losses and I wasn't prepared to do that.
My best way is to accept that they are here to stay. They don't do much or any damage anyway, and who knows they might even be benefitial if they eat fungi, mold and harmful bacteria. I have bigger pests to care about. I reckon fungus gnats dies from my other pest I try to eredicate though. I water with tobacco water to try to get rid of thrips and root mealy bugs.
i don't have any indoor plants however,...I have been saving coffee grounds for the fire ant beds and just discovered that was their egg hatching ground. 🏹🤠👍
I fought with gnats for over two years and what worked for me was Raid mosquito plug-in. Give it two or three days and you will get rid of those flying monsters.
I add hydrogen peroxide in my watering can and never have gnats. It's cheap safe and good for the root system of the plant. You do hear a sizzling sound in the soil when watering with this solution so you know it's working.
@@NewlyAwakenedI’ve used it on seedlings and mature plants at 3 Tsp per gallon. Soaking your tough to sprout seeds in the solution has speed up the germination for me also.
Gnatrol , steel wool, layered with rocks and fly traps the steel wool has to be the heavy duty thick woven kind it will keep the pests in to die and keep them from working they’re way in , and you can still water from the top
Yeah they’re all great ideas and will work for many people. Personally, as I explained in the video, I prefer to be able to see the media to make judgments on watering, that’s why I avoid mulching.
I took a small trey filled it with 3/4 water (HOT) and a teespoon with honey then 1/4 white wine vinegar and then a few drops of dish soap and mixed it nothing happened :( then I tried doing same with two small treys and I noticed big difference so I took 6 small treys and filled em up and I didnt see the flies anymore :)
@@Grow_Up_Man55 One more I haven't seen is potatoes. The little bastards love chunks of potato. Lay pieces on top of the soil and change them out daily to get rid of larva.
A drop of Dawn dish soap with a small drop of Neem oil in a one quart spray bottle is all that is needed to cover surfaces of your plants, and it will not solidify. You should use what you mix in 24 hours, though. Hope that helps someone.
No such thing as ‘Dr Bonner’s’ whatsit in uk. We have ‘Fairy Liquid’ for washing up etc, we don’t call such ‘dish soap’. I’m sure everyone calls it ‘Fairy’ even if it’s a supermarkets own brand! It’s like saying we are ‘hoovering’, whatever brand/make of vacuum cleaner we have!
Very good info Geoff…love the tip about the yellow sticky things. I will be bending them over from now on. Been absent a while with a chest infection but improving now 😊
The products I use in this video are certified organic. You’d have to read the labels as to whether that means they’re safe to use on edible products. I don’t grow edibles so it’s not something I need to consider.
Ok taking big chance posting my success re the dreaded fungus gnat..l use only Miracle Grow potting soil..WHAT you say..to each his own is my motto..works for me so will continue with my success..this potting medium does not seem to support the life of the gnat.. Canada says hi..🇨🇦
Lol..Well if l am just provoking the anger of the gnat..they seem to be exhibiting that anger somewhere other than in my Large plant collection..stand by my belief ..to each his own.. continue helping gardeners who should be grateful for your ministrations..pure gold..🇨🇦
@@paulinechapman5669 I have to say, somewhat reluctantly, that I also use Miracle Grow multi-purpose compost. Now, there are likely to be many variations of that product - maybe yours has some sort of insecticide in it? But mine clearly doesn't as the pesky little blighters found it a lovely snug place to dwell in. 😁
@@Grow_Up_Man55 Well speaking of an additive to the Miracle soil..with each amount of soil am using for planting..l pour boiling water over to soak it well..then after cool..proceed with planting..would that be enough to destroy eggs and gnats..thanks for your interest..wishing you continued success and mentoring re gardeners everywhere..🇨🇦
Great video once again thank you. Could you please tell me what the plant to your left is when you get to letting the media dry it looks like a begonia it has big silvery elongated leaves and prominent veins I would very gratefull
I tried all the organic methods and still had fungal gnats. Last night I resorted to a Malathion drench. I read the instructions for a spray mixture, (1 1/2 teaspoon to one gallon of water). I place the plant pot (Queen of the Night) into a large bowl and drenched the potting soil not the leaves. It took about two quarts to drench the soil. I then raise the pot and sat it on a cup in another large bowl and let drain over night. I also had a small fan blowing on the plant to dry out the top soil. I am sure some will freak out that I used Malathion. Unless you're drinking it, snorting it, showering in it and spaying it everyday without protective gear everyday, it is safe. I just hope it works.........
Crikey that's a blast from the past! I used to use Malathion too, but back in 2002 it was withdrawn from the UK market and banned for future sale as an insecticide. I'm it'll work a treat for you. Just make sure you don't use it as a nightly face cream...🤣 Good luck with the gnats...they're going to need it!
@@Grow_Up_Man55 hi. Yes exactly. I didn't realize it till I was pulling the dirt out of the bag and I'm seeing things flying in my face and I looked in the bag and I said "oh no". Now I buy other brands. No more Miracle Gro soil. 🤦🤨
Oh my goodness! SAME! I repotted looooads of my houseplants a few months ago with Miracle Grow houseplant soil, I've been INFESTED with these on all of those plants, i'm just putting yellow traps back in. Which I've not needed to use at all for over a year. Devastated by how bad they've got! Especially in some rooms I don't use that often! 😅 so off I go with traps and spray traps and spray! I use pure alcohol on pests 😅 it's what I have available 😅 😅😊 Have you got an updates on this? I've just subbed 😊 love plants 🪴 😍 xx
Yeah I’ve not had an issue since this video. My method worked for me. If you read the comments there are other methods people swear by too. Good luck with yours!
I have been in a war with these gnats for a long time, but finally got rid of them completely :)
I used an air humidifier/diffuser, put three to five drops of tea tree essential oil in it, and let it run for a whole 8 hours. I repeated this process a couple of times within the next few weeks and now I am proud to say that I won this war. They are all gone! If I happen to bring home more of these when I buy new plants or soil, I just give them the same treatment and they dissappear.
Great to hear you've found a solution!😁
i bought a bugzapper that attracts them at night. The adult ones get zapped and slowly their population died off. I had like hundreds and hundreds of gnats coz of houseplants.
I see this video is a year old. Did these 3 steps actually work?
I have a cat and tea tree is very toxic for cats.
So those who have cats do not use this method.
Yes I was just about to mention that,I have got a dog & it's poisnous for dogs aswell,always best to do your reasearch..I think it's a brilliant Idea though..have a great day🤘🏻💜🤘🏻💜
MI Gardener said when he worked in a commercial green house. They would bring in a load of sand. They would place a quarter inch barrier of sand on top of the soil. The layer of sand prevents the gnats egg laying apparatus from reaching the moist soil material to deposit their eggs.
But you can't see the soil anymore... and any mulch layer is going to prevent the top layers of soil from drying out... which is what we want... the problem is as the soil dries, it pulls away from the edges of the pot, and if you watch, they just land on the pot and walk right down to the moist layers... so I would use my moisture meter, which has two long metal prongs, and rough up the top layer of soil... I would mix the top around and collapse the edges where they would walk right down... this really drives them nuts and keeps them partially under control
Bug zap lites worked for me. Loved hearing them get zapped! Dont forget to empty the dead ones out of the trays! Its over a year now, and all gone! Good luck! Rev. J 😊
Small tip...they love old coffee with old cream. I left my coffee in the grow room for half a day by accident. When i found it,it had a centimeter of dead flies in just 3 hrs. Do with it what you want.
What? You actually leave some coffee and cream in your cup?🤣 That's a weird yet useful tip - thanks!
@@Grow_Up_Man55 yes, i accidentally left my mug in the grow room. I came back a few hours later and it was loaded with dead ones floating in my intoxicating cup of Joe. Try it ,it works fast
Most of those sticky traps dont work,after a while the bugs are too oily to stick to the tape or trap. They also smell like plastic. Entice the brandons to their doom lol
I’ve had to give up my beloved coffee recently due to stomach issues. Sigh…☹️
@@Grow_Up_Man55 , Buy dark roasted coffee. It won't give you a stomach ache. Helped me alot.
I've placed sand on top of the soil which eliminates entering and leaving the dirt along with bananas in paper cups with plastic wrap and pin holes where they can enter but not escape. It's amazing how many gnats are collected in these but the older the fruit the more the fungus gnats are attracted.
Great tips!
Sand and perlite works also I e found. 👍🏼
Also, wonderful use of two cameras! Bravo! Your videos are looking more and more professional!
Cheers Jeffrey I really appreciate that! 😁 It's not always easy with a full time job too - but I'm always trying to 'up my game'. Any suggestions are welcome...
I also had a larger scale infestation recently. Diatomaceous earth on top, then not watering for a full day seemed to cripple the community of gnats. Since then I put diatomaceous earth on top of all of my newly potted plants, and I make sure to open the bags of soil all the way and dust a layer on top so anything that hatches before it gets to the pot is also gone. Additionally, I bought a spray bottle of neem oil to see if that will help and the results so far good. We only saw two gnats after the diatomaceous earth, and have seen none in two days now!
I bought a big bottle of cinnamon from Sam club and put a generous amount in each flower pot and haven't seen flies in weeks
Completely eradicated fungus gnats here with spinosad. Used it as a spray and as a watering drench- knats gone! Thank you for a lovely video:-)
Great tip! That's a new one on me. Glad to hear it worked well for you.😁
What is that?
@@katerockhill7726 It is a natural substance made by a species of soil bacteria, I believe. It has a natural insecticidal action, much like BT.
I found this tip on UA-cam and it’s been working for me. I use fans around my plants to keep constant air flowing late spring/ summer months. The gnats don’t do well with air movement.
Thanks that’s something I haven’t heard before! Well worth a try.
I can't believe that such a little bug can be such a big problem. It appears that not one person has a solution to this pest just a lot of try this and try that. I think I will try the toss everything out and grow succulents method this year. 🤪
Unfortunately most attempts deal with either the flying insects or the grubs - here I'm trying to point out that attacking one or the other won't cure the issue - you need to deal with both simultaneously. It's worked for me. One way to be sure not to get them in the first place is to move to inorganic media. Good luck with yours!
1 mosquito dunk in your rain water resevoir every month will help kill any larvae as well. Thanks for sharing your tips and experiences.
Yeah I did try that - but they're the devil to get hold of in the UK. Ended up with 'bits' which might have worked but they fill the water with, well, 'bits'! 🤣
@@Grow_Up_Man55 Wrap the bits in some cheesecloth and tie it shut.
Yeah, ended up wrapping them in an old sock!!🤣That was probably enough even without the mosquito bits to kill everything off...@@ExplodingPsyche
@@Grow_Up_Man55😂😂😂
Here is what worked for me, in combination:
- Garlic granules and cinnamon powder. Several spoons per pot, evenly mixed with top soil, then gently sprayed with water to soak for 1-2 hours. Then pouring water evenly to the pot, until it starts coming out through the pot hole.
- Sticky tape.
- I stopped putting pots in decorative pots. Gnats love that area between the 2 walls. Instead, I drilled holes in all decorative pots, planted the plants directly in them, and started using saucers.
- Stopped using excessive amounts of compost. Almost every compost comes with gnat eggs.
- Stopped using compost which didn't compost completely.
- Started using 50% perlite in every soil.
- Stopped overwatering.
Thanks for sharing, Joseph. Great tips.
Great tips. I have had them - on one house plant in one day I had 5 sticky pads completely covered.
I resorted to a cheap way, which has resulted in 8 gnats only, in over a week!
I took the plants outside, took out as much soil as I could, put some new soil in (which came with sand mixed in already), and put a one inch topping of sand, which prevent larvae from digging up, and gnats from digging down!
Just a little information about what I done. I changed all the soil, bought bottom watering plants and put a layer of sand on them. Also make sure to use yellow stickers to catch stay flys. I was at war with these fly for about 6 months. Thank god were fly free now. Hopefully this helps someone, best of luck.
This video has come at a very good time for me. I have a lot of plants indoors and although a lot are in leca I still have quite a few orchids in bark mix as well as regular house plants in potting mix. At first these little flies were hanging around the fruit bowl where we keep our stone fruits and then I noticed more of them coming from the soil in the plants. They’ve been driving me nuts, it seems like they are everywhere. I just ordered some of the yellow sticky things so I’m glad you mentioned the bit about folding them over. Next thing I’ll do then is get some of the tablets. They look like the next easiest way to deal with eggs etc. I hope I can go somewhere towards eradicating the little pests. Thanks for a very informative video.
I'm really pleased to have been useful, Renate - that's what it's all about.😁 Funny you should say this - as I've just bought some lecca - my first ever - as I plan to try and reduce numbers of pests but also prevent so much orchid root rot I always get through winter. Glad to hear you're going to tackle the soil born stages - but don't forget the adults - you could get a small sprayer bottle and spray the soil surface and the foliage - maybe with the same organic solution I bought, or maybe some other contact insecticide - that way you're preventing them from getting frisky and laying more eggs!🤣
Neem cake tea. Use the tiny Pallets in a large spray bottle of water. Shake well and let it sit for few hours. The water will turn reddish brown or tea color. Use that water to spray your plants. The neem tea acts as a fertilizer as well as an anti fungus gnat larva killer.
this is more effective as a soil drench :)
@@gigiartstudiowithartistvir3919 Sure is.
Geoff, I had a very small infestation but I only have a few peperomias, a couple of orchids, a Nepenthes and about a dozen types of Drosera sundews. My sundews are covered with dead gnats! They haven’t eradicated them fully but they sure have kept them under control! I don’t need to supplement them with additional feedings for now. And my sundews are growing very vigorously! :)
Yeah I think my real infestation has come from all the Begonias I now have in multipurpose compost. I still find the flies like even bark media - but the finer media is where it's at! I definitely need more Drosera - and not just for the flies...
I use Safer's End All.
I recommend using a Vacuum cleaner for catching the flying ones. It's less messy than spraying.
🤣 Great idea - and probably very satisfying!
Hi Geoff, gnats can also come in the soil of new plants brought in. I use Mosquito Dunks, crumbled and soaked in water to water my plants. I’ve also used a small yellow bowl with water. Bending the sticky traps is a great idea, it make sense too. It’s interesting, the key seems to be getting them out of the soil. When I was little I remember my Granny watering her plants once a week with the used soapy dishwater. I’m sure the dish soap in the late fifties/early sixties did not have the chemicals like now though. Maybe Dr. Bonner’s liquid soap? This was a really good video, good luck and thank you! ☘️🌿🌱😊
That's true Judy. These I'm using are very similar to Mosquito Dunks. It's funny I've never really been bothered by them much till moving into the Hothouse - but they've just gone crazy recently. I'm sure soapy dishwater certainly will help as it kills aphids too. Glad you enjoyed the video.😁
GREAT JOB MATE! When applying your technique with the tablets in a watering can...can you add them into your fertilizer mix or do you have to use the tablets with just water?
I don't see any reason why not. And thanks 😀
I’ve been battling these beasties since I brought my plants inside in the fall. In the past I got rid of them with mosquito bits. This time it’s not working as well. I have loads in my orchid bark, and think I spread the larvae by re-using the water. I have noticed that after soaking my orchids in mosquito bit water there are still live larvae floating on the surface of the water. I even tried live predator mites without any success. I would suggest putting the mosquito dunks (your version) into your rain barrel. I need to do another round of watering with mosquito bits. I have my carnivorous plants and have put the yellow sticky traps in almost every plant. Good luck to the both of us!
Just using mosquito bits won't necessarily work - as you'll only be tackling half the problem i.e. anything in the soil. The adults flies live for a month so can continue to lay eggs. This was my mistake. I think you need to tackle both flying flies and soil born stages simultaneously. I've considered treating the water butt but as it rains almost constantly here, I thought it would be a waste of tablets. I'd rather drop them into every watering can of water so at least that can of water will be clear until I've used it all. I've just been into the hothouse and didn't spot a single living fly - so fingers crossed the 3 pronged attack has worked. I'll keep treating them in the same way for a few weeks yet though - just to be safe! We'll crack this together!!😁🪰
What on earth is a mosquito ‘bit’?? Not known in uk.
@@margaretlavender9647 They're just tablets similar to the ones I showed in the video. You can actually buy them from Amazon - but they're really expensive - probably due to the shipping over to the UK. They're cheap over in the US.
@@Grow_Up_Man55 my
@@sharonmcgee9827 Is this cryptic? 🤣
Primo. Well explained! Thanks
Glad you enjoyed it!
I get to continually start my plants over and over again, so I set up my pot and pour over a couple cups of boiling water over the soil the day before I plant... That worked for me... My plants were in my room so I constantly had these things in my iced tea... I leave out a half cup of Arizona green tea w/ ginseng at all times... it collects a lot if they are bad... they love the stuff... it works like the sticky traps... but with the boiling water I can almost drink my tea again without first checking for gnats
Great video. Cool that you gave it the two camera treatment. Great explanation of your approach.
Thanks! I don't think I've done the 2 camera thing since. I'm only using mobile phones and it's a pain to set up and edit. I might try it again at some point - maybe when I hit 50K subs! 😂
I used to have an issue in my worm bins until I started using Dunks with BT. I use the worm castings in my houseplants and I think that keeps them out of my plants as well.
Great tip! Marvellous stuff - worm casts.🪱
I'm fighting an infestation in my indoor worm bins right now. They are driving me crazy. What is BT? I have the sticky traps, apple cider vinegar with dish soap and mosquito bits. Saw another video with covering my worm bins with 2 layers of garden row fabric to trap them. Just waiting for delivery of those. Would love to know what BT is though?
@@aphillips5376 it’s Bacillus thuringiensis, found in MosquitoDunks.
Mosquito bits/ dunks works for me. Only problem I had with it is molds production on top of peaty substrates.
Glad they work for you. I'm not sure why the treatment would cause mould - other than watering more than necessary. That hasn't happened to mine - yet...🤣🤷♂️
I've been using the mulch method for years and it really works for me. I have not seen any fungus knats in years! I think it's the best method, It's better than spraying chemicals in the air and on your plants 💚🌱
The mulch idea is a great tip - and fine for many people but not me - as I explained why in the video. Both of the products I bought are organic so no problem with chemicals in the air on my part. I expect different people will prefer different methods depending on their individual circumstances.😁
As I like lighting josh sticks (NAG CHAMPA) i have notticed that this must suffocate them as I find the big ones dead of the floor, so I just light two now close the door and let them burn, and I will find dead ones around the pots and windows, and this does not harm your plants at all.
That sounds like a good solution for the adults - but I wonder if it affects the eggs and larvae in the pots? 🤷♂️
That reminded me that I've been burning candles instead of my Nag Champa. I'm going to give that a shot. Smells awesome.
What is Nag Champa?
Skip the line and just amend all of your soil with neem cake and regular cinnamon powder.
Neem cake is the leftover crushed and powdered neem seeds from making neem oil. Neem oil is great organic pest repellent, but since I'm a succulent guy I can't just spray all the farina off of my little friends with oil. But if you amend your soil with neem cake, your plant absorbs it when you water it and the repellent in the neem cake becomes part of the plant. It takes about 2 years to degrade and turn into a slow-release 3-3-3 fertilizer, and that's usually time to re-pot anyway.
Bonus, neem cake smells less unpleasant than neem oil. The oil has this burnt broccoli & gym socks kind of thing going on, neem cake smells like you ordered Chinese food last night and fell asleep before putting it away. It's not unpleasant, but some nice fragrant plants like jasmine or lillies can mask it easily. It's okay for preventing fungal growth to a point, but cinnamon is the real fungus killer. Cinnamon on fungus is like sea salt on slugs. Speaking of, they hate the smell of neem too. So do grasshoppers.
The only use-case against amending with neem cake is for a pollinator garden, bees and butterflies dislike neem as much as aphids and fungus gnats. I use a 5% by volume for neem, 2% for cinnamon. Doesn't matter the plant, I'm using the same amendment in different soils for echeveriae, cacti, euphorbiae, begonias, everything from as fragile as orchids to as indestructible as sempervivae.
Thanks for the tips! I'll give it a try.
Lol semps really are indestructable
Thank you for sharing all of your information! They are an awful situation to have these little flies! I haven’t had orchids for 15 years and I’ve never had flies until recently. I’ve had to do a lot of research first to find out what they were and then I’ve tried umpteen things to try and get rid of them. The one thing I found that has worked really well these are primarily orchids is a small yellow dish with soap vinegar and water and tea tree oil in a humidifier. It’s just a small humidifier that I stuck right in the middle and I let it run for six hours a day, it’s on a timer and problem solved! I spent a year figuring this out! Mine are all indoor so that made it problematic.
Thanks Kristie - I'm glad you've found something that works for you. I think for the most part people go wrong because they simply don't use whatever treatment they've opted for, for a long enough period.
@@Grow_Up_Man55 Yes that is exactly it I would do it for a couple of weeks and then they would go away and then I’d get them back and then I would do it again and it was when I finally did it for three months straight it worked and it was actually the first time I had ever re-potted my orchids and it must’ve been in the soil I’ve never had that problem before! Another thing I was doing was hydrogen peroxide spraying the top of the soil they definitely don’t like that but the plants love it.cheers🙏🏻
Beautiful green house
Thanks!
Another thing to do is put your soil on a baking pan and put it in the oven at 375°F for 30 mins halfway through mix the soil. Most soil come to us just slightly damp.
Yeah definitely if you can do that - would help - especially if you have bags of open compost lying around as I do!
I use H2O2 in the soil.
Neem cake tea working out great.👍🏻🐾
I put a 1/2 bag of seed stating potting soil in a food grade bucket. Poured boiling water into the soil. Mixed it up really good. This is supposed to kill the eggs and larvae in the soil. Letting the bucket of muddy soil sit until I'm ready to use it for starts.
Yeah sterilising media before use is a good practice - especially if it's been sitting around in unopened bags.
I used mosquito bits in the water and a katchy clone from Amazon. Took about a month to clear them out. I also bottom water and have moved all my plants to pon.
Good tips - thanks Linda.
air circulation is also important. i use a fan to strengthen/harden off my seedlings and help keep the insect population down
Yeah I agree that air circulation is good for the plants - less so to 'deter' the gnats - but then more robust plants will cope better with any attacks to their roots.
I never had fungus gnats until I brought in a bulb in peat soil. I read or someone told me peat draws them. I won't use it as a growing medium for starting plants or adding it. I've read alot about Neem oil and I use it with soap as an emulsifier. However in my research and reading I found out that the mixture of need, water and soap should is only viable for 5-7 hours after mixing. Why it didn't say but I follow it and have also watered plants with the Neem combo to kill pests at the soil level.
I think not so much peat specifically, just finer composts seem to be what they prefer - as opposed to orchid bark or something at the other end of the scale like lecca. I haven't heard that about neem oil only being viable for 5-7 hours. I don't see why that should be - unless they're referring to the fact that it solidifies again - which is why I've stopped using it. The 2 substances I bought are organic so I'm happy with that aspect of it. Neem oil just isn't for me - but I know plenty of people swear by it. Whatever works for you is the right thing to use I guess! Thanks for your input, Molly, very valuable and very much appreciated.😁
@@Grow_Up_Man55 Thanks Geoff for this information! I really enjoy your videos and learn so much. Unlike you, my fungus gnats are in my kitchen as that's where most of my 100 plants are. Thankfully I have only a few right now. Can only blame the little buggars on the ripe bananas so much!
@@mollys1584 Haha! I guess the kitchen is perhaps the worst possible place to have them... 🤢
Thank you. I sprinkle cinnamon in the soil of my plants. And also put a few cups of apple cider vinegar around , this works too. ✝️🌍❤️
Great tip! Thanks for sharing. 😀
Hahaha i hear ya love the H2o lol Happy Fall!
Would you please list the names of your preventive products for controlling gnats ? thank you
I give you the exact treatments I currently use at 7:59. But the point of the video is not which treatments I use - any contact killer or soil drench would work - it's how I'm using them. Good luck with yours!
That is a pretty great collection of plants you got there. If I lived on the UK I would ask for some cuttings.
Great tips, I'm going to do the mulch with Expanded Clay that can be easily moved to check the soil, It's just a bit of a nuissance with orchids along with the pills + yellow traps
😂 And you wouldn't get any because I shut it down some months ago! Alas, the electricity heating costs got the better of me. I did actually save most of the plants which are either in the house or in the greenhouse now. But yeah, orchids are the most tricky to solve because you can't really mulch them. I tend to spray the area with regular fly spray and use a sprayer with an organic gnat killer in it for them. It works pretty well for me. Good luck in the never-ending fight!
Seems like you might also need some circulating air in there also, it'd help your mediums dry out a bit better, it also helps most plants develop a healthy and Strong main stem from the low stress training from the wind produced by the fan, I'd highly recommend an oscillating fan so you get even coverage and multiple wind angles so you're not just pushing the plants in one direction like a stationary fan would do. BUT, it seems like you've got them mostly nipped in the bud already anyhow.
Yes I agree with all that - which is why I have several fans running!
I used a mulch of plant sand on top and it has finally worked for me. They were killing my lemon trees until i found this solution
Yeah the mulching is a great idea. Wouldn't work for me as I explained in the video - but for many people it would an ideal solution.
Thank you for the tip on bending the sticky pad. I’ve used need solution and the yellow sticky pads as well as apple vinegar + dish soap . I’m on to the mosquito bit solution . I’m on week one need to repeat weekly.
Pleasure. I think the mistake many people make, regardless of which method they use, is just not doing it for long enough.
There has been a study on Bounce dryer sheets. There's chemicals in the sheet that won't let them land on the soil. Place them all over any soil surface.
Great tip thanks! 😁
lol I cut up nylon tights, also stops em. Also bottom watered all my plants with diluted insecticide for 20 minutes each a few days ago, not one gnat since, the sticky sheets are waiting on guard tho and I’ll repeat the process the next watering.
@@catalinacuriowhat do you do with nylon tights?
@@RD12349 sorry I wasn’t clear, cut a piece of nylon tights straight across so that you can slide it over the pot bringing it over the soil to the plant stem. I cut just enough so that there’s a cm of nylon round the edge of the pot holding it on.
Butterwarts work great.
Yeah I have some. Drosera are very useful too.
I put coco coir on the top of my plants. Now I have no more bugs!
I also started bottom watering while these nasty bugs were still around!
Great tip!
Neemitoads benifit ones are best
I like having carnivorous plants like drosera around to catch the adults. I used to hate having the gnats around but now I actually don't mind it, just more food for my CP friends
Yeah I have several Drosera hybrids, a few pings and many Nepenthes. The problem comes when the gnats start to breed exponentially - and this is the first time it's happened to me in many years of growing.
They are eating my monstera adanosii my favourite plant. I'm currently trying neem solution which is not that effective so far and a electric fly killer. Which has reduced quite a few of them. But I am still seeing some flying about. I have ordered the sticky patches and I have an insecticide spray, but have only used it once as not keen on non-organic methods. I am considering trying the mosquito bits to drench the soil. It's an on-going battle.
Yeah absolutely. I think if you grow your plants in an enclosed system - like in a house or a grow room then you've at least got half a chance of total eradication. But for me - both my grow spaces are necessarily open to the elements in summer so I have to use the media drenches every single watering.😫
I didn't have fungus gnats until recently when I bought bark and sphagnum moss for my anthurium ! I think that sometimes the eggs are in those soils ! thank you for the video, your geranium luxurians is beautiful, mine is struggling this winter, he didn't get enough light, I am going to chop those poor leafless branches and starting fresh for the spring time.
Thanks! Yeah I was the same with fungus gnats - nothing for years then clouds of them! Once they get going in an enclosed space without predators they multiply very quickly. I think you're referring to my Begonia luxurians? It hates the cold - mine is now pushing up the daisies due to several things that happened this last few months. Fortunately they're fairly cheap in the UK. Means room for either another one or something different entirely.
@@Grow_Up_Man55 thanks for your answer, I meant begonia luxurians, he sits next to a geranium and I mismatch the two !!! and I am French so sometimes I have issue with my English (but begonia and geranium are the same in the two languages)
@@tarantellalarouge7632 Don't worry about it - like most of my country-folk, when languages are concerend we English are the ignoramuses of the world! If there are any of my videos you'd like French subtitles on just tell me in the comments of that video and I'll happily sort that for you.
Thank you for the video on dealing with fungus gnats, I am going to do it. (Best Video I had found!)
Have you done one on dealing with aphids? They are so annoying!
Thanks Margaret that's praise indeed and very much appreciated!😁 I haven't made a specific video about aphids - they get the same treatment as mites i.e. contact insecticide in the first instance, then systemic if the contact one doesn't work - which it usually does to be honest. Aphids are among the 'easiest' to eradicate in the pest world. Soapy water usually does the trick - it's cheaper too (I use Fairy Liquid).
Geoff continue to use the larvicide even after they are all gone. This will insure any new eggs that are laid when you're not looking will be killed off. I've been using the mosquito dunks for decades and have zero gnat issues. Your plan should work fine! The larvicide is the real key to winning the battle.
Yeah I fully intend to. Now that I appear to be on top of them I'll periodically use the tablets. My only issue was that even if you used the eggs and larvae killer for 30 days straight, for example, but there were still adults flying about - they'd return in no time at all - hence the contact killer too. But mine was a particularly bad infestation.
@@Grow_Up_Man55 Maybe some kind of screen in the doorway for when you open the door on nice days.
Yeah I know I should but I’m not a fan of obstacles. We have enough obstacles around the place to stop Fudge getting to places he shouldn’t! So I guess it means always having to contend with pests…😩
I use a very similar strategy. Except for the soil/larvae I use nematodes. Nematodes are like microscopic worms and they eat them all up. After two treatments a couple weeks apart, you will stop their life-cycle cold.
Thanks for the tip!
I prefer a mild contact insecticide. I find I get better results using it once a week and as needed then using a systemic. I like SB Invigorator because I can lightly spray new growths and flower buds without any ill effects. I spray the media so the top inch or so gets soaked. So far my Pinguiculas only have one or two gnats on them. Once a week when I am watering my plants I just add SB to it. I am sure there are other contact insecticides that will work just fine. My problem pest are moths! Little monsters love flying into my greenhouse and laying their eggs on Dendrobiums. I don't have the yellow fly cards hanging around my greenhouse, I have the moth cards you hang in your wardrobe. Latourias seem to be their favourites.😡
It’s the only one that works for me too
Systemics would only work with sap suckers which I don't think fungus gnats are. Unless perhaps they're licking the leaf surface perhaps? It's possible I guess. I think orchids are less likely to get huge infestations. Although I've seen them in and around bark-filled pots, without a doubt they much prefer the finer composts. I think my sudden infestation is due to the increase in Begonias and other pots planted in multi-purpose compost. Glad to hear your methods are working for you. I would never have thought of moths as an issue. We don't really get them here till late summer, and then only for a month or two before the frosts kill them off. This job would be so much easier without the pesky pests!😁
@@Grow_Up_Man55 I just find that a good contact deals with all my pests and you don't have to worry about pests building immunity.
That’s not true that they can do no damage, Larvae,however, when present in large numbers can damage roots and stunt plant growth
Mighty mint plant protection. Safe for plants, people and pets!
Thanks for the tip, Ashley! I'm sure that'll help our US-based friends - but I can't find a source over in the UK yet.
Thank you for your video! I’ve been slowly eradicating them with mosquito bits and sticky traps. I will be adding your third prong of an insecticide to my regimen to hopefully wipe them out for good! You’re definitely right about the orchid medium. My gnat problem started in my orchids. Also bought a new bag of orchid bark on Amazon, and it came infested with gnats. 😫 I examine all bags of new soil and bark every time I open them now. It’s made me very paranoid.
My pleasure! I read your comment and initially thought, 'why does does she bark when she opens bags of new soil?!' Must be some kind of fetish!🤣 Probably on my mind after just washing my dog for the 10th time today. In terms of fungus gnats - I haven't seen a single one since around October so it does work - but you have to continually treat them for a prolonged period initially - to break the cycle. Good luck with yours!
Yours is by far the best information on how to get rid of these wretched gnats. My house plants got infected because I brought in some new plants which the soil must have been contaminated. I winded up throwing out several plants that seemed too far gone.
When you went through the list of failed treatments I identified with them all
Thank you for this valuable video. I will be looking into purchasing some of what you recommended
Oh thank you Mitzi - I'm so pleased you think so! Whatever you eventually use, just make sure you apply the treatment for long enough to break the life cycle. That's where many people go wrong. Good luck!
hi every one i use a four pronged method first i microwave my compost for five minuets on full power then once i have plated the chiilis i give them a hydrogen peroxide drench then i cut fleece to measure the inside of pot one cut to middle then top with sand with a sticky taped to the side working great and i allways water from the bottom 👍
This is my next project as they’re a real pest in my house.
They're very irritating that's for sure.
I use electrical mosquito repellant and do only bottom watering. Not even a single drop of water from the top of the plants.
Good idea!
Butterworts are great at getting rid of them (I dident finish the video so if he already mentioned it let me know)
Yeah I’ve got pinguiculas and droseras - all very useful - but they’re not enough to put a dent in the huge infestation I was dealing with. Definitely worth growing though. 😁
Good luck! Let us know how it goes.
Thanks - I'll keep you all updated!
PS a cousin of mine puts out bowls of apple cider vinegar that seems to draw and kill the adult fungus gnats.
Great tip! 😀
@@Grow_Up_Man55 I haven't actually tried it but my cousin and sister says it works a treat.
I managed to kill 2 of the buggers sitting here with a glass of wine I just poured 🍷 They must like that, too
You can also use dry stall. It's worked well for me in the past.
I've never heard of 'dry stall'.🤷♂️ What is it?
@@Grow_Up_Man55 it's the stuff they use in a horse stalls. To keep the ground from getting moist and damp. I put it in the pots on the top part of the soil about a half an inch deep so the fungus nats can't lay eggs in the soil.
@@JamesD1776-uc Oh right! Yeah any sort of mulch should work in 'ordinary' media. Couldn't do that with orchids in bark, of course, or it would just fall right through.
@@Grow_Up_Man55 took my orchids out of the bark and into very shallow water, they are growing nicely with no gnats.
Where did you get the yellow sticky traps. I would have to buy a package of 32. I only have five plants and do not plant to get any more. I received these beautiful plants when my 29 year old daughter died 4 months ago and I simply do not want them to die.
Just search on Amazon - there are literally dozens of sellers selling them in various pack sizes.
I’ve had problems in gnats in the past, though not as bad as yours. I found sprinkling enough to cover the soil with cinnamon powder cured my problem. Doing this dries up the top part of the soil and kill the eggs.
Thanks for the tip Stephen.😁 I'm sure that'll work great for many people. For me though, I don't want to use barrier methods for the reasons I explained in the video.
They are so delicious 🤤 as late night snacks kind of spicy
Yes they are! 🤣
Been using mammoth canncontrol, it's a thyme and corn oil mix.
Hope it works well for you, Cliff. The key, regardless of what you use, is to use it for several weeks without fail! Good luck!
Use Black Frass as a top dressing.
All natural. Works like a charm
That's a new one on me - will have to look it up!
I’ve done it all. I first tried diatomaceous earth, the mosquito dunks with the sticky traps… nothing worked then I used steel wool and covered all the soil then put pebbles on top. They ate through the wool to get to the soil. I let the soil dry out too for a month Then I used vermiculite and put a layer on top of soil, now that works! Now I’m back to mosquito dunks again. Ugh. It’s insane. Ty for the video.
I think perhaps one of the main reasons for various methods not working is a misunderstanding or just plain 'lack of knowledge' about the fungus gnat life cycle (I'm not saying this was your issue by the way - it certainly was mine though!). If the adults live a month, then you'd need to use any barrier method or watering method to kill pot-born stages repeatedly for well OVER a month. You can imagine a situation where you water a fungus gnat killer on for 29 days. Then on the 30 day the adults lay more eggs. That's assuming no further flies have hatched out recently - as it's unlikely you'll have hit every bit of every pot. Put simply, many people just don't treat them for a long enough period. Good luck with yours and thanks for the tips! 😁
I have an enclosed terrarium. They bother the hell out of me, but I discovered since I have a natural bio enclosure, to fight nature with nature. A few hungry arachnids and now I have some really cool webs that get filled almost endlessly with food for my other invertebrates. Any excess I just vacuum out.
Yeah that's a great solution and perfect for an enclosed space like that. I decided against doing that in my greenhouse as there are so many expensive plants in there I'd have to suffer many losses and I wasn't prepared to do that.
sticky tape to clear whats there then add a thick top dressing of NEEM CAKE and your good
Thanks for the tip!
My best way is to accept that they are here to stay. They don't do much or any damage anyway, and who knows they might even be benefitial if they eat fungi, mold and harmful bacteria. I have bigger pests to care about. I reckon fungus gnats dies from my other pest I try to eredicate though. I water with tobacco water to try to get rid of thrips and root mealy bugs.
Everyone's situation and tolerances are different. I'm pleased to hear you're happy with your current setup and don't mind the fungus gnats too much.
behind you next to the wall is a large plant 6+ feet with palmate leaves and yellow blooms at the top.
What type of plant is that please?
That would be Begonia luxurians - a species Begonia, which I made a dedicated video about here: ua-cam.com/video/1O68n8Z-GmI/v-deo.html
i don't have any indoor plants however,...I have been saving coffee grounds for the fire ant beds and just discovered that was their egg hatching ground. 🏹🤠👍
I fought with gnats for over two years and what worked for me was Raid mosquito plug-in. Give it two or three days and you will get rid of those flying monsters.
Thanks for the tip!
I mix cinnamon in my soil then take a little damasus earth on top
Thanks for this video! I can not find the fungus gnats larvae killer in Europa! Pity!
Where in Europe? It's available from Amazon in the UK.
@@Grow_Up_Man55 I live in Belgium and i did looked for one here and still nothing!
@@lucian.cojocaru8731 I can't help you with that, unfortunately. Maybe look for one of the home-made methods?
@@Grow_Up_Man55 Good idea with the home-made methods! Do you have video how to make ?
@@lucian.cojocaru8731 I don't - but if you look through the comments of this video you'll see tonnes of great suggestions.
I add hydrogen peroxide in my watering can and never have gnats. It's cheap safe and good for the root system of the plant. You do hear a sizzling sound in the soil when watering with this solution so you know it's working.
Good to know!
Just started using peroxide now. Do you water with it also?
What is the ratio or amount of water to peroxide? Also what concentration of peroxide? Thanks!
@@NewlyAwakenedI’ve used it on seedlings and mature plants at 3 Tsp per gallon. Soaking your tough to sprout seeds in the solution has speed up the germination for me also.
Neem Cake mixed in water and water for several weeks with it.
Which kind of neem cake? There are so many different types. Thanks.
only thing I found that stopped the invasion is Venus Fly Traps.
I use diatomaceous earth . A big bag is cheap and it's all natural.
I use it inside and out
Gnatrol , steel wool, layered with rocks and fly traps the steel wool has to be the heavy duty thick woven kind it will keep the pests in to die and keep them from working they’re way in , and you can still water from the top
Yeah they’re all great ideas and will work for many people. Personally, as I explained in the video, I prefer to be able to see the media to make judgments on watering, that’s why I avoid mulching.
And the steel
Wool rusts.
I took a small trey filled it with 3/4 water (HOT) and a teespoon with honey then 1/4 white wine vinegar and then a few drops of dish soap and mixed it nothing happened :( then I tried doing same with two small treys and I noticed big difference so I took 6 small treys and filled em up and I didnt see the flies anymore :)
I put the sticky traps on the bottom of the pot. The little bastards like to crawl out drainage holes.
Great tip!
@@Grow_Up_Man55 One more I haven't seen is potatoes. The little bastards love chunks of potato. Lay pieces on top of the soil and change them out daily to get rid of larva.
A drop of Dawn dish soap with a small drop of Neem oil in a one quart spray bottle is all that is needed to cover surfaces of your plants, and it will not solidify. You should use what you mix in 24 hours, though. Hope that helps someone.
Thanks for your tip!
@@Grow_Up_Man55 I left out mixing it in a room temp water, RO, if you have it, but you’re welcome.☺️🪴👍🏻
New subscriber with gnats!
Just wait till you hear about the mites! 😂
Peroxide and water work great
Great thanks for the tip!
They are thrips , the eggs are in the soil ...buy heat treated soil and put a layer of shingle on top of the surface soil.
No such thing as ‘Dr Bonner’s’ whatsit in uk. We have ‘Fairy Liquid’ for washing up etc, we don’t call such ‘dish soap’. I’m sure everyone calls it ‘Fairy’ even if it’s a supermarkets own brand! It’s like saying we are ‘hoovering’, whatever brand/make of vacuum cleaner we have!
Just to be awkward - we 'up north' tend to call it 'washing up liquid' !🤣 (That's despite not doing any actual actual 'washing up' since about 1990!)
Very good info Geoff…love the tip about the yellow sticky things. I will be bending them over from now on. Been absent a while with a chest infection but improving now 😊
Very pleased to hear you're back in the game again Lesley!😁
Are these methods safe for edible plants? My fungus gnats issue is in my parsley and basil pots on the kitchen counter…
The products I use in this video are certified organic. You’d have to read the labels as to whether that means they’re safe to use on edible products. I don’t grow edibles so it’s not something I need to consider.
Ok taking big chance posting my success re the dreaded fungus gnat..l use only Miracle Grow
potting soil..WHAT you say..to each his own is my motto..works for me so will continue with my success..this potting medium does not seem to support the life of the gnat.. Canada says hi..🇨🇦
You realise you've just made them angry...🤣
Lol..Well if l am just provoking the anger of the gnat..they seem to be exhibiting that anger somewhere other than in my
Large plant collection..stand by my belief ..to each his own..
continue helping gardeners who should be grateful for your ministrations..pure gold..🇨🇦
@@paulinechapman5669 I have to say, somewhat reluctantly, that I also use Miracle Grow multi-purpose compost. Now, there are likely to be many variations of that product - maybe yours has some sort of insecticide in it? But mine clearly doesn't as the pesky little blighters found it a lovely snug place to dwell in. 😁
@@Grow_Up_Man55
Well speaking of an additive to the Miracle soil..with each amount of soil am using for planting..l pour boiling water over to soak it well..then after cool..proceed with planting..would that be enough to destroy eggs and gnats..thanks for your interest..wishing you continued success and mentoring re gardeners everywhere..🇨🇦
Top dressing with neem cake
Great video once again thank you. Could you please tell me what the plant to your left is when you get to letting the media dry it looks like a begonia it has big silvery elongated leaves and prominent veins I would very gratefull
Thanks Diane I appreciate it. Could you give me a timestamp?
@@Grow_Up_Man55 Yes it was 5.43 onwards thanks for your reply
@@dianeconway293 Yes that's Begonia Connie Boswell.
@@Grow_Up_Man55 that’s great thank you very much
I tried all the organic methods and still had fungal gnats. Last night I resorted to a Malathion drench. I read the instructions for a spray mixture, (1 1/2 teaspoon to one gallon of water). I place the plant pot (Queen of the Night) into a large bowl and drenched the potting soil not the leaves. It took about two quarts to drench the soil. I then raise the pot and sat it on a cup in another large bowl and let drain over night. I also had a small fan blowing on the plant to dry out the top soil. I am sure some will freak out that I used Malathion. Unless you're drinking it, snorting it, showering in it and spaying it everyday without protective gear everyday, it is safe.
I just hope it works.........
Crikey that's a blast from the past! I used to use Malathion too, but back in 2002 it was withdrawn from the UK market and banned for future sale as an insecticide. I'm it'll work a treat for you. Just make sure you don't use it as a nightly face cream...🤣 Good luck with the gnats...they're going to need it!
My infestation started with a bag of Miracle Gro potting soil. No more. 🥴😕
Oh no! Just shows it's not always us that's to blame!
@@Grow_Up_Man55 hi. Yes exactly. I didn't realize it till I was pulling the dirt out of the bag and I'm seeing things flying in my face and I looked in the bag and I said "oh no". Now I buy other brands. No more Miracle Gro soil. 🤦🤨
Oh my goodness! SAME! I repotted looooads of my houseplants a few months ago with Miracle Grow houseplant soil, I've been INFESTED with these on all of those plants, i'm just putting yellow traps back in. Which I've not needed to use at all for over a year. Devastated by how bad they've got! Especially in some rooms I don't use that often! 😅 so off I go with traps and spray traps and spray! I use pure alcohol on pests 😅 it's what I have available 😅 😅😊
Have you got an updates on this? I've just subbed 😊 love plants 🪴 😍 xx
@@MaryHernandez-5909Same!!!
Yeah I’ve not had an issue since this video. My method worked for me. If you read the comments there are other methods people swear by too. Good luck with yours!