Contents
Fungus Gnat information
Plant globe watering set
Six-piece terracotta watering spikes
12 piece sticky traps
Diatomaceous Earth
Hydrogen Peroxide
Mosquito Bits
Apple Cider Vinegar
Intro
How annoying these little buggers can be! Are you growing plants inside over the winter months or just growing plants inside to enjoy them? If you are you, I hope you are not riddled with these annoying little gnats. They hang out on top of your damp soil and lay their eggs down inside the soil. I was so frustrated with them, flying in my face and into my nose. I'm trying to work on my computer or phone and these annoying little creatures fly in my face and I swat at them and then have been distracted from my work, causing me to lose my place. They multiply extremely fast so at the first sign of them act quickly and do not give them any chance, find a solution as quickly as you can before they are out of control. Luckily for you, I have already had experience in dealing with them. I can go over the methods when tried were unsuccessful and the methods that have been successful. I have already done a lot of research looking for answers and I want to share them with you, and give you a leg up so you can act on it as soon as possible.
Fungus Gnats are one of the most annoying pests you can have in your home or garden. They're hard to kill, difficult to get rid of, and they spread quickly. Fungus gnats are often attracted to moist soil or mulch around potted plants, but don't let that fool you into thinking your only defense is a good potting mix! There's a wide variety of fungus gnat traps on the market today- find out which ones work best for an organic pest control strategy.
Fungus Gnat Information
Fungus gnat adults are 1/16 to 1/8 inch long. They occasionally pollinate plants but they also carry diseases that can cause damping-off to your seedlings. You can often see them running rapidly around on the top of your houseplant soil, they are not good fliers but when they are flying they are quite annoying as I already stated. They lay eggs in your soil and when the larvae hatch they eat organic matter in the soil and also can damage your seedlings, but they are harmless to humans and fully grown plants. They make it through the winter by having anti-freezing proteins in their bodies that keep their heads and thorax from freezing but do not protect the abdomen from freezing.
I hope my experience and my searching will help you make the correct choice of method or methods that will take care of this fungus gnat issue you are having. This is a very frustrating and very annoying struggle.
There is also insecticide but I will not add that on my list. I will only list the methods I have already tried or will be trying in the future if I end repeating my gnat problem. I would not use insecticides.
Tip: Fungus gnats are attracted to moist soil and high nitrogen levels, so if you have fungus gnat problems make sure your plants have good drainage. Fungus Gnats also like warm temperatures with a lot of moisture - which means they thrive in wet areas or indoors during the winter months when it's cold outside!
Fungus Gnats in the House
Fungus gnats are a prevalent pest in the home, as they feed on organic matter. Fungus gnat larvae produce a sticky thread to get around, and then once inside of your house or apartment, these pesky insects will hatch out into adult flies that reproduce quickly. Funga gnats can be found anywhere with damp, decaying plant material such as potted plants but also in drains if you have had any leaks from sink pipes or toilet cisterns leaking over time. Fungus Gnats Feeding Fungus Gnat adults are attracted to light, so this is one way to spot them at night. Fungus gnat larvae are nourished by feeding on organic matter, and if left untreated, Fungus Gnats can cause considerable damage to plants.
Fungus Gnats Hydrogen Peroxide
Homemade Spray
Fungus Gnats Hydrogen Peroxide Fungus gnats hydrogen peroxide can be a safe and effective way to kill fungus gnat larvae. Fungal infections are a very common health risk in homes, so it is important that you take preventative measures such as checking your home for moisture sources or cracks where they may enter.
- Mix together two tablespoons of hydrogen peroxide with four teaspoons of liquid dish soap in a 16-ounce spray bottle. - Spray surfaces thoroughly, focusing on moist areas like sinks, laundry baskets, and bathrooms. Make sure to cover the top shelves of cabinets if possible to ensure all potential breeding areas are covered.
Fungus Gnats Cinnamon
The best way to get rid of fungus gnats is through preventive measures as well as using natural substances such as cinnamon. Use cinnamon by covering the top of your potted plant's soil with cinnamon.
Fungus Gnats Neem Oil
Make a neem oil spray by mixing a few drops of neem oil with water in a spray bottle. Spray the areas that are infested, and make sure to follow up by wiping down the surfaces with warm soapy water or another cleaning solvent if needed.
Repeat as necessary until the gnats disappear for good!
Fungus Gnats Vinegar
- Fungus gnats are a persistent pest that can be difficult to control. They thrive in moist areas, and will often breed prolifically in drains or damp soil near the exterior walls of your home.
- Filling up containers with vinegar has been found to help eliminate fungus gnat problems for many people because the acidic nature is both an attractant as well as corrosive for them. Avoid using metal vessels such as aluminum cans which might react badly with the acidity of vinegar making it more dangerous than helpful to use this method against these pests. With plastic see-through jars you could fill one jar halfway full so that there are about three inches of liquid at the bottom before adding a quarter cup of vinegar. Fungus gnats will be attracted to the smell and come in droves for a sip, but because they are unable to fly back out from the jar you should find that your infestation is much reduced or eliminated completely with this simple remedy.
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The first thing I have tried was Wyndham House Four Piece Plant Globe Set, Colorful Hand-Blown Glass Automatic Watering System. The purpose top layer of soil to dry out and hopefully will deter the gnats. The problem with this is that I have bigger plants that need more water. These do not have enough capacity for me to use. The first day I fill the reservoir and it completely empties and the next day if I do not water it looks like my plants have been strolling through the desert all day, drooping and sad. They are screaming at me to water them. I do not know about you but I do not want to water every day especially working a 12 hour day, my mind is not on watering my plants. If you have smaller plants needing less water then these may work well for you.
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After that, I tried Maxam Plant Pals by Wyndham House six Piece Terracotta Watering Spikes which worked well for the watering aspect but I still had the gnat problem.
These are made to place a wine bottle into it and use that as your water reservoir. I really like these, they work well and have a much larger capacity to supply my plants with water. These allowed me to have more time between watering. The goal though is to rid my soil of the gnats which was still a problem.
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Now to my third try, I used 12 Pcs Fruit Fly Sticky Traps, Fungus Gnat Killer Trap Insect Trap for Kitchen Plants Indoor and Outdoor. These are little sticky pads that the gnats land on and are then stuck on the adhesive. I think the combination of these with one of the other methods will work very well together.
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There is a 4.6 star average on this product with over five thousand reviews.
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Finally, on my fourth try, I have found something that has significantly reduced them to close to nothing, the thing about this is that I can not say it would have worked on its own because I have already implemented the three previous methods. If I started over I would definitely try the Mosser Lee ML1110 Desert Sand Soil Cover, 5 Pound first. Now that being said I would also still get the sticky traps because I have a chance to collect them there instead of finding them dying all over the place. The quicker reduction also, since I want fast results with this problem. As a bonus, the also looks nicer on top of the soil.
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Beyond this point, I have not tested these products but I have researched and read many reviews in hopes that I may be able to save you time as you are looking for your solution.
This product has over eighteen thousand reviews and a 4.7-star average rating.
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I have looked over several reviews of this product, people are extremely happy with it for way more than just ridding them of gnats. This works really well if you cover your soil. One reviewer claimed to see a significant reduction after only 3 days! This has really worked well for many people. Not only that but people are taking it themselves for health benefits. You can also add a duster with this to make it easier to spread. Harris Diatomaceous Earth Spreader with a scoop and adjustable top.
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McKesson - Hydrogen Peroxide - one-gallon solution - bottle.
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Hydrogen Peroxide is very effective in killing the fungus gnat larvae just mix one cup of hydrogen peroxide with three cups of water, and water your plants like normal. I would only do it once and see what the results are. Let your soil dry out and repeat the process if you are still having issues. The food-grade peroxide is more expensive so I would select this one. This an excellent price for a gallon.
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Summit Responsible Solutions Mosquito Bits - Quick Kill, 30 ounce. This product has over sixteen thousand reviews with a 4.3 average star rating.
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This product has great reviews for fungus gnat problems. Most say that it works really well given a little time. Just add it to the top of your soil and then be patient. WARNING! One review had a sad story about their pet being poisoned so be careful with your pets.
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There is also the method of apple cider vinegar. Here is the best deal I found with it being organic in case you want to incorporate it into your diet as well.
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Apple Cider Vinegar is used as a trap, just add it to a container and then insert a couple of drops of dish soap into the apple cider vinegar. To maximize your results you can add a plastic wrap to the top and poke a little hole in it. This will attract the gnats and when they go into the hole you have made they will be stuck inside the trap.
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