# How do I get rid of gnats flying around potting soil?



## Dr. Albert (Mar 8, 2022)

Please share your views - How do you get rid of fungus gnat larvae in the potting soil of an indoor plant?


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## spunom (Mar 8, 2022)

You could add predator bugs like nematodes or ladybugs. I used sticky traps. 

I tried cinnamon and DE. They are messy and IMHO useless af for gnats.


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## SubmarineGirl (Mar 8, 2022)

Dr. Albert said:


> Please share your views - How do you get rid of fungus gnat larvae in the potting soil of an indoor plant?


If you don’t have many, one of these yellow sticky things hanging or stuck in the soil works for me.


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## SubmarineGirl (Mar 8, 2022)

spunom said:


> You could add predator bugs like nematodes or ladybugs. I used sticky traps.
> 
> I tried cinnamon and DE. They are messy and IMHO useless af for gnats.


I like the idea of ladybugs but I can see them everywhere in my house which I don’t really mind I don’t think but am not exactly sure how I would feel about it. Hatched praying mantis in the house several years for my garden. Didn’t realize that they would escape the bug box when they hatched. Came home to what looked like thousands all over my kitchen table and everywhere else I’m sure. Found those little critters for weeks here and there. My husband hated my mantis hobby because I would keep a few in a box and on my screened in porch and feed them fly larvae and bugs and small baby frogs in my yard. I actually was able to make more egg pods for the next round of mantis. Maybe Bubba will chime in as he just turned loose thousands of lady bugs in his tent. Maybe he is seeing them around his house. I think they are good luck maybe 








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## bigsur51 (Mar 8, 2022)

use some Gnatrol or Pyganic


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## SubmarineGirl (Mar 8, 2022)

bigsur51 said:


> use some Gnatrol or Pyganic


Do these products have a smell?


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## WeedHopper (Mar 8, 2022)

I use yellow fly swatters with petroleum jelly on the swatter. The holes in the swatter fills with the petroleum. I cut the handle off about 2inches from the end and stick it in the pot.
Easy to clean and re-use.


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## bigsur51 (Mar 8, 2022)

SubmarineGirl said:


> Do these products have a smell?




not particularly , I assume you are trying to keep the odors down?

i have used these in emergencies but I don’t really recommend them to inexperienced growers

but yeah , we also hang several strips of fly paper n the veg room , and check them for bugs and go from there


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## WeedHopper (Mar 8, 2022)

Not sure about those but Petroleum jelly has no smell and is not toxic. It simply causes them to get stuck and die. That's why I use the fly swatters. Plus they are easy to clean and use again or put up.


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## OGKushman (Mar 8, 2022)

1. Sticky traps in clone or seed.
2. No pest strips in veg.
3. Mosquito bits (BTI) in a pantyhose floating in the reservoir.
4. Azamax root drench (0.8 oz/gal) apply when lights are off for an hour, let sit 1 hour, flush well. The azadiactrin (sp?) from neem will kill the larvae and will help the plant temporarily with chelating.


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## Hippie420 (Mar 8, 2022)

I never had any luck with the mosquito dunk stuff. The DE is a double edged sword. It cuts up the larva and the adults, but inhaled, it cuts up your lungs, too.


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## OGKushman (Mar 8, 2022)

Hippie420 said:


> I never had any luck with the mosquito dunk stuff. The DE is a double edged sword. It cuts up the larva and the adults, but inhaled, it cuts up your lungs, too.


Gnats will easily become immune to BTI if you run the dunks for years. Ive seen it. I moved to an azamax root drench.  one time in late veg is all you really need.


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## Surfanarchist (Mar 8, 2022)

I bought some off brand soil to supplement my last bag of ffof once.  I knew that soil smelled off but figured WTH.  My mistake.  So from that experience Ive learned this.
They are more of a nuisance than a threat as long as you take a few steps to control them.  Yellow sticky traps, let the soil get nice and dry between waterings.  Ditch the soil you're using as soon as the grow is done and dont buy that brand or source again.  Thats it.

Good luck.

Elwood


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## SubmarineGirl (Mar 8, 2022)

bigsur51 said:


> not particularly , I assume you are trying to keep the odors down?
> 
> i have used these in emergencies but I don’t really recommend them to inexperienced growers
> 
> ...


i just don’t want the tent to smell like nothing but weed when I open it no buggy stuff. I don’t have a big problem with them but do see one now and then flying around. My sticky yellow butterfly catches a few.


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## bigsur51 (Mar 8, 2022)

SubmarineGirl said:


> i just don’t want the tent to smell like nothing but weed when I open it no buggy stuff. I don’t have a big problem with them but do see one now and then flying around. My sticky yellow butterfly catches a few.




for just a few bugs the sticky fly traps work great

i quit using those jiffy pot plugs cause evertime I used them I got thrips of fungus gnats

nothing but grow plugs now


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## sharonp (Mar 10, 2022)

We have talked about gnats before because I had them once. They get into the wood used in some soils. They add mulch to some soils. I have bought soil with gnats in it. It had been outside, but I don't think that mattered. The more mulch the worse the gnats were.


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## Airbone (Mar 10, 2022)

I get knats every time I use new soil.
I don’t usually spray unless they are really bad.
I let my soil dry well before watering again and they usually die off.


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## Bubba (Mar 11, 2022)

SubmarineGirl said:


> Do these products have a smell?


Pyganic is very low smell. I don't notice once sprayed. 

Bubba


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## Bubba (Mar 11, 2022)

I think they sell it premixed, I get the kind you mix with water.

Bubba


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## Africanna (Mar 11, 2022)

SubmarineGirl said:


> Do these products have a smell?


No worse than what a good helping of cabbage and beans would do


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## bigsur51 (Mar 11, 2022)

Africanna said:


> No worse than what a good helping of cabbage and beans would do





and wash it all down with some kaffir tea


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## Hippie420 (Mar 11, 2022)

I've had gnats in hydro. They are an annoyance, but their grubs (larva) will kill a plant by eating at the roots.
I would try everything mentioned since the beginning of this thread, and if that didn't work, I'd drop back six clicks and call in for an airstrike.


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## bigsur51 (Mar 11, 2022)

Hippie420 said:


> I've had gnats in hydro. They are an annoyance, but their grubs (larva) will kill a plant by eating at the roots.
> I would try everything mentioned since the beginning of this thread, and if that didn't work, I'd drop back six clicks and call in for an airstrike.




my brother-in-law was a gunny sarge in the Corps during WWII and fought on many beaches in the Pacific Campaign

he got some big medals and they even had a few of his stories printed in some comic books

he had his men retreat somewhere on Iwo Jima and called in air strikes using his coordinates

yeah , no dropping back six clicks for Tom


big Indian dude from west texas , he was like a dad to me when I lived with them in Oklahoma  , he taught me some,good survival skills


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## Africanna (Mar 14, 2022)

bigsur51 said:


> and wash it all down with some kaffir tea


Yes indeed.
BTW the "K" word is taboo in these parts


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## joeb631a (Mar 14, 2022)

bigsur51 said:


> my brother-in-law was a gunny sarge in the Corps during WWII and fought on many beaches in the Pacific Campaign
> 
> he got some big medals and they even had a few of his stories printed in some comic books
> 
> ...


It is something WHEN a person makes a difference in someones life ..every day heros..


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## bigsur51 (Mar 14, 2022)

Africanna said:


> Yes indeed.
> BTW the "K" word is taboo in these parts



i thought you would get a kick out of that

it wasnt always that way , probably better that it was changed to it’s proper name of rooibos tea

i bought it at the health food store back in the 70’s when it was kaffir tea…I don’t know if it is still available under that name or not


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## joeb631a (Mar 14, 2022)

bigsur51 said:


> i thought you would get a kick out of that
> 
> it wasnt always that way , probably better that it was changed to it’s proper name of rooibos tea
> 
> ...


I thought Keifer was a yogurt drink mid eastern maybe


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## bigsur51 (Mar 14, 2022)

joeb631a said:


> I thought Keifer was a yogurt drink mid eastern maybe




big difference between kefir and kaffir


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## Africanna (Mar 15, 2022)

bigsur51 said:


> i thought you would get a kick out of that
> 
> it wasnt always that way , probably better that it was changed to it’s proper name of rooibos tea
> 
> ...


Rooibos is not the same. It's a uniquely S African product and h€ll no, it would never be marketed under that name.
That said, it's a perfectly legit word - just the connotation and association that some have attached to it that makes it not PC to use. Oh the joys of living in Africa


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## sharonp (Mar 18, 2022)

I use Mosquito bits on top of the soil and water.  I have thrown soil out and replaced the grow. You cannot use the soil if the larvae are not dying.


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## SubmarineGirl (Mar 18, 2022)

sharonp said:


> I use Mosquito bits on top of the soil and water.  I have thrown soil out and replaced the grow. You cannot use the soil if the larvae are not dying.


Mosquito bits?


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## joeb631a (Mar 19, 2022)

SubmarineGirl said:


> Mosquito bits?


Summit makes it . Just got some from Amazon on thursday have not used it yet. Amazing how many little bastages i caught with yellow stickies


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## Witchking (Mar 19, 2022)

I have found complete eradication of Fungus gnats nearly impossible. I have tried mosquito dunks in my res, I have tried biological controls, I have tried keeping the coco dry, all of it. The issue is that every bag of medium bought has eggs in it, so anytime you gotta buy soil , your just reintroducing them back into the garden. I do use yellow sticky traps which catch alot of the adult fliers, but getting rid of the eggs and  larvae, which are the root cause is nearly impossible. I have even tried everything.


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## WeedHopper (Mar 19, 2022)

Let the soil dry out as much as possible as long as you can without killing your plant. That helps kill the bastards.


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## SubmarineGirl (Mar 19, 2022)

I’ve read that cinnamon powder sprinkled on the surface dirt of your plant or some essential oils rubbed on the rim of your pot will help calm them down. Maybe someone has tried this here?  I have a few flying around my veg area which is not in a tent. I think I will try this and see if it works there.


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## spunom (Mar 19, 2022)

Cinnamon didn't work for me.


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## Hippie420 (Mar 19, 2022)

I've even used those Shell no pest strips in my big room. Not too sure what it does to me or the weed. If you read the instructions, it tells you not to use it in an area you'll be sleeping in. It didn't hurt the plants and I'm still alive. A few of the gnats were, too.


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## OGKushman (Mar 19, 2022)

Root drench 0.8oz per gallon with azamax. Only treat lights off, flush it out decently when lights on. Do it again in 7 days. It will not hurt the plant. The plant will temporarily grow fat white new roots and start taking up more water. It’s a trip…

you can eradicate gnats each time - but they will return. They live everywhere and come in every crack.


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## OGKushman (Mar 19, 2022)

Remember if you see a few flying around there are probably 100 more larva living in your root zone. When those pupate and become gnats, within 2 days each one will lay another hundred eggs in the soil.

so based on how many you see flying around and how long you have seen them, you can estimate how bad the problem is.
If leaves start dying off as you see their numbers exploding then the gnats are really infested in the root zone.


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## WeedHopper (Mar 19, 2022)

Found this.
Mix one part peroxide with four parts water, and pour it through the soil at the root zone until it begins to come out of the base of the pot. The peroxide kills fungus gnat larvae on contact.


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## WeedHopper (Mar 19, 2022)

Keep soil dry: Fungus gnats seek out moist soil, so allowing your houseplants to dry out a bit between waterings can slow down or stop an infestation. Let the top inch or two of soil dry out before watering again, and try to go as long as possible between waterings. Gnats may be deterred from laying their eggs if the soil is dry on the surface.


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## Hippie420 (Mar 19, 2022)

I use H2O2 in my hydro grows. Does seem to work.


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## Witchking (Mar 19, 2022)

WeedHopper said:


> Found this.
> Mix one part peroxide with four parts water, and pour it through the soil at the root zone until it begins to come out of the base of the pot. The peroxide kills fungus gnat larvae on contact.


Just regular medical grade Peroxide?


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## Hippie420 (Mar 19, 2022)

Yep, good ole 3%.


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## bombtombadil (Mar 20, 2022)

I had problems with Fungus gnats and researched fixes for quite some time on youtube and visiting garden centers. My problem was very easy to fix and fungus gnat are very easy to get rid of. Buy some Mosquito Bits (BTI) soak them in water making a BTI tea. Water your plants with it and the fungus gnat larvae will die. Hang a few yellow stickies to capture the last remaining adults if there are any. If you have drains in the area (sink, etc...) use bleach or add mosquito bit to the drains. I got rid of the fungus gnats once but found that they made it to my drains too...

Fungus gnats are not a big problem, just don't get spider mites or aphids, that's another story. Last thought, BTI is not a harsh chemical and is very safe to use. Don't think of it as a insecticide.

Mosquito Bits: Kills Mosquitoes & Fungus Gnats | Planet Natural


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## bombtombadil (Mar 20, 2022)

I think the thing to realize about fungus gnats is that they are everywhere and very common. If they are on your plants, chances are they are in your drains too. I hung yellow strips in all of my bathrooms and guess what, fungus gnats in every drain on all levels of my house. So basically, you have to get rid of them in other places, not just your plant or they will come back. I still see a few flying around from time to time (they love computer screens in the dark). But I've taken care of 95% of the population and they are not on my plants anymore.

Fungus gnat snake video

Fungus Gnat Larvae Travelling in Procession - YouTube


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## Hippie420 (Mar 20, 2022)

A little shot of bleach down the drain works wonders in the sink.


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## bombtombadil (Mar 20, 2022)

Hippie420 said:


> Yep, good ole 3%.





WeedHopper said:


> Found this.
> Mix one part peroxide with four parts water, and pour it through the soil at the root zone until it begins to come out of the base of the pot. The peroxide kills fungus gnat larvae on contact.



I tried peroxide before I tried BTI and it didn't work at all. Peroxide can also kill many good things in the soil. I'm not saying it doesn't work, but it didn't work for me and I know of a few others that have tried it.

The magic trick with BTI is to make a tea with it. In fact, the directions on the back of the mosquito bits container have been changed and they now instruct you to make a tea instead of just sprinkling bits on. 

I also found that the difference between Fungus Gnats and Aphids is not much, they look very similar. For some reason they say if you have Fungus Gnats, there is a chance you have aphids too.... The adult flyers look very similar ! BTI will not take care of Aphids. So, make sure you know what kind of fly it is....(and cross your fingers that you don't have aphids.)


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## bombtombadil (Mar 20, 2022)

Hippie420 said:


> A little shot of bleach down the drain works wonders in the sink.



Yep ! I had to hit Sams club for large bottles of bleach (tubs, sinks, etc,,,). I also tried boiling water in the drains.


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## SubmarineGirl (Mar 23, 2022)

So I noticed the other day a bunch of gnats flying around my new spring plants just as I was researching some home remedies for them. I’m sure there were at least 47 in a small area. I read on one thread that gnats hate citrus and this grower wiped the rims of the pots with essential oil then added a drop to each corner of the grow space. Since there were so many and I need to order more sticky traps, I decided to try it. I wet down a cotton ball with the sweet orange oil on the rims and a couple of drops on each corner of the large pan they are sitting on. Well it has been working now for two days. I saw only one gnat when I rustled the plants around to try and stir them up. Don’t know how long it would last but it’s worth a try if you have some essential oil around.


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