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Date Posted: 14:13:59 04/06/02 Sat
Author: Stephanie P in St. Louis
Subject: ? Gnats (I think) in my Houseplants
After repotting several of my houseplants in brand new enriched potting soil, I started noticing gnats around several of the plants. Now I have an infestation. I've tried watering with tobacco leaf tea and some Schultz insect spray to no avail. They have sucked the life out of two of my smaller plants and are swarming all over the house. Please help.
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Re: Gnats (I think) in my Houseplants -- Maggie, 16:26:24 04/06/02 Sat [1]
Hello, Stephanie. I saw a posting on another forum re. this problem, and the poster had discovered it was the potting compost that was harbouring the eggs and flies. Don't know if you have bought any new compost recently - However, I got them last year and blamed the soil in my pots; so I scraped off the top of the soil in the pot and boiled some stones and covered the surface with these, and it did the trick! Wet compost is the cause really, I think, so I'm very careful now not to overwater; I water only when my plants are dry (established by a finger-test), and I have not had a recurrence of the problem. The flies usually head for a window when they come out in the house, and if you vacuum there thoroughly you should get rid of most of them.
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Re: Gnats (I think) in my Houseplants -- Suzanne, 14:58:57 04/30/04 Fri [1]
I'm not sure if compost is the problem or not. Two yrs ago I transplanted some plants with Miracle-Gro and got hundreds of these pesty insects. I had tried everything to no avail, so I kept my plants in buckets of water for about 2 months, then used Bayer 3 in 1 potting soil. I didn't have any more problems till I transplanted a couple of more plants with Miracle-Gro once again (I couldn't find any of the Bayer 3-1). Now I have gnats again, and I'm going to call their company. I was told that Bayer filters their soil so this makes it a better product. I was recently told to try one capful of Bleach to two gallons of water. They don't like the smell. I will try anything once.
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Re: Gnats (I think) in my Houseplants -- Liz, 03:41:34 04/07/02 Sun [1]
Hi, Stephanie. I hate gnats!!!! Some people put sharp builders sand on top of the soil in their pots, I've heard of using chunks of raw potato on top of the soil to lure the larvae into and keep replacing the potato till they're all gone, for me the best thing has been to let the plants dry more between waterings as Maggie suggested. I've used small cups of water with dish detergent in them to catch the adults, some people say wine works well, others use yellow sticky traps. I wish you the best of luck in getting rid of them. I see one now and then but haven't had a major problem for a while.....knock on wood.
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Re: Gnats (I think) in my Houseplants -- denny, 13:26:14 04/09/02 Tue [1]
i dont know what they like about my face but i dont recomend killing them there.thats two bloody noses and three black eyes later...lol.
welcome stephanie,some good advice above.
best of luck.
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Re: Gnats (I think) in my Houseplants -- Stephanie P in St. Louis, 14:32:05 04/21/02 Sun [1]
Thanks for the suggestions. I have used almost all of them in combination and I am seeing a decrease. Glasses of lemonade have been especially helpful in trapping adult gnats.
Thanks again.
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Re: Gnats (I think) in my Houseplants -- Liz, 20:40:49 04/21/02 Sun [1]
Glad you're seeing progress, Stephanie. What I hate most is fishing them out of my coffee. Yuck. But the lemonade seems to work? Interesting. Is it instant powdered stuff or the real thing? Wonder if they'd like Kool Aid. That stuff has to be good for something.
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Re: Gnats (I think) in my Houseplants -- Loretta, 03:47:27 06/04/02 Tue [1]
The important thing is to start looking for the gnats before it's too late! I let a few fly around, thinking they'd eventually go away, but no..now I see one every 30 seconds or so! Today, I repotted two of my larger, over-watered plants to see if that does the trick. My mother suggested 7 dust, which I've sprinkled around the base of my plants. Hope it works! I've also heard my office plant keepers use 7 Dust to repel and kill these gnats.
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Re: Gnats (I think) in my Houseplants -- Ann, 23:20:55 11/27/04 Sat [1]
We have a small greenhouse attached to our home and I've used a home remedy soil drench crushing 4 garlic bulbs, 1/2 cup of baking soda and a gallon of water. Boil these ingredients and allow it to cool to room temperature. Strain the liquid into a watering can and soak your plant with the fungus gnats. Work the strained garlic into the soil (careful not to disturb any roots). I usually can rid any and all plants of the pests. The best way to avoid them though is to allow your plants to dry between waterings.
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Re: Gnats (I think) in my Houseplants -- denny, 21:58:09 06/04/02 Tue [1]
sevin will most likely kill them but i`d be careful about useing it indoors.
just my biased opinion on poison.
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Re: Gnats (I think) in my Houseplants -- Amanda James, 11:29:14 04/21/03 Mon [1]
I have noticed lately, that I have little white crawly things moving around in two of my house plants!
I first spotted only a few of them in a dragon plant, but they have now been spotted in another plant, which sits some distance away.
I like to water my plants regularly, as the sun is quite intense within the room.
I know they probably aren't doing any harm, but they are annoying me and I want rid of them!!
Please help.
Amanda
UK Houseplant lover
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B-) Gnat Problems -- Lorna, 20:13:36 05/02/03 Fri [1]
WELL, I have bred a species of gnat here in my office that is immune to EVERYTHING! I hate little flying insects, and love plants, but I have a case of gnats that has only gotten worse. I have DROWN my plants in insect spray (If I don't water them with insecticide, they go into withdrawals and start seizing.), tried soapy water (which keeps them off the leaves and makes them smell lemony fresh, but it's the soil and air I'm irritated about), changed the soil (Jiminy Cricket they LOVED that...it's like a buffet!), and tried rocks (big one, little ones, radioactive ones, you name it.).
So far, the only thing that's keeping my populus to a minimum is the cobwebs on my windowsill. I'm desperate! I hate spiders, but what I've started doing is putting a tiny piece of fruit under his tiny little web, and then cleaning his web every couple of weeks when it becomes filled with tiny little gnat bodies - he seems to appreciate the help. He's very small (I've never even actually SEEN the spider), but as long as he doesn't eat my office mate, I suppose he's allright for now.
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Re: Gnat Problems -- Suzanne, 15:05:56 04/30/04 Fri [1]
Lorna, I had the same problem, so I kept my houseplants in buckets of water for about 2 months. They all survived and then I use Bayer 3-1 Potting soil (recomended by a gardner). I didn't have problems until two yrs later I used miracle gro once again. Now I'm thinking about tossing them all away, but I'm calling Miracle Gro first. You can also try using 1 capful of bleach to 2 gallons of water. Hope this helps.
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Re: Gnats (I think) in my Houseplants -- Robin, 22:50:40 06/20/05 Mon [1]
UGH!!!! Those nasty gnats! I too, share in the pain. I live in a small apt. and have over 40 large plants (maybe its me who needs the help and not my plants lol) I have read all of your comments and couldnt help but laugh at the things we have done to "catch our critters" I thought I was the only one with weird ways of catching them... Every morning I leave my almost empty yogurt container on my night stand (they like it)I too, fill the sink with water every night and every morning before work and I also have the friendly spider who leaves his web in my window, catches them everytime! I did buy some stuff, "Houseplant insect killer" (thats the name of it)Its made by "Safer". It works. They say to spray it every 7-10 days, they mean it. I thought after the second spray I was cured. WRONG, Im infested AGAIN! I too was a Miracle Gro user. And the person who said "dont kill them on your face" heed their warning. I made that mistake too! Well Im off to the plant store for more spray. If I come with anything better, I will for sure share with you all! Thanks for letting me know Im not alone in this battle!
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Re: Gnats (I think) in my Houseplants -- margaret phillips, 13:28:30 06/23/06 Fri [1]
I too have a problem withb those awful GNATS in my plants. Why does the mircle grow potting soil have such a problem. I never knew the soil was like that until i started reading your messages from other people,withb the same problem.I am going to try the bleach method and see if that works. because some of my plants are so long it is going to be to hard to repot them. please help me if someone knows something better. Thank You..
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