Are you tired and annoyed of fungus gnats? In this guide, we go through some tips on how to get rid of fungus gnats for good!
What are Fungus Gnats
Fungus gnats are annoying little pests that can be found in houseplants. They’re found in your potting soil or buzzing around your plants.
Fungus gnats are grey and black in color, they look like mosquitos and are about 1/8 inch in size, they have long legs and clear wings. You’ll see them fly off your houseplants when watering or disturbing the soil in your pots. Fungus gnats thrive in high humidity and moist soil. Adult gnats will lay up to 300 eggs in moist potting soil. They typically jump from plant to plant laying eggs in moist soil.
How did I get Fungus Gnats
Fungus gnats can come from various places. Here are just a few;
- You may have purchased a fungus gnat infested plant from a nursery. Before purchasing a housplant we always recommend inspecting your plant’s soil, looking for larvae (which are glossy and clear).
- Plants that you bring indoors after summer can come in with fungus gnats as well.
- Some can just fly in through a screened window or door during the summer months.
Tips on How to Get rid of Fungus Gnats
Getting rid of annoying fungus gnats can sometimes be a pain if you have lots of indoor plants. Below are some tips and recommended products you should use to get rid of fungus gnats!
1. Don’t Overwater Your Plants
Fungus gnats like damp soil; they can’t thrive in dry soil. One of the easiest ways to get rid of Fungus Gnats is to never overwater your houseplants. You may also want to water your plants from the bottom instead of top watering.
2. Use Self-watering Plant Stakes
Self-watering plant stakes may be a good option to get rid of Fungus Gnats since the first few inches of your soil will remain dry.
Self-watering stakes provide a steady, very slow and consistent supply of water to your plants. This will prevent overwatering your plants eliminating the potential of adult fungus gnats laying eggs.
I love Self-watering stakes since they also provide a great way to automatically water your plants when you are on vacation or when you sometimes just forget to water your plants.
They are very EASY to use, just stick the watering stake into your plant’s soil, and insert any long-necked water bottle or a glass wine bottle will work perfectly.
3. Use Gnat Nix
Another effective way to get rid of Fungus Gnats is using Gnat Nix. This product has no harmful pesticides Or chemicals added. To use Gnat Nix, simply add a thick layer (1/2″- 3/4″) of Gnat Nix to the top of your plant containers. Gnat nix ends the cycle of Fungus Gnats laying eggs. It stops additional eggs from being laid on top of your soil and also prevents the larvae from exiting the soil when they are fully developed to then go on and lay more eggs. You can find Gnat Nix on Amazon.
4. Use Houseplant Sticky Tape
Sticky tapes are a quick solution to get rid of existing gnats that fly around your house plants. These will not completely solve your fungus gnat problems since you have to treat your soil first. The yellow sticky tapes attract all types of flying houseplant insects. They are also all-natural and pesticide-free. You can find Sticky Stakes on Amazon.
5. Remove the Top One Inch of Soil
Remove the first inch of soil and trash it. Then replace it with fresh gnat-free, larvae free potting soil.
6. Use 100% Cold-Press Neem Oil
This is a great product for houseplants. Use 100% cold-pressed neem oil, simply mix 1 teaspoon of neem oil with 1 quart of water and 1/2 teaspoon of dish soap. Then add the solution to the first inch of soil. You should see results in a couple of days.
Conclusion
The most important tip I can give you for eliminating fungus gnats is to control your watering. Fungus Gnats breed in moist soil, so if you don’t overwater you should eradicate your fungus gnat problem! I hope these tips will help you! And until next time, happy gardening!
