tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2481706068105246695.post4929789208573208180..comments2024-03-27T07:35:21.832-07:00Comments on Plants are the Strangest People: Fungus Gnats: Like Puppies That Try To Fly Up Your Nosemr_subjunctivehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14113199755474482747noreply@blogger.comBlogger34125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2481706068105246695.post-3850169179318556362016-09-02T08:53:22.931-07:002016-09-02T08:53:22.931-07:00Rachael Modafferi:
Is it sand, or is it gravel? T...Rachael Modafferi:<br /><br />Is it <i>sand</i>, or is it <i>gravel</i>? The reason for asking is because the amount of space between the individual particles is the relevant factor: if there's enough space for a fungus gnat to crawl through to lay eggs on the soil (or a larva to leave the soil), as there would be between pieces of gravel, then it might help, but it's unlikely to cure themr_subjunctivehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14113199755474482747noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2481706068105246695.post-31854730802842485002016-09-01T16:55:46.591-07:002016-09-01T16:55:46.591-07:00I am very happy to have found this site. I do hav...I am very happy to have found this site. I do have a question pertaining to my recent gnat problem and my aloe vera plant. This aloe plant has been in my family for over 25 years and a few months ago I re-potted it with Jolly Gardener Plotting Mix. Now I have a gnat problem and they have been making their way into my bedroom. I was wondering if I were to use the sand method, what particular Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10106881462840464516noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2481706068105246695.post-1543179202255940422015-05-30T01:55:58.399-07:002015-05-30T01:55:58.399-07:00Nematodes are a really good option. Theyre microsc...Nematodes are a really good option. Theyre microscopic things and they kill the larve in a suprisingly brutal way lol. Theyre totally safe. I used them and they worked well, except gnats found a way into my house with all the windows open. nowhere near me carried them so i got it off amazon for less than $20, and the coverage is really good. You just have to make sure you get it for fungus gnats,Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2481706068105246695.post-88718804978410257742014-06-15T14:52:52.842-07:002014-06-15T14:52:52.842-07:00i had a super bad case of fungus gnats. then i got...i had a super bad case of fungus gnats. then i got a couple of carnivorous sundews and they've taken care of a lot of the problem. now i also look at any new gnats differently, because they're serving a purpose :)jamnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2481706068105246695.post-40552097391200529152014-01-23T13:54:00.277-08:002014-01-23T13:54:00.277-08:00I found this at another blog site regarding fungus...I found this at another blog site regarding fungus gnats. Cinnamon sprinkled over the surface of the soil works great. Apparently, it's an anti-fungal and interrupts their habitat. I tried it and no more gnats!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2481706068105246695.post-28578884905034637532013-09-24T17:14:33.902-07:002013-09-24T17:14:33.902-07:00I am currently sitting on my couch with my shirt o...I am currently sitting on my couch with my shirt over my face. This is the third time a fungus gnat has tried to fly up my nose today. I am at wits end and am near the flamethrower phase of this infestation. I think I overwatered my plant and now I have a bunch of little bugs all over my apartment. They fly into my food when I am eating and the other day I was drinking from my water bottle and Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07012701801126318734noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2481706068105246695.post-36447613540489709462013-09-19T17:28:59.440-07:002013-09-19T17:28:59.440-07:00I read somewhere that using adding hydrogen peroxi...I read somewhere that using adding hydrogen peroxide to the water in a 1:4 ratio will kill the gnats and not harm your plants.<br /><br />Has anyone ever tried this?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2481706068105246695.post-74146641854283055082013-08-06T12:59:12.243-07:002013-08-06T12:59:12.243-07:00Unknown:
The plastic jug doesn't melt? I trie...Unknown:<br /><br />The plastic jug doesn't melt? I tried to sterilize potting soil in the microwave in a glass container semi-recently, and I was surprised by how hot it got, and how long it took to cool down. That was really wet soil, granted. But still.mr_subjunctivehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14113199755474482747noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2481706068105246695.post-54563359337663558412013-08-06T12:53:32.279-07:002013-08-06T12:53:32.279-07:00Sterilize potting soil in the microwave oven befor...Sterilize potting soil in the microwave oven before using it to repot a plant.<br />I cut the top off a one gallon water jug and fill it with potting soil, put it in the microwave for 2 minutes on high.<br />Don't walk away and leave it alone, I've had some batches start smoking if they were very dry, so it could be a fire hazard if you are careless and don't watch it the whole time Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09060182034043779374noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2481706068105246695.post-1061659407705772192013-07-18T12:16:19.417-07:002013-07-18T12:16:19.417-07:00Sofia Mac Mullen:
The larval form of fungus gnats...Sofia Mac Mullen:<br /><br />The larval form of fungus gnats lives in soil, not on plants. Your green insects may be aphids. I'm not terribly familiar with what insect pests are common in the UK.<br /><br />Fungus gnats are probably not responsible for your plants dying. Aphids <i>can</i> kill or stunt plants.<br /><br />I have no idea what spraying plants with nettle would involve and have mr_subjunctivehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14113199755474482747noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2481706068105246695.post-62960225836527011102013-07-18T02:58:58.872-07:002013-07-18T02:58:58.872-07:00Thanks!
I live in Londo and Im covered in them and...Thanks!<br />I live in Londo and Im covered in them and they seem to have enjoyed killing my coriander, wich was also covered in a lillt green insect, ill asume its a young version of the gnat. and now my thyme and basil are suffering, carrots where a no go but I dont know if its the same reason. I read that sprayng them with nettle is a good solution? but ill try the sand thing, it seems to be Sofia Mac Mullenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09404703511683759248noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2481706068105246695.post-42421788955644028212011-03-21T03:40:39.777-07:002011-03-21T03:40:39.777-07:00The wine trick recommended by Claude definitely wo...The wine trick recommended by Claude definitely works; they love the stuff. Not that I've seen it cut the population; but there's a weird, morbid satisfaction in seeing the evidence there in the glass. <br /><br />What has actually drastically cut the number of insects bobbing in front of the computer screen or flying up my nose is beneficial nematodes, which eat the larvae in the soil. themanicgardenerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08750985315536912324noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2481706068105246695.post-43376193479899347912011-03-20T17:57:29.362-07:002011-03-20T17:57:29.362-07:00We have a couple of infested Christmas cactuses (c...We have a couple of infested Christmas cactuses (cacti) and we refer to it as "gnat TV," because it makes the cat so very happy to sit on the windowsill for hours and watch them, head all a-bobbing. So I don't have the heart to get rid of them -- it'd be like taking her version of General Hospital off the air.Kate Hindshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06116828294881933466noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2481706068105246695.post-27489756723873759782011-03-20T16:42:09.524-07:002011-03-20T16:42:09.524-07:00I have a Drosera capensis which helped my gnat pro...I have a Drosera capensis which helped my gnat problem so much I considered buying another one. It's possible it got overfed since (I estimate a hundred gnats?) because it's not doing so well now...Rameennoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2481706068105246695.post-87014912562869273622011-03-20T11:04:25.027-07:002011-03-20T11:04:25.027-07:00I've read from here: (in finnish) http://www.b...I've read from here: (in finnish) http://www.biotus.fi/DowebEasyCMS/?Page=Harsosaasket, that fungus gnats eat also as adults different kinds of algae, fungus and all kinds of degrading matter. The larvae eats all that, too, but also the fine roots and callus of plants. I keep that link pretty reliable, since they study all plant related problems and they have to keep the damn things alive forAraliahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00154376928367935489noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2481706068105246695.post-89695605612523389992011-03-19T23:44:52.269-07:002011-03-19T23:44:52.269-07:00I mostly only ever see fungus gnats when I have be...I mostly only ever see fungus gnats when I have been watering a lot, and then they disappear when I back off and let stuff dry a bit more. <br /><br />I don't at all understand the wild, hysterical over reactions that people (especially Americans) have to insects. I have heard people express such panic that they sound ready to burn the whole damn house down because they saw a snowy tree hydrophytehttp://hydrophytesblog.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2481706068105246695.post-10021662541514337722011-03-19T16:24:54.716-07:002011-03-19T16:24:54.716-07:00I'm just glad I'm not the only person who ...I'm just glad I'm not the only person who thinks fungus gnats are cute.<br /><br />Terrific blog, always a delight to see a new post.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2481706068105246695.post-55142162437652812662011-03-17T18:28:29.803-07:002011-03-17T18:28:29.803-07:00Per my recollection of GW of some years ago, the m...Per my recollection of GW of some years ago, the major exception to the grumpiness rule was the Compost Forum. Among the self-proclaimed "Compost Whackos."<br /><br />Something about decomposing plant matter does it. I dug up the bottom of my heap a couple of weeks ago and held a big handful up to my nose for a sniff -- and was giddy with glee for the rest of the afternoon.Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04204637845585512077noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2481706068105246695.post-42989039383349915722011-03-15T20:56:00.369-07:002011-03-15T20:56:00.369-07:00After my junior year of college, I had a terrible ...After my junior year of college, I had a terrible fungus gnat infestation, even after re-potting all of my plants. One of my roommates went into hysterics about them, so after attempting to eradicate them with vinegar--with only limited success--I used a spray bottle full of rubbing alcohol, spraying them when they landed. I could only kill one at a time, but it was effective, and now I only Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2481706068105246695.post-3012208240925802072011-03-15T20:46:31.672-07:002011-03-15T20:46:31.672-07:00Thank you for saying all the things I dare not say...Thank you for saying all the things I dare not say!Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08720485909592974251noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2481706068105246695.post-64287013412275628192011-03-15T12:22:22.347-07:002011-03-15T12:22:22.347-07:00There was a time when we had so many of them that ...There was a time when we had so many of them that I could spend hours prowling around the house, growling, 'kiiiilllll gnnnnaaaatssss' and doing just that whenever it was possible. Ended up with mouldy squished gnats on all the windows, which was kinda gross.<br />It's not been that bad in a couple of years, though, for which I'm grateful - waking up in the middle of the night to Ivynettlehttp://ivynettle.wordpress.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2481706068105246695.post-13273851981712451592011-03-15T12:11:19.831-07:002011-03-15T12:11:19.831-07:00I've got a couple of those yellow traps around...I've got a couple of those yellow traps around. They're covered in fungus gnats. They work well but I don't like them.<br /><br />Personally I'm waiting until my pitcher plants get back to having pitchers to see how effective they can be at controlling them.<br /><br />Other than being really annoying I don't have a huge problem with them.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2481706068105246695.post-13433232163682906912011-03-15T09:54:35.620-07:002011-03-15T09:54:35.620-07:00I can vouch for simply watering less often doing t...I can vouch for simply watering less often doing the trick. A friend of mine recently left me a nearly waterlogged Dracaena Marginata that had gnats, and knowing that this species needs to dry out between waterings from having read your blog earlier on, the problem quickly resolved itself before I ever got around to doing anything about it...Excellent blog!Shawnnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2481706068105246695.post-92227276788402903012011-03-15T09:06:37.596-07:002011-03-15T09:06:37.596-07:00Mix diatomaceous earth into your dirt. I don'...Mix diatomaceous earth into your dirt. I don't have any FG's anymore. I never overwatered but once you have enough plants or have plants like african violets there is always somewhere wet for them to breed. Once i started using DE they went away. <br /> A carnivorous plant next to the wetter plants is not a bad idea eitherPaul vanoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2481706068105246695.post-43435007514266221742011-03-15T08:49:16.507-07:002011-03-15T08:49:16.507-07:00Thanks for your post! I'm an amateur house pl...Thanks for your post! I'm an amateur house plant owner. Every winter we take our plants downstairs and put them under the grow lights until it's warm enough to take them back outside (we don't have enough natural light in our house for all the plants I want to own). Inevitably, by the end of winter we have those little bugs. I'm happy to know that they aren't really Tamrahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04506220582741009934noreply@blogger.com