How to recognize fungus gnats?
If you see a tiny little black flies that looks like a fruit fly hovering around the soil of your houseplant, chances are that it’s a fungus gnat.
They are notoriously difficult to get rid of and i will show you how i got rid of them (almost)
The impact of Fungus Gnats on your plants
They are drawn to moist conditions and feed on fungus and other organic matter. In their larval form they eat plant roots, which can make them a potentially lethal infestation for young or vulnerable plants.
How to control fungus Gnats on your plants?
Dry out Soil between waterings
- Most infestations of pest happen as a result of overwatering plant.
As shown in picture the top surface of soil looks dry, but the plant isn't. So use a stick or soil meter to check if your soil is still wet. Check out my tips to avoid overwatering - Solution:
Take off the top of soil (around 2cm), That's where larva and eggs are. Wait until the soil is dry before watering again - This will reduce the number of larvae underneath the soil, to minimize the spreading of fungus gnats but of course it didn’t eliminate the problem completely.
Apple cider vinegar
- Apple cider vinegar is a good bait for gnats as they are lured to it
- Solution:
Mix a half cup of warm water + two tablespoons of apple cider vinegar, a tablespoon of sugar, and about six drops of liquid dish soap.
Fungus Gnats will be lured in by the sugary mixture, but once they dip in for a drink, the sticky dish soap will trap them.
Use cinnamon powder
- Cinnamon have an anti-fungal properties, it kills off the gnats primary food source, therefore making the soil inhospitable
- Solution:
Sprinkle cinnamon over the surface of the soil.
This will reduce the gnat populations, however, it couldn't quite kill off the remaining population
Hydrogen Peroxide
- Hydrogen Peroxide kills eggs and the larva.
- Solution:
Add 1 teaspoon (5 ml.) per cup (240 ml) of water in a spray bottle and spray bottle and mist the plant
This could also be used to treat other fungal infections
The ultimate solution : Mosquito Bits
- Mosquito bits has a bacteriological larvicide that is called BTI(Bacillus thuringiensis subspecies israelensis).
BTI is deadly to both mosquito larvae and fungus gnat larvae and it doesn't harm your houseplants. - Solution:
Mix 4 tablespoons of Mosquito Bits in 1 gallon of water.
it's best to soak the mosquitoBits in water for few days and then water your plants with it, because if you put mosquitoBits directly in soil, and water it, after some time it might result in mold on soil.
