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Prevent Fungus Gnat Infestations!
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I found a really good way to get rid of these little buggers. First, empty your garbage pail out [the kind of pail that has a swing open cover], then place a fresh banana peel at the bottom of it. The gnats will enter the pail through the slits of the swing open cover and go all the way to the bottom of the bucket to get to that banana peel. After a good period of time, GENTLY bring your bucket outside, be very smooth in this motion cause these gnats are fast flyers and will get out of the bucket if it is suddenly jostled. Once outside [close the house door behind you], lift the lid off the bucket. This action will startle the gnats and send them flying out of the bucket in all directions where the real open world with predators awaits them. I've literally cleaned out my entire condo of these gnats with this method, and yes, they are all coming from houseplant soil. GOOD LUCK !!
Great article Chris just one problem not mentioned is the mess they leave on ceilings and walls. Everywhere they go, they eliminate so my newly painted white ceiling has brown dots all over it so upsetting
I've noticed the ONLY time I have any kind of gnats is when I bring home bananas from the store. I honestly believe that the eggs hatch after bringing home the bananas. From now on, I'm going to dip the bananas in a vinegar/water bath and hope that will kill any gnats.
Once I get house pants in and have to water them, I turn on the ceiling fan an hour or two a few times a week. No fungus = No fungus gnats. (The little can traps work, but I have used a water spray in the past in an old, empty spray bottle that has about 2 inches of ammonia stirred in, but I stand back and push the spray-handle lightly because too much would burn the leaves.)
Also, testing for seeds, I dump several seeds into a half-glass of water and leave it overnight. If the seeds are dried up and dead inside they float. If they sink, they're good and alive. It works.
Use mixture of 25% hydrogen peroxide to water plant several weeks to cover entire bug lifecycle. Does not hurt plants and us is cheap non toxic solution.
Sprinkle cinnamon
Raise carnivorous plants. They love fungus gnats.
I used a Katchy at night one in the kitchen and one near my plants. Moved my plants inside last winter. Not realizing that they had fungus gnats in them. I have never had a problem with them. So I held off watering and used the Katchy and got them under control within a few weeks. I keep the one in the kitchen going at night, for fruit flies.
I use BT in my garden and wonder if it can be used to water (diluted of course) the plant? Also, I've heard that nematodes can be added to the soil of houseplants to combat the eggs and hatchlings. I haven't purchased any yet due to the cost so I've been doing the yellow sticky cards and the cider vinegar method. Has helped and did reduce the numbers yet, wondered if I needed something additional since I want to keep them out of the trays of my seedlings. Thanks!
What you are doing is certainly benefiting your plants, but if you want to do even more, you can add nematodes to the soil of your houseplants.