I just moved into a nice apartment, and brought a bunch of nice potted house plants with me...except now I have these annoying little gnats flying around everywhere, and I have a feeling it's because of the plants. I don't want to get rid of my plants, is there a way to get rid of the bugs and not the plants?
Why do some house plants attract those little fly-like gnats, and how do I get rid of them?
They are a result of overwatering. They are fungus gnats or shore flies. The larvae live in the soil. What you have to do is kill the adults and the larvae.
To kill the larvae you need to let the soil dry out completely. Don't worry, the plants can take dry soil better than the larvae can. When it's dry, water it lightly--enough to get some water to the plant. Then let it dry out again. Do this 3 times and that should take care of the larvae.
When you start doing the soil treatment I suggest you use Shultz Houseplant Insect Killer. It's made from marigold flowers but will last a few weeks--long enough to kill the adults. Make sure you spray all the leaves (top and bottom) and the pots and soil.
Once you have the problem under control don't go back to overwatering.
Reply:In a bottom of a glass, dump about 1/4 cup of white sugar. Add 1/4 cup of apple cider vinegar and add a drop of liquid dishwashing detergent.
Slowly fill the glass up to the (near) top with water and stir well. You may have to adjust depending on how tall your glass is, i.e. more sugar, or more vinegar.
Put it where the gnats are. They are attracted to the smell of the solution. When they land on it, they get stuck in it and fall to the bottom.
I have used this a lot, especially when I have had an infestation or something from a hidden, rotten potatoe or over-ripe fruit.
Good luck, those things are annoying! :-).
Reply:try washing the plant leaves with a damp cloth or spraying with Safersoap, a horticulture soap that deters insect infestation.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment