Hey everyone! I'm struggling with a serious fungus gnat infestation at my home in Florida. These little pests are swarming both indoors and outdoors, especially in the soil of my potted palm tree, tomatoes, herbs, and lavender. I've already tried some non-toxic remedies like garlic, basil, and cinnamon-infused water, but they haven't really made a difference after a week. I also attempted to let the soil dry out for three days, but I'm worried about my plants if I keep that up. I'm looking for effective solutions that won't make my fruits and herbs toxic, since I still want to consume them. Any advice would be greatly appreciated! ?
3 Answers
For an immediate impact, try a peroxide solution: mix four parts water with one part hydrogen peroxide and apply it to the soil. It’ll foam up and kill the larvae. Just be sure to do it outside! You can also create a spray with 2/3 rubbing alcohol and 1/3 water; it kills gnats on contact, which is quite satisfying. Just don’t mix diatomaceous earth with the nematodes if you go that route, since DE will kill them off!
That spray combo sounds like a game-changer! I’ll have to try that next time.
One effective method is to sprinkle diatomaceous earth on top of your dry soil. It works wonders to control those gnats!
I mix diatomaceous earth into the soil, use neem oil spray, and place sticky traps around. It's hard to fully eliminate them, but this combo keeps it manageable so they aren't buzzing around during dinner. I tried using mint plants, but they didn’t help with the gnats at all, though they did keep mosquitoes away!
Just a heads-up, be cautious when using diatomaceous earth around nematodes! They don’t mix well.