I've been struggling with a serious fungus gnat issue in my house and it's driving me nuts! A few months ago, I decided to repot some peace lilies using fresh potting mix, mainly because I figured those plants were the source of the tiny bugs flying around every room. Some plants had to go because the gnats were practically exploding out of the soil. After letting the remaining plants sit outside for a while to recover, I tried using neem oil since mosquito bits are hard to come by in Australia, but it didn't do a thing. Frustrated, I chucked those plants and started fresh with new ones in new pots and potting mix. I even cleaned every sink and drain to rule out drain flies, but the gnats don't seem to match that description. I haven't watered the new lilies yet to avoid damp soil, but I just checked on them and, surprise-surprise, gnats are still coming out of the soil! What can I do that actually works without breaking the bank on more products?
3 Answers
Do you have sticky strips? Those yellow sticky traps really helped me eliminate my gnat problem without a hassle. Just hang them around your plants. Although, I couldn’t find any at Bunnings last time I checked, so hopefully, you have better luck!
First off, how did you apply that neem oil? It worked wonders for me when I combined it with sticky traps. If you haven't tried those yet, definitely give them a go. You could also look into hydrogen peroxide; I've heard it can help, but I haven’t tried it myself. I know my brother swears by this gnat barrier available at Bunnings, but I can't personally vouch for it since I haven't used it before.
I followed the instructions on the Eco-Neem Concentrate bottle that called for 30mL per 10L of water. I might have messed it up or maybe the problem’s too severe. Hydrogen peroxide sounds interesting, but I've read mixed results.
You should definitely try beneficial nematodes! They’re great because they naturally parasitize fungus gnats and can wipe them out. I had a nasty infestation and after about 3-4 weeks of using them, my gnat problem was completely resolved!
I didn’t see any sticky traps at Bunnings either. Seems like neem oil was the only option available when I looked.