Hey everyone! I'm really excited about my new plants, but I noticed a few gnats buzzing around at the store. ? What do you recommend I do? Should I repot them and rinse off the roots? I also thought about adding a layer of tiny pebbles to the top of the soil. I picked up some Fox Farm Cocoa Coir soil, perlite, and indoor potting mix for when I bring them inside. Any tips?
3 Answers
You might want to consider getting Nematodes, which are these tiny worms that eat the gnat larvae in the soil. Just sprinkle them in your pot! Plus, getting some yellow sticky traps can help catch the adult gnats flying around.
Anything I should do in the interim until I score the worms?
Just a heads up, gnats aren't really a threat to your plants. Their larvae feed on decaying matter, not live plants. While they can be annoying, they're mostly harmless. Besides using Nematodes, you can also try adding Bacillus thuringiensis israelensis, which is sometimes sold as "mosquito bits" or "dunks"—it'll help control those pesky gnats. And to keep them at bay, using more inorganic materials like pumice and perlite in your soil can really help.
Avoid rinsing the roots; that can stress your new plants even more during their transition. Instead, do a full repotting, removing as much old soil as possible, and use your new mix. Overall, your ingredients sound good! Just make sure the soil drains well to prevent any gnat issues later. If they pop up, you can tackle them at that point!
Thank you!! I worry about being a helicopter plant mom and fussing too much! This helps me tremendously!
My office has this big skylight, so I want to fill it with all the plants!
Oooh nice one!! Thank you!! ❤️