Fungus gnats are one of the nastiest pests you could ever come across. They're small, have grey or see-through wings, and fly around in swarms. And if you have houseplants, you know that they're not exactly easy to get rid of.
Fortunately, there are a few strategies you can use to get rid of fungus gnats on your plants and keep them at bay. In this blog post, we'll outline these methods and give you a step-by-step guide on how to get started.
How to Determine the Severity of Your Fungus Gnat Issue?
To get rid of fungus gnats on your house plants, you will need to identify where they are congregating and take appropriate action.
If you occasionally see a fungus gnat flitting around, the issue is probably pretty minor. However, if there are a lot of them buzzing around your indoor plants, then the issue has worsened, and you need to act right away to get rid of them.
Note that it is a serious infestation if you pick up a plant pot and a lot of gnats flow out the bottom. At this point, repotting your soil and trying all of the remedies will be required.
Another way to tell the severity of your fungus gnat problem is to look for signs of damage on your plants. Fungus gnats lay their eggs in moist places, so if you see any yellowing or browning on the leaves, that means they're using the leaves as their breeding area.
How to Get Rid of Fungus Gnats on Houseplants
Before anything else, isolate the sick plant first. In most cases, only one plant is seriously affected, therefore, always try to isolate it by placing it in a protected area outside. It's preferable to keep it separate from any other plants you may have outside, especially those in pots.
Neem has countless uses and benefits and is particularly effective on houseplants.
You can get a bottle of neem oil almost anywhere that sells plants, including our plant nursery.
It can be purchased as a pre-diluted spray bottle that is ready to use. Use the neem oil as instructed on its label.
Adult flying insects can be captured (and killed) by sticky traps or plants. This can be helpful in slowing the population growth, given that one adult can produce up to 200 eggs.
Sticky traps are available in hardware stores and nurseries online in Sydney, including our nursery and online store.
For those who wish to invest in plants, Drosera "sundew "plants are a species of carnivorous plant that use their sticky leaves to entice tiny insects like fungus gnats.
Some people have also found success by topping their potting mix with small pebbles or horticultural sand (but not the beach variety). This may restrict female fungus gnats from laying eggs in the ground.
While this method can be beneficial, it can be challenging for you to see what's happening in the soil.
Overwatering Attracts Fungus Gnats
Keep in mind that letting the soil dry out between watering is vital.
Gnat larvae prefer warm, moist surroundings, so an indoor plant that is receiving too much water creates an ideal environment for them.
An infestation can be stopped or slowed down by allowing a finger's length of topsoil to dry up before you water again.
To buy indoor plants online in Sydney, shop now.
