Garden

[Dazlin]

I first noticed a few teeney knats flying around one plant.   Now every plant has  zillions of dead teeny tiny knats all over the floor around the pot. litterally had to vacuum them up.     Some are still crawling in the pot.  I'm treating the soil with a good pesticide.  I've had to repeat this a few times already.  Seems to be a little less, but still getting them.    I'm really getting disgusted with this!    Two types of plants that have been the most infested are 2 snake plants, and a peace lily.   I'm assuming they're hatching in the soil...but why??    I use miracle grow, or a similar brand from Home Depot.

  Plants look healthy...but I'm thinking to throw them out!!!   Should I??

  So much for cleaning the air...now I have bugs and pesticides.

[nana59]

Step 1  --  open door....

Step 2  --  heave ho.........

[RedTop]

I suggest repotting; also thoroughly clean the plants with mild soapy water and rinse well before planting in the new dirt.  Gnats, flies, and other insects love to lay their eggs in soft potting soil.   

[gardensla]

Those are fungus gnats. There are a myriad of homemade and store bought chemical remedies, but the first place to try and get rid of them is to make sure you're letting your soil dry a bit between waterings. In winter they need less water. If it's really bad, toss the plant or risk others being infected. If it's not too bad go ahead and repot. 

Here's a bit more info.

[Dazlin]

Ok thank you!!   Fungus knats...EWWW.  I'll see if this lets up. since I just treated them again this morning.  I live in Florida...very humid here.  Maybe I need to let them dry out more.    Also..these plants were just bought within the the last 3 months, and repotted them as soon as I got them home.   But, I have nothing to lose if I have to re-pot again.

  If I re-pot...should I treat the new soil, just in case?

[fthunt]

LOVE that open the door suggestion!   That's what I've done - those little buggers breed faster than you can spray and get those chemicals in your breathing air.  I believe over wet soil is a possible cause or their eggs were in the soil when you purchased the plant and/or potting soil.   Heave Ho!  (that's why I've switched to candles)

[Dazlin]

---

@gardensla wrote:

Those are fungus gnats. There are a myriad of homemade and store bought chemical remedies, but the first place to try and get rid of them is to make sure you're letting your soil dry a bit between waterings. In winter they need less water. If it's really bad, toss the plant or risk others being infected. If it's not too bad go ahead and repot. 

Here's a bit more info.

---

Great site...I'm going to do all of it!!  Thank you!!!

[lucymo]

There must be something about Miracle Gro potting soil or Snake plants because I had the same problem except on a smaller scale.  We just used the apple cider vinegar in jar trick and got rid of the gnats.  The plant had actually dried out somewhat so I was surprised that the gnats came from there but they did.  I thought my best bet was to rid myself of the plant because there can be gillions of eggs hatching  every time I water the plant.  I also had the plant on the deck during summer but treated it before I brought it back inside.  I sure don't want to go through the gnat problem again.

[Dazlin]

WEll, I saw more gnats this morning on the floor, after treating several times, so I have repotted one snake plant, and will do the other 2 tommorow.  One is a peace lily.

 I washed the pot out, and hosed down the snake plant, roots and all.  Lightly treated the new potting soil, but I didn't see anything alive in the soil.

  I'll do the others, and if they come back...I'm done!!

[Nataliesgramma]

Sometimes if you put a clear plastic bag over the plant for a few days after you spray helps too.....