DR growgood
Well-Known Member
i need a house hold remady for gnats plz help i just notice 3 of them and i need to nip it in the bud NOW !!!!!!!
help with gnats????
- Thread starter DR growgood
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DR growgood
Well-Known Member
huh will try. you mean like beach sand?
Lil Czr
Well-Known Member
That would work just fine.
Just make sure that it's at least an inch thick but two inches doesn't hurt.
Green Floyd
Active Member
Beach sand might have critters waiting to hatch. I would buy some sand somewhere.
Nullis
Moderator
There is a downside to layering anything of a fine particle size on top of soil such as sand or diatomaceous earth: it can get nasty (especially DE), eventually washing into the soil and potentially lead to hindered air exchange and poor drainage characteristics.
Gnats will also find other places to lay eggs, such as the side and bottom drainage holes.
If you use sand perhaps it would be better to use a more granulated variety.
Sticky traps definitely help, in particular the 'Gnat-Stix' that go right into the soil but also the sticky strips that hang.
Some people set out containers (like a 2 liter bottle) full of apple cider vinegar with a drop of dish soap, which the gnats are attracted to and will become stuck in.
You could fill any size pot with some soil and keep the soil wet at all times, just don't plant anything in it. Ensure your actual plants are being watered properly. The gnats are more likely to lay their eggs in the wetter soil, which can be frequently disposed of and replaced.
Mosquito Dunks contain a strain of bacillus thuringiensis bacteria and solid toxins that the bacteria produce which can kill the larvae of very specific species of insects including mosquitos and fungus gnats. Bti is available in other forms, but the dunks are very common and can be soaked overnight in a bucket of water which can then be used to water the plants. This makes for a good preventative, especially in combination with methods listed above. For infestations it could take a couple weeks to make a significant impact.
Beneficial nematodes are another exemplary biological control that seek out and parasitize hundreds of species of soil dwelling insects, good for prevention and control. Good for using in combination with other biological controls or pesticide-free methods. The nematodes are the most expensive of all methods listed here.
Gnats will also find other places to lay eggs, such as the side and bottom drainage holes.
If you use sand perhaps it would be better to use a more granulated variety.
Sticky traps definitely help, in particular the 'Gnat-Stix' that go right into the soil but also the sticky strips that hang.
Some people set out containers (like a 2 liter bottle) full of apple cider vinegar with a drop of dish soap, which the gnats are attracted to and will become stuck in.
You could fill any size pot with some soil and keep the soil wet at all times, just don't plant anything in it. Ensure your actual plants are being watered properly. The gnats are more likely to lay their eggs in the wetter soil, which can be frequently disposed of and replaced.
Mosquito Dunks contain a strain of bacillus thuringiensis bacteria and solid toxins that the bacteria produce which can kill the larvae of very specific species of insects including mosquitos and fungus gnats. Bti is available in other forms, but the dunks are very common and can be soaked overnight in a bucket of water which can then be used to water the plants. This makes for a good preventative, especially in combination with methods listed above. For infestations it could take a couple weeks to make a significant impact.
Beneficial nematodes are another exemplary biological control that seek out and parasitize hundreds of species of soil dwelling insects, good for prevention and control. Good for using in combination with other biological controls or pesticide-free methods. The nematodes are the most expensive of all methods listed here.