I get asked this question A LOT!! How do I Get Rid Of Fungus Gnats? They are one of the MOST annoying pests. The good thing is, unlike other infestations, I have successfully rid my plants and home of gnats! With my step by step instructions and suggested products, you’ll be on the road to gnat free in no time!
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Fungus gnats are small, dark, flying gnats. They are attracted to the damp soil of your houseplants. They are able to lay hundreds of eggs in the soil within their one week life span. Once the larva hatches, they begin to feed on the fungal matter. They also feed on the roots of your plants which is what really causes the plant harm.
Let’s get rid of Fungus Gnats!
You’ll need:
- Fresh soil
- Sink or hose to rinse plant off
- Bonide Systemic Insect Control
- Gnat Nix or Horticulture Sand
- Yellow Sticky Traps
First Step
Pull the infested plant out of the pot. Rinse all of the soil and roots as much as possible with room temperature water, and dispose of the old soil!
Second Step
Wash the pot out with hot water and a drop of dish soap. Clean the inside thoroughly to ensure all organic matter is gone.
Third Step
Pot the plant back in the pot with new soil. Use Bonide Systemic Insect control in the soil, as directed.
Fourth Step
Place a thin layer of Gnat Nix or Horticulture Sand on top of the soil. This is optional but it prevents the adult flies from being able to penetrate the soil and lay more eggs. I think it’s a good idea, especially if you have a lot of gnats flying around your home. Often times, if you have them, they have infested more than one plant, and you’ll have more than you know.
Fifth Step
Use yellow sticky traps to catch the adults. You may think there are just a few but before you know it, those traps will be full!
TIPS
- Allow your soil to dry out as much as possible. Especially in the winter.
- As soon as you see even one gnat, try to identify which plant has the problem and quarantine it from the rest of your plants. Always keep plants with pests quarantined from the rest!
- Use Bonide Systemic Insect Control every three months, as directed, to prevent pests from happening in the first place.
- When you bring a new plant home, always quarantine the plant for 1-2 weeks. This gives you time to examine it for hitch hikers. Then use Bonide in the soil before adding the plant to your collection.
- If you are unable to repot your plant for some reason, start at THIRD STEP with adding the Bonide.
Now give it some time. The adults fungus gnats need to die off and the Bonide needs to start working. I’ve done these exact steps many times before and they really work well!
Hopefully this was helpful for you. There’s nothing I hate more than pests in my plants! YUCK! Now you have the knowledge to get rid of fungus gnats! As always, I’m just a DM away on Instagram! Let me know if you have any more questions!
I received this EXACT advice (down to the Bonide product) from my local garden center. And it definitely works! I chose not to use the gnat nix, but between the Systemic Insect Control and the sticky strips, most of my fungus gnats are gone. It’s also helpful to let the plant dry out a bit, if it can stand it, as the gnats need moist soil to lay their eggs.
That’s so cool! It took a lot of trial and error for me! Glad to be able to share now!
Nice things to observe
If you can get them, try Nematodes (.Steinernema feltiae) They’re small parasites you can buy by the millions and you mix them with water and give alle plants a good dose. They will infiltrate all larvae of the fungus gnats and kill off any offspring that way. I use this in combination with the yellow sticky traps and it works like a charm.
Great advice, I just found gnats for the first time and will be doing this tonight! Question, do you think it makes sense to repot in the same nursery pot, or should I go up a size if i’m already repotting? This happened to my large monstera, and I’m wondering if we should move to a larger pot while it’s alredy undergoing the stress? Thanks in advance!
Fungal gnats were the bane of my existence because I had a room with 80 percent relative humidity (on purpose) but the gnats thrived in the humid air that kept soil moist longer. I try to avoid insecticides and other chemicals that get into the soil where my roots get their nutrients. I’m not knocking it or saying it’s bad or anything. It’s a personal feeling and in my day today life I don’t take medicine or anything like that. My plants and i try to find a natural and usually inexpensive solution because I’m not cheap but finding a bargain always excites me lol. Cinnamon. Cinnamon is anti fungal, proven. Sprinkle it to On soil and then I water. It rid my house of fungal gnats in 7 to 10 days, cost a dollar for cheap cinnamon and I haven’t had any in over a year. This winter will be my big test when I bring my tropical back into. My guest bedroom turned hot house and crank the humidity back up. I got rid of them last winter during that period so I’m confident I can keep them away this winter too. Ps turning my guest room into a plant room best decision. Sorry guests, but not sorry haha
That’s a good idea too!!
Hi Erin,
I’m so glad I found this on fungus gnats! I don’t have a huge infestation but I have tried reporting plants even 2-3 times and they still gnats come back. I cannot find gnat nix anywhere and I also can’t find horticulture sand. What can I use as a substitute for those that is effective as well? Would perlite work? I also use moss so that the gnats don’t lay eggs but it’s a little harder to use moss in a pot with pothos. I have also tried mosquito bits ( diluting in water per company and then using that water but some of my plants like the snake plant don’t need water but once a month, or my Zz plant. Do you have any other suggestions? Would greatly appreciate it! Thank you