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Fungus Gnats

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PepperZ

Any tips for dealing with these guys?(Indoors?)
 
I've been setting up Sticky traps for the adults which do well but doesn't solve the issue because of the eggs in the soil. The plants themselves seem to be fine and not adversely affected but the gnats are still annoying.
 
A friend suggested http://www.sodohydro.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/MLB702.jpg
 
Microbe-Lift BMC. Anyone know if it works? The label says 6 drops/100 gallons but I usually only make 5 gallons or a bit more/less when watering in the winter across all the plants. I don't want to O.D. them(If it even matters)
 
Food Grade Diatomaceous Earth – Controls larvae
Food grade diatomaceous earth is another effective treatment for fungus gnats. Diatomaceous earth (DE) is mineralized fossil dust that is both natural and non-toxic to the environment. Make sure you get food grade diatomaceous earth—not pool grade, which is not pure enough for use around food gardens and pets.
Always wear a simple dust mask when working with DE: Inhaling any kind of dust is never a good idea.
DE contains microscopic shards of silica that physically shred any insect that walks through them, therefore it will not work in hydroponic gardens. But if you mix some into the top layer of infested soil—or better yet, into your potting mix before planting—it will kill any gnat larvae (and adults) that come in contact with it, as if they were crawling through crushed glass.
 
Hydrogen Peroxide – Controls larvae
Mix one part 3% hydrogen peroxide with four parts water. Allow the top layer of your soil to dry, and then water your plants with this solution as you normally would. The soil will fizz for a few minutes after application; this is normal.
The fungus gnat larvae will die on contact with the hydrogen peroxide. After a few minutes the fizzing stops and the peroxide breaks down into harmless oxygen and water molecules. Repeat as needed.
 
Cinnamon – Controls larvae and damping off
Cinnamon powder is a natural fungicide that has been shown to be particularly effective against damping-off. It helps control fungus gnats by destroying the fungus that the larvae feed on. Only true Ceylon cinnamon, or Cinnamomum verum, will work.
Simply sprinkle enough cinnamon to form a visible layer across the top of your potting media, and repeat every few weeks, if needed. DO NOT use to control fungus gnats in worm bins as cinnamon will kill your worms. Where to find true cinnamon powder online.
 
dragonsfire said:
Food Grade Diatomaceous Earth – Controls larvae
Food grade diatomaceous earth is another effective treatment for fungus gnats. Diatomaceous earth (DE) is mineralized fossil dust that is both natural and non-toxic to the environment. Make sure you get food grade diatomaceous earth—not pool grade, which is not pure enough for use around food gardens and pets.
Always wear a simple dust mask when working with DE: Inhaling any kind of dust is never a good idea.
DE contains microscopic shards of silica that physically shred any insect that walks through them, therefore it will not work in hydroponic gardens. But if you mix some into the top layer of infested soil—or better yet, into your potting mix before planting—it will kill any gnat larvae (and adults) that come in contact with it, as if they were crawling through crushed glass.
 
Hydrogen Peroxide – Controls larvae
Mix one part 3% hydrogen peroxide with four parts water. Allow the top layer of your soil to dry, and then water your plants with this solution as you normally would. The soil will fizz for a few minutes after application; this is normal.
The fungus gnat larvae will die on contact with the hydrogen peroxide. After a few minutes the fizzing stops and the peroxide breaks down into harmless oxygen and water molecules. Repeat as needed.
 
Cinnamon – Controls larvae and damping off
Cinnamon powder is a natural fungicide that has been shown to be particularly effective against damping-off. It helps control fungus gnats by destroying the fungus that the larvae feed on. Only true Ceylon cinnamon, or Cinnamomum verum, will work.
Simply sprinkle enough cinnamon to form a visible layer across the top of your potting media, and repeat every few weeks, if needed. DO NOT use to control fungus gnats in worm bins as cinnamon will kill your worms. Where to find true cinnamon powder online.
Click to expand...
Thanks for the knowledge bombs.
 
As for DE, I recall looking it up last year for use against critters outside but was scared off when I kept seeing people talk about potentially increasing risk of cancer. Also that it had to be applied after every rain(Is that true?) Any extra input here? Thanks.
 
lol, DE is sea creatures, I used to take it orally for digestive problems, no cancer, just make sure its food grade, thats were people can have problems, just like theirs food grade peroxide and not.
 
     In my experience, Bt toxin is the way to go. I'm not sure about the preparation you linked to in the OP, though. It's made for treating water and not soil. I found some water soluble granules on Amazon a few years back made specifically for soil drenches and it worked perfectly. 2-3 applications had all my plants gnat free for the duration of their indoor life.
     You don't need to worry about sticky traps getting glue everywhere or maintaining a protective layer or sand or DE on the soil surface or killing beneficial soil microbes with H2O2. Just mix granules in water. That's it.
 
I use Microbe Lift  with 10 drops per gallon. Maybe yours is more concentrated.
 
Cinnamon on the top of the soil also works. Just make sure to water from the bottom, keeping the top part of the planter fairly dry.
 
I used some older formula Gnatrol BTi and gnatnix on the soil to keep em gone, the BTi is organic - and it destroys them fast. I never felt so good about biological warfare.
It was my last resort out of many and finally worked, tried sticky paper, just gnatnix, nothing killed em all til I released the plague - organic methods ftw.
 
FiresOfNil said:
I used some older formula Gnatrol BTi and gnatnix on the soil to keep em gone, the BTi is organic - and it destroys them fast. I never felt so good about biological warfare.
It was my last resort out of many and finally worked, tried sticky paper, just gnatnix, nothing killed em all til I released the plague - organic methods ftw.
Click to expand...
 
+1 for BTi ( Bacillus thuringiensis subsp. israelensis ).
I don't understand why many people still use chemical when BTi does the job better.
 
I've had good luck with BTI. I use the granules because you can either dissolve them in the water you use to water the plants or you can mix the granules in the soil. Either way works.
 
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