are gnats a problem?

[Minion s1]

there are some gnats that have started infesting the soil i'm trying to start my seeds in.

are they a problem?
and how would i go about getting rid of these annoying things?

 

[ashrikala]

You can get some yellow sticky paper and stick it in the soil with your plants. Gnats will get stuck and be like, "omg, HALP!" gg: You: 1 Gnats: 0

Make your own! http://www.ehow.com/how_9839_make-own-yellow.html

Then take those and take a wooden chopstick and make a little paddle and place near plants. Should work. As for whether gnats are a problem or not, I personally don't like them because they bug. nyuk nyuk. Don't think they really do much harm? I could be wrong, but better safe than sorry my mom always says. GL HF!

 

[origamiRN]

Most likely, they are fungus gnats. They do not do serious damage to the plant, they are just annoying. Besides the sticky yellow gnat traps, I also recommend GNATROL or some similar other product. It contains fungus gnat specific nemotodes that ingest the FG eggs and larvae in the soil. It can be hard to find, but is worthwhile to control the problem.

 

[AlabamaJack]

try sprinkling a little corn meal on the surface of the plants...the corn gluten will take care of the fungus thus the gnats will be gone...

 

[scottp]

Actually, fungus gnats feed on the roots. Too much water and or a plant outdoor in container is usually the case. Nematodes will feed on the gnat larvae and is a fairly sure way to rid them. Usually the gnats only dwell 3-4" in the soil. Long term, your plant will undergo stress and could actually die.

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