Question
I have been an avid indoor plant grower for many years.  Repotted some plants about 4 weeks ago and i'm seeing the little flying look like fruit flies, it think they are gnats all flying around the newly potted plants and on the dirt.  How can I get these flying critters away from the plants? I have separated the plants with the flying bugs away from my other plants.

Answer
Hi Judith,

I am sorry to learn that you have fungus gnats. Most likely
the soil that you used when you repotted had the gnat larvae in it. I would not use it again.

Adult fungus gnats fly around and are an annoyance, but they are not harmful to people. Each gnat lives for about 5 days. The trick is to get rid of the next generation - the gnat larvae that live in the top layer of the soil. The larvae feed on decaying organic matter. Decaying pine bark in potting mixes and decaying plants roots feed the larvae. Try to keep the soil as dry as possible. Remove all loose soil from the surface and put a light layer of coarse coir (coconut husk) or sand or diatomaceous earth on the soil surface. These substances have sharp edges that carve up the larvae. (Recent studies indicate that fine-textured peat moss also deters gnat larvae.)

Another safe technique is to place ?inch slices of raw potato on the surface of the soil. After a day or so, discard the slices along with the larvae inside. Repeat this until there are no more larvae in the potato.

For more serious infestations try Knock-Out Gnats to treat fungus gnats available from Gardens Alive for about $20. See http://www.gardensalive.com/item_display.asp?ProductNumber=1962

Detection trick: Add a little water to the soil and then look very closely for tiny fungus gnat larvae swimming in the water as it pools on the surface. You need good light and good eyes to see them. If you don't, then your plant is probably gnat free.

Prevention is often the best remedy. Use sterile potting mixes that are free of bark chips. The potting mix should have ample drainage material, such as perlite so that it drains well and allows the soil to dry out frequently. Fungus gnats can nearly always be traced back to overwatering and/or poor soil quality.

To attract and capture the adult flying gnats, pour a little red wine into a small glass (cooking wine will work, if you don't want to waste the good stuff!) and leave it out for the day. Repeat the treatment as necessary.

Please let me know if any of this is unclear or if you have any additional questions.

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Regards,
Will Creed, Interior Landscaper
Horticultural Help, NYC

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