I have little gnats on my plants. I posted once before about this, but they never went away. I was told to stop watering them for a while and when the plant went dry, the bugs would leave. Is there some kind of pesticide that I can buy at Wal-Mart that won't kill my plants? I live in an area w/ limited gardening resources, so I pretty much have to buy from Wal-Mart.
weedgrl
Get yourself a few of those sticky fly strip thingys. That should do the trick ;)
need the weed21
Hey thanks, that's a good idea to start out with.
Great Avatar huh?
4Q2
sticky traps will aid in contro;ing the adult population, but won't help much with the larvae, which cause the damage. If you can't find Damaecious(sp)Earth, a layer of playground sand about an inch deep, on top of your soil, and keep it dry.
fungus gnats commonly damage plants. Larvae of these flies feed on roots, thus stunting plant growth. Root damage can occur in interior plantscapes and in houseplants if high populations infest moist, organic-rich soil. Fungus gnat larval damage can be especially serious in greenhouses, nurseries, and sod farms. In addition to larvae chewing on roots, both larvae and adults can spread plant pathogens and may promote disease in commercial crops.
trillions of atoms
Use a fork to till the top layer of soil 1 to 2 inches down.... dont water plant(s) as frequently. i use clear tupperware of distilled vinegar with some yellow dye in it. This helps with odor and also attracts the lil buggars to their death. the tilling of the soil get extra oxygen into the soil, killings the gnats eggs...thus exterminating the infestation. Also put a fan blowing on the plants , this will help air the soil out and streghten plants stem and root system.
CanadianConnection
well if your still not near harvest time then pick up some insecticidle soap.. mix as recommended and saturate the soil in the pot. Then mix some more and spray down the plant. Ideally let it sit for at least an hour or two and then give the plant a good flushing .. the shower always works nice for this if the plant is not too big...
Steve O
well there is a thread in the FAQ about home-made pesticides, but i would also suggest a saucer full of vinegar around your plants, beer works well too(not only on slugs)
4Q2
Posted on: 8:26 pm on July 16, 2005
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Posted on 3:16 pm on Dec. 20, 2005 well if your still not near harvest time
trillions of atoms
this post was made over 5 months ago!
Steve O
lol i didnt even notice!!! LOL
lol dan posted before me and it refreshed the thread... lol...
