Hello, biochemist here, in case any one is wondering, I did a quick dive into this product and from what I can tell, this pesticide is pretty organic and safe. Basically it is crushed corn cob granules that have bacteria on it called "Bacillus thuringiensis Israelensis". This bacteria produces what is called a "pore-forming protein". Basically this pore-forming protein very specifically targets the epithelial (cells lining the organs) of the larvae. Once it attaches to the cells, it causes the cells to rupture and spill it's contents, thereby killing the larvae. Because proteins are often extremely specific to its targets, it should NOT damage the epithelial cells of humans or pets (or any other insect for that matter outside of the Dipteran Order of flies). This is basically what this bacteria already does in nature. Specific-targeting pesticides like this is the future of agriculture and hobby plantcare.
Bt is great stuff, it's very safe for anything that's not insect larvae. Even adult insects, which is great because it won't hurt bees & other beneficials.
@M.C. my only issue with liquid bti is the shelf life. Ppl have said liquid bti only lasts less than a year. Under the right conditions, such as low moisture, many bacteria will form spores, which allows them to last many years, even decades. So unless you're planning to use it on a large field, I would not get the liquid form. Those are in their normal bacteria form, and will last only as long as there are still nutrients in the liquid. Then most of them will die. Some of them will form spores once the nutrients run out, but then you might as well buy the dry formula, which has a high concentration of spore form bacteria
Lol I feel you on this. I opened a new bag of soil last night and immediately all of these flying gnats came out of the new bag of soil!! And I now I have read that majority of all soil comes with larvae 🤦🏽♀️
After trying to rid myself of these pests, I finally decided to quit raising plants and become a gnat farmer instead. Just pots with dirt all over the place. Great yields. They make cute pets too.
I read in an old farmers almanac to use a piece of fabric and rubber band it to the pot, so you block the drain holes from the fungus gnats, but the pot still drains. I love it!
Thank you! Very useful information. One comment - it was almost 7min till you started discussing the actual solution which almost led me to click away.
Hi Ashley, i use mosquito bits also but with cold water. I have heard that hot water will kill most of the good bacteria and not be as effective. Also top watering when you use the product will allow the tea to saturate all the soil, not just what is pulled up from the bottom. Hope this helps.
I've been using this method religiously for 2 months with cool water. I water all my houseplants with it every 7-10 days. I let the bags soak for at least 30 minutes. Along with the sticky things, it has killed almost all of the knats. But I still see a pesky one or two around. I hope they eventually disappear.
The cheapest, easiest and organic way to combat fungus gnats is using "neem cake" which does come in a powder. Simply mix it in your potting mix or if your plants are already potted, mix a couple spoons of it into the top of your pot. Neem cake is the husks left over from the neem oil production. It's a natural 100% organic pesticide and also a fertiliser. Been used in India for thousands of years. I added it to my plants 2 years ago during a huge fungus gnat explosion (my 1 bed apartment looks like a horror movie, gnats all over the walls and ceilings 🤮). The neem powder fixed it and I've been gnat free ever since. I always add some whenever I'm making up new potting mix as standard additive 🙌🏼🙏🏼
Do you think its ok for veggies and edibles. I have gnats out in the garden and really would love a solution. Ive watched videos and they say not to use it on edibles and it doesn't say anything about using it on edibles on the bottom (this is the liquid neem). Would love any help :)
Breaking up the mosquito _dunks_ , by the same brand, into quarters and throwing them in my regular watering can avoids the issue of the bits clogging up the spout or getting moldy on the surface of the soil. You do have to let it soak in the water overnight before use but they last a month at the minimum, are reusable and I add a little neem oil right before each watering. I lightly top water (but not drench) since eggs tend to be near the top layer, but somebody pointed out that when you've let the top of the soil dry out, the eggs will go deeper to find moist soil. So I then bottom water to make sure they don't breed at the drainage holes either. It's working great and I haven't had to use sticky traps for the adults. Neem spray kills the adults and BTI kills the eggs.
I too make Mosquito Bits tea. I use a coffee filter, put a capful in it, fold it and staple closed. I do fill up the watering can 3 times to fill up a gallon container. Then I water my plants as normal. Fungus Gnats are pretty smart. I find I have to do more than one thing to get rid of them. 1.) Moisture meter 2.) Only water when plants are dry 3.) Bottom watering for plants that have FG'S 4.) Spray new plants and soil with Neem oil, peppermint soap, alcohol and water spray 5.) Spray the top of the soil everytime you water your plants 6.) Apple cider traps 7.) Yellow sticky traps 8.) Bonide systemic granulars 9.) Sprinkle cinnamon on top of the soil 10.) Aerate the soil with a small rake or chopstick 11.) Hydrogen peroxide drenches Hope that helps, Gerry HPEteacher 😎
I’m a pest controller (fungus gnats not normally on the job list) and I got a fungus gnat job last week, this video has helped me understand a bit about treatments for these little beggars. Thanks
I water my plants with a solution of 3 to 4 drops of alcohol to 1 quart of water. It kills the larvae if they ever get started. It has not hurt the plants. Bananas from the grocery store brings them in un-noticed. New plants from the nurseries also brings them in. I have used the alcohol method for 40 years with great results.
I’ve had the same issue when growing my vegetable sidling indoor because most of the potting soil contains peat moss and that’s where the eggs live like forever. So, before planting anything new, I put the potting mix in a large container with drain holes (outdoors of course) and fill it up with boiling water then allow it to drain and cool before using it to plant. You might have to add some nutrients to your newly potted plant after it has acclimated to its environment. That has eliminated my issues with them little critters
Aaaaaaaagh! Wish I had seen this before I planted my seed starts indoors. I got some potting soil with peat moss at the store and mixed with some of that coconut fiber seed starting stuff. Fungus gnats everywhere. Grrrrr. Thanks for the tip.
@@christina6532 just remember to let it cook completely before starting your seeds. And add some nutrients to the soils after (liquid fish emulsion works great but just ensure you dilute it (2 tablespoons or less per gallon) The seedlings will use the nutrients once they sprout.
Thank you so much. I was ready to throw out all of my plants when I found this video. It took me approximately five months to get rid of them using the fly traps and the mosquito bites! I have been rid of them now for two months.
I wouldn’t throw out. Just restart the growth by propagating. You can also wash all the roots and just place them in water. They grow fine and fungus gnats need soil.
I'm so grateful to have found your video. I've had fungus gnats for 3 months. I've tried fly paper, neem oil spray, Natria spray with pyrethrins, diatomaceous earth, cinnamon, bowls of sweetened vinegar, peroxide soaks, and combinations of these and while they reduced the numbers, they didn't eliminate the pesky little bugs. I'm praying that your treatment works and I'm trying it in the next week. I'll post back here with my results. I ordered the mosquito bits, filter nets, and sticky pot inserts. Thanks SO much! And I love your cute saying that you started the video with. It's SO true!
I use a gallon jug and gallon pitcher. Fill the jug with warm water and 2-3 Tbsp of Bits. Shake well and allow to sit 24 hrs, shaking occasionally. No need for bags, just use a strainer and pour into the pitcher. 3-4 treatments, works like a charm! Non toxic, run the pitcher and strainer through the dishwasher and save the jug for next time.
Yes, wow I have been doing this for years. I put a mesh bag filled with mosquito bits that I always keep in my watering can and sometimes for new plants will plop a few bits in top of the soil. I saw the thumbnail and was like OMG I’m not alone!!
I swear by this mthod. Saved my sanity. I us a milk jug to mix mine and let it sit 24 hrs. I do water from the top when doing treatments since the eggs and larva are in the upper soil of the pot.
Ty so much ur video helped me save my plants my family wanted me to get rid of my plants! gladly I found ur video & saved my plants can't be more thankful 😊
Thanks. Though I wish I had looked at the comments before watching the video. I already the mosquito bites. I will try her technique. Hopefully, it works as I have a number of plants in my home and my husband is getting impatient with having gnats around.
I switched to a lot of my indoor plants to a mixture of Mother Earth Coco + Perlite, orchid bark, charcoal, and more perlite. I've used ground cinnamon for the plants that are still in soil.
How did your plants do without the actual soil? I did this same thing, and it seems all of my plants wilted, and turned yellow. I am so distraught because I have spent hundreds on plants, and not many are left.
I eventually bought seed starter mesh planting bags on Amazon that I cut open and placed on bottom of all my pots and then filled with soil. They allow the water/air to drain through but don’t get moldy and they work amazing for keeping the fungus gnats from getting into the drain holes which is half the battle in my opinion.
@@FluffballKitties You don't want to use anything that will break down or decay. I recommend stainless steel mesh for long term use/reuse. If you want to go for cost you can get the mesh screening used for screen doors/windows. It comes in bulk and won't break down. It's also easier to cut and work with than stainless. As a side note, it's far from new technology but I recommend putting a layer of LECA clay pellets at the bottom of pots when appropriate. This creates a false bottom than allows excess water to drain below the bottom of whatever kind of soil you use. I put the pellets first, then the mesh, then well-draining soil with some lump wood charcoal or activated carbon (about 1/6 of your overall soil volume) to filter your soil and provide ready carbon for plant growth. Now if I can just stop the cycle with these knats.
Best way to get rid of gnats in house plants: 1. Repot with new soil (even in existing pot). Throw the soil in a garbage bag and seal tightly, to dispose of eggs, larva and junior gnats in the soil. 2. Spray roots with Garden Safe Insecticidal Soap. Make sure to spray in the remaining soil on the roots. 3. Refill pot with new soil, making about 1.5 inches for room on the top of soil for sand. 4. Add a thick layer of 1.5” - 2” of sand. Pat down to keep it tightly packed. 5. Water the plant. If sand moves to expose soil, add more sand at the top. I tried everything and couldn’t get rid of gnats in my plants, until I tried this method with sand. This worked, no more gnats going on 2 months. Gnats can’t dig into tightly packed sand, nor can larvae or gnats crawl up through the sand if packed tightly.
Sorry about that. Use horticulture sand. You should be able to buy it at any garden or home improvement store that sells plants. Make sure to put at least 2” of horticulture sand over the top soil. Horticulture sand is made up of very fine grains of sand. 😊
@@curleygurlie If it’s horticulture sand, yes. For new plants, I suggest letting the sprouts come up first before adding sand & packing it. Keep those plants somewhere else away from other plants that could have gnats in the soil. Horticulture sand is extremely fine grains. I hope this helps.
Hi Ashley from the UK. The opening really resonated with me because I've been plagued by FG since I re-visited growing citrus trees. I've cooked my soil, added lava rock, added lava rock and big rocks, Not watered, over watered, under watered and actually killed one of my orange trees in the process. I've spent more money than I'd want to in changing the soil and then have my partner bring in new plants with infected soil......Seriously peed me off! And finally I found the state secret that is this bacteria we find in Mosquito Bits or Mosquito Chunks. I bought the latter the other day on the 'net. Down on my knees and hands clasped, I say thank you for your video and your instructions of how to make and use it. Mosquito chunk/bits needs a new publicity dude/dudess. Cheers.
You’re sharing all this great info, but I’m having trouble paying attention at some points because I am admiring your gorgeous plants in the background!
Thank you so much! We have tried almost everything so I am definitely going to try your method. We also found that most of the time the gnats are already in the potting soil when you buy it because it’s obviously impossible to keep them out of it. We have started treating the soil before planting. We also dump out the soil in a container and let it dry out before using it.
Going to try this. When I first used the bits years ago, I got annoyed the bits wouldn't dissolve. Then I saw Harli G. Sprinkle them on top. NOW I am going to use this net trick. Thank you so much
Additional improvement for more even coverage of the top of the soil bed .. after making and filtering the tea, apply it with either plant mister or pump canister sprayer, rather than a watering can, because you need to saturate the entire soil column diameter to a depth of several inches, in order to soak/kill all the larvae present.
I just came back to give like to your video and to let you all know that this WORKS! after fighting with this gnats for almost two years this worked after to watering my plants twice.
I own an indoor plant store, I'm just getting ready to open and got hit with these gnats. I've taken care of plants and accounts for years and never had a problem with them. Thank you I'm glad I found your video going to try it today. I can't open if I have an infestation! I'll let you know how it goes thanks.
Thank you for your tip, I am going to try. It's my second time of repotting my house plants, One of which I've had for many generations, and never had this problem before, and then it started when I brought new potting compost. Will try and get back to you with the results
Thanks for this video! Clear sticky traps work very well too and you can’t see them. I cut a strip into smaller pieces and placed them on top of the soil, and they trapped hundreds in my Christmas Cactus. Waiting for mail carrier to deliver Mosquito bits. Love your plant shelf.
I have this problem too and did the sugar water with soap in a small dish next to a pot that was swarming with gnats. Overnight there was literally 100 or more gnats in the dish. Its cheap and simple and pretty effective so anyone reading the comments, give it a go!
Then your problem was fruit flies.... as this does not work for fungus gnats... two completely different species that look similar.. please don't confuse the two
I noticed in the comments that some folks couldn't get the bits, so this is for anyone that can't. You can use a bacillus thuringiensis product that usually comes in liquid form found at any good garden center/grow shop or online. Usually you can find a concentrated product that'll allow you to treat multiple gallons of water so it'll last for bit while you experiment with which strength works best in your case!
Thank you dearest. I’m ordering both items right now. Thank GOD for ‘smart’ plant lovers willing to share tips & tricks. One of these days I’m gonna have something ‘smart’ to share! Lol. 👍
Hey guys! I am also in the process of getting rid of annoying gnats in my new plants. I recommend isolating your plants from your other plants (this may be obvious to all you plant lovers already), and then mixing 1/4 cup of mosquito bits in a 1-gallon jug and letting it sit/absorb for 24 hrs. From there I just water my plants like I normally do and then put sticky traps in the plants so that they can catch the adult gnats. Since the mosquito bits primarily just kill the larvae and not the grown gnats. Hope this helps!!
I've noticed they definitely don't kill the grown up bugs I'm dealing with a pretty rough infestation myself not to the point where they're killing my plants but it's definitely rough I've got sticky traps and everything I've been watering with bt tea, but I've been battling for quite some time been using the bit tea for about 2 months and still have quite a problem and I also just brought in three new plants from my mom because she was dealing with the same problem came from a soil we got from a dispensary. Hopefully this problem clears up soon.
Hi! I begin an explanation of my process at 6:18. UPDATE: Top water when using the treatment. I hope this video helps with pesky fungus gnats. In the first part of the video I share information about fungus gnats, why they become a problem, their breeding cycle, and some prevention/treatment options. Thank you for watching! Don’t forget to leave your tips below. :) xoxo -Ashley
Cant wait to try it. I brought a bag of miracle grow and didnt check it. Now i see the critters walking in the dirt. 😠 i tried neem oil also the peroxide .i guess it kept them undercontrol. I want them gone. Thank for this video.
@Plant Life with Ashley Anita Thanks for the video! I ordered the mesh bags from your link. One question for you, can these mesh bags be washed and reused? If so, what do i wash them with. Thanks again!
I use a larvaside made for ponds. Super easy, 2 drops per gallon of water. 100% success. Best thing I've used in my over 25 or so years of plants. Much easier than mosquito bit tea
I had a box of tea filter bags that I use for my loose leaf teas. It fits 4 tablespoons of the mosquitoe bits perfectly. Thanks for the easy recipe and solution. Just trying it and hoping it works. I only have 4 plant starts that was given to me from a friend and I told her that she needs to treat her plants as well because she has a gnat problem. I shared your instructions/recipe with her.
Yes mosquito bits are the key to controlling fungus gnats, I like your tips on making the tea. I've been sprinkling them into my soil mixture every time I make it and haven't had any issues, but I think using this tea method on the plants that don't need to be repotted will be a good idea to keep the issues under control!
@@MikeTV1987don't know. Call your country extension office in your state and ask. I will have to get around to asking that myself. But I think it is safe. BT is used on veggies in the garden and safe for veggies there
If you have new plants, all you need to do is top dress with some nice fine sand. 1/4 to 1/2 inch is what is needed. The life cycle of the fungus gnats is 14 days. Once you top dress with SAND (rocks or pebbles wont work since the wiley little buggers can burrow past those larger items) then only water from the bottom once the soil is totally dry. GET A SOIL MOISTURE TESTER! Keeps you from watering when its not needed and over watering then causing MORE gnats. Also if you water from the bottom, the fungus gnats will start using the bottoms as access points. My hubby tried the Bit Tea and it basically over watered the plants and killed them so im not a fan. I got rid of my gnats (we had them for MONTHS cuz we kept giving them moist dirt to burrow into) simply by top dressing EVERY PLANT with sand, making sure to get it around the edges of the post and around the stems of your plants. Those gnats are sneaky and will get in anyway they can. Then I tested the moisture of my plants and they were dry all the way to the bottom, I then bottom watered them. Once they have drank what they need and drip dry about an hour, I immediately placed each one in a tray with enuf sand in it to cover the bottom of the pot. This suffocated all the babies trying to emerge from the root buffet and kept adults from finding ANY dirt to procreate in. The tea never worked for us and it killed most of my brand new, repotted babies, yet the sand did work well, as inexpensive, colorful and it happens to look very nice in the pots👍 I hope this helps someone out there
@@lauriescholes5690 Thanks for sharing. I have a big strawberry tower being attacked by fugus gnats. It's tricky to bottom water strawberry plants in a tower. Do you think simply dressing the top of the pots with nice fine sand but still watering from the above wiil help?
@jessicaevans4206 put a drip tray under your plant, pot will have holes in bottom for draining, just pour water into tray and let plant suck up water from the drain holes
I used clingfilm to cover the soil in my plant pot & then covered the clingfilm with sand.. it stopped the larva from getting out & the flies from laying more eggs!? I then started to water the plants from the bottom but not enough to rot the roots 🙏🏽 If anything changes I'll update you xx
A mix of fine and coarse Sand mixed with a Little cinnamon works the BEST ~ literally 1/2” of sand on top of the soil = fungus gnat issues GONE only thing thing had eliminate them.
I tried this and 1/2 my plants flipped out, it was like it sucked the moisture out of the stems i don't understand so I'm scared of this now! I also found issues with cinnamon, ppl saying to sprinkle it fairly thick and I found plants rotted with the cinnamon even if it killed the fungus... if you have any advice on how to use these affectively please I want to know.
Best Method so far including , tge lead from Pencils when u sharpen. Builders Sand mixed with Ground Cinamon . I also have 1 pot of Venus Fly traps on each window Sill per 10 house plants
Saw your comment and thought I would share this with you. Usually epsom salt is used in plants that has leaves starting to turn yellow due to lack of nutrients. It’s adds magnesium. If your soil is not old and your plants are nice and green no need to add epsom. The ratio I use if you need it is 1 to 2 TBLS per gallon of water. I have not seen anywhere that it kills gnats. Hope you plants are doing good, maybe the ones you grow love extra magnesium, I grow African Violets and have over 200.
Liked the video!!! I agree a barrier on top of soil really helps too. I bought a cheap bag of play sand and put an inch on top of soil in each indoor pot. This did away with them 100 %
Hey there! Yes! I’ve been fighting with the gnats since the beginning of last spring and it’s been such a hassle! I heard about using a different product called mosquito dunks and I just added it to the rain barrel where I collect water for my plants and it did make a difference but you know it just did not completely get rid of the problem. I am definitely going to use the hot water method and I am SO hoping this gets rid of the problem completely. And after that, no more new plants are coming into my green room, I’m going to just have to hold back and keep any new babies in quarantine for the first couple weeks. I get so excited when there is a new one and I want to see them all together but that has to stop. I kept thinking I got rid of those evil little bugs but then I probably brought new ones in and started the cycle all over again. So glad I found this video, thanks soooo much!!
I am bringing potted plants into a room I am now using as a grow room and I am sure I will be dealing with these buggers. Have them in my house plants. I have heard about the bits and dunks. Rain barrels may just need more dunks. My rain barrels are full now so when I find those dunks they WILL go into my barrels.
yes, the yellow butterflies sticky pads are working great. I just sprinkled the mosquito repellent bits on top of my plant pots to cover the soil so when I water them , it can soak in. I have about 30 small plants and one large geranium. The geranium still has them, but it is more manageable it now. So not perfect, but good enough for my situation, hope this helps! @@randimayes560
Yellow sticky paper, sand on top ,organic spray I found on amazon along with a fan on low. Found it helps soil dry and adults don't seem to like the wind. When I moved fan out they came back.now my plants have their own fan!
Bottom feeding keeps the top soil dry & that's what u want...I wld bottom feed ,it does go up to the larve..they lay their eggs no more then 2 in down..
If you water from the top, it will get to the larve that are only a couple inches down. If you water from the bottom, the plants are getting water via their roots, it's not going to get the soil very wet if it's 12" or deeper to reach that larve at the top. BUT watering in both places could take care of any gnats in the water that have gathered in the trays and the larve at the top of the soil.
I get rid of fungus gnats totally simply by layering about an inch and a half of fine sand on the surface of the growing medium in each planter. Bottom water with the planter sitting in a drip tray trying not to over water to the extent the sand gets wet and that’s it. Fungus gnats will not lay eggs in moist fine sand - end of problem - little expense.
Just started using it 2 weeks ago and there’s already a huge difference 🥰 Love the idea of the bags! I had been putting the tea in a 1L bottle and cutting an X in the lid so it catches the bits but I’m going to have try it! I’m also a Sagittarius ♐️
When I first encountered these on my gem cacti they killed them. I tried neem oil and hydrogen peroxide and neither worked for me well enough. Later, when I started growing tomatoes and saw them coming back, I was agitated. I didn't want my tomato plant to die too. Then someone recommended cinnamon. I thought, why the hell not, my plant is dying anyway. It worked! I sprinkled cinnamon all over the top soil and around the stems. Just enough that you could tell it was there, but not a thick layer. Slowly but surely the pests dwindled and my plant sprung up and has been thriving ever since. I don't currently have any issues anymore, but when I do I might just try this method out.
I do the tea and bottom water. My question is Do I need to spray the top of my pots every time I water my plants? And how long do I have to treat the top of the pots? I’ve been using 1 part hydrogen peroxide to 5 parts water. Is alcohol better than hydrogen peroxide Thank you so much for all and everyone’s help!! ❤❤
You only mentioned it breifly, but it really works really well is Cinnamon. I sprinkled it on the soil and they were GONE, packed their bags and left, success. I love it!
I had a huge infestation of fungus gnats. I tried neem oil and it only killed the adults when directly sprayed. Then I applied the mosquito bits on top of the soil (I made zero tea) and the gnat population was reduced by 95% in two weeks.
I’m excited to find your channel and this video! Thank you! I’ve sprayed the adults with a mixture of Dawn dish soap and water and that doesn’t kill them, and tried the hydrogen peroxide mixed with water to water the plant and still have tons of gnats! I’m excited to see how this works! Thank you!!
I just recovered from a huge fungus gnat infestation... I used cinnamon powder, peroxide and final I used some powdered pesticide... my husband was over the gnats flying around and threatened to throw out my plants 🪴🙃😳😐😅
Works for me! I happened to come across this video, because I'm always searching for good plant videos. I have rain barrels and only use rain water for all my plants, both indoor and outdoor. My goal this past summer was to get rid of mosquitoes around my house with mosquito bits. I followed other RUclipsrs and placed bits in my barrels at the end of spring, while maintaining my same plant watering routine. Now, I have lots and lots of houseplants, and have had many of them for at least 8+ years now. Just love them! I've always had problems with fungus gnats, and never really knew how to get rid of them completely. Since I've been using my rain water with mosquito bits, I didn't notice until around mid-summer that there were no more gnats. That's right! I don't have them anymore. So that's when I started thinking that it had to be the bits that was keeping them away. And there hasn't been a fungus gnat around my houseplants since. So that's why I have to agree, that it does work. Unfortunately, it didn't work on mosquitoes the same though. They're still running rampant and eating us up. lol!
Thanks for sharing this. I've struggled with fungus gnats a lot this year. I tried sprinkling the bits and mixing in the top layer, with so-so results. Your tea method makes total sense. I'll try it. Thanks!
@@Angelskris333 Not for me. It did seem to reduce the numbers for a few days. I tried using this method twice, once using hot water out of the tap, and once using warm water. When that failed, I tried layering an inch of mosquito bits over the top and watered over it several times. That didn't work either.
@@pepperdactyl Thanks for replying back. I don’t want to get rid of my plants but I’m so annoyed by the gnats! I sprayed neem spray a few days ago & put sticky traps & it has improved, today I water my plants with the mosquito bites tea. I see a lot less flies Did you finally get rid of the gnats?
Hi Ashley! Fellow Sagittarius here! I’ve been on the battleground with fungus gnats many times. On my first encounter I actually had a plant nursery worker tell me that they wouldn’t hurt my plants. WRONG! They got so bad that my dogs and cat were even getting annoyed! I’ve tried just about everything - nematodes, ground glass on top and in the soil, peroxide, traps, most everything. I recently had just heard about using cinnamon. The info I’d gotten about cinnamon was that you couldn’t use just regular cinnamon - it had to be a special, organic kind. I didn’t have any on hand and what cinnamon I did have I needed. So, I tried what I considered the next best thing which was ground cloves. I had a plant that was SO infested that a swarm of gnats amassed when I moved the plant. I literally sat there and squished a bunch of the little buggers! Then I sprinkled the clove. Lo and behold, fungus gnats detest clove! Any surface that had clove on it the gnats would not touch down on. I HOPE clove isn’t bad for my plants, is it?? Then, I watered my plants with a 50/50 solution of peroxide and water and I put up the yellow sticky traps. So far so good. For good measure I used one of those electric prods that my Dad would stick in the ground to encourage worms to come out of dirt. My prediction was that the larvae would show their ugly faces and I would kill them! That didn’t happen. BUT, I did notice a marked reduction in gnats after 3 days so I wonder if I electrocuted the tiny demons! My next step, and hopefully the final nail in the coffin will be the tea you mentioned. I bought mosquito dunks which I think are just bigger versions of the bits that you use! Thank you for your wisdom and your happy spirit! This got pretty long so I’ll end here by saying I’m looking forward to following your channel!
1- this story is one of the most dramatic comments I’ve ever read on RUclips 2- it’s comforting to know I’m not alone in my desperate battle against fungus gnats 🥹 I’d love to see an update on how this worked long term ❤️
I hope the ground clove won't kill my veggies I'm growing in my kitchen window....trying it. Anyone know??? Wanted only safe to eat gnat killer. Thank you!
I love this method too! If you just sprinkle the bits on top of the soil, they look fuzzy like mold after a little and this is definitely the only way I treat fungus gnats(along with the yellow sticky traps)
Hey Ashley, I love the passion, and the gorgeous plant wall 👍 fungus gnats are invading the world... I tried a chemical that works like mosquito bits, eventually they come back... I tried camomile tea to kill the fungus... I also tried cinnamon, my flat smelled gorgeous for weeks on end... and then I tried garlic tea, my flat smelled like an Italian pizza restaurant... i tried watering less often, but my plants were suffering more... nothing worked. I live in a ground floor flat, with a huge lawn surrounding the house, lots of little streams in my area, the UK is known for sometimes having the 4 seasons in one day, and when it rains - it rains lol It doesn't help that I work in a garden centre and constantly bring plants home, mostly rescues. The last count was 350 house plants months ago. Then I thought, before I buy the mosquito bits (its expensive stuff) I buy a drossera capensis = instant results. Now it migrates around my flat until my propagations have come to fruition... Fungus gnats are now welcome in my flat, I have a thriving drosera and everytime I go to other garden centres I look to see if there is a different drossera... I rather buy plants! What your video did was give me the confidence that if in the winter this gets out of hand, I will get mosquito bits, but hopefully by then I'll have a better carnivorous plant collection to protect my family of plants in my flungle (=flat+jungle) 👍🥰
I can see where this would take care of the adults, but the larvae that eats roots would not be affected until they are adults, and the damage is already done. Do you find this to be true?
@@beckyboopz1 By accident I have been neglecting my houseplants a bit ... its been great gardening weather and I get so tired that I tend to fuss less about my houseplants ... and they dried out a bit more than usual, meaning the larvae would dry out. I still see the odd fungus gnat, but not on a daily basis. I agree that even if we kill the adults, the larvae remain, it looks like watering a little less for a period worked for me and I kindda am trying to keep that routine. On a different note, I bought a couple of those reed oil diffusers - lavender - cos I liked the smell, and I have no flying insects in my home ... could that work to prevent fungus gnats from coming in the house? Interesting thought - we shall see.
HI Ashley--thanks for this! Last time I had fungus gnats I ended up baking all the soil and repotting. It worked but AY YI YI! Blew a weekend. I'm going to be trying the Mosquito Bits thing. I made sure I ordered everything through your links so you get your cut 😀 SO WORTH IT (if it works, which I'm hopeful it will!). Also subscribed and liked.
![Seungmin "그렇게, 천천히, 우리(As we are)" | [Stray Kids : SKZ-PLAYER]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/kAzmhLHePqU/mqdefault.jpg)
Hello, biochemist here, in case any one is wondering, I did a quick dive into this product and from what I can tell, this pesticide is pretty organic and safe. Basically it is crushed corn cob granules that have bacteria on it called "Bacillus thuringiensis Israelensis". This bacteria produces what is called a "pore-forming protein".
Basically this pore-forming protein very specifically targets the epithelial (cells lining the organs) of the larvae. Once it attaches to the cells, it causes the cells to rupture and spill it's contents, thereby killing the larvae. Because proteins are often extremely specific to its targets, it should NOT damage the epithelial cells of humans or pets (or any other insect for that matter outside of the Dipteran Order of flies). This is basically what this bacteria already does in nature.
Specific-targeting pesticides like this is the future of agriculture and hobby plantcare.
Thank you!!!
Fascinating! Truly very interesting, I'm a gardener and this is innovate information! I love where this could go! Thank you for sharing! :)
Bt is great stuff, it's very safe for anything that's not insect larvae. Even adult insects, which is great because it won't hurt bees & other beneficials.
Thank you so much for sharing this information.
@M.C. my only issue with liquid bti is the shelf life. Ppl have said liquid bti only lasts less than a year. Under the right conditions, such as low moisture, many bacteria will form spores, which allows them to last many years, even decades. So unless you're planning to use it on a large field, I would not get the liquid form. Those are in their normal bacteria form, and will last only as long as there are still nutrients in the liquid. Then most of them will die. Some of them will form spores once the nutrients run out, but then you might as well buy the dry formula, which has a high concentration of spore form bacteria
6:35 is where she actually starts saying what she does
THANK YOU
Too late. After 7:39 I have lost the will to live.
I wish there was a way to go back in time. About 7:41 will do.
Thanks for sharing 🙏🏽🤔😐
Omg thank you...
Thank you!!!! I prefer videos that get straight to the point not chatting like blogs.
Thank you! My next step was to burn the house down to get rid of these nightmarish bugs. I will hold off and try your method first!!🤯
LOL
😂😂😂😂😂😂
🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
OMG soooo true 😂💕
Lol I feel you on this. I opened a new bag of soil last night and immediately all of these flying gnats came out of the new bag of soil!! And I now I have read that majority of all soil comes with larvae 🤦🏽♀️
After trying to rid myself of these pests, I finally decided to quit raising plants and become a gnat farmer instead. Just pots with dirt all over the place. Great yields. They make cute pets too.
Haha this is the best comment
😂😂
Oh god
Love your reply!!
🤣🤣🤣
I read in an old farmers almanac to use a piece of fabric and rubber band it to the pot, so you block the drain holes from the fungus gnats, but the pot still drains. I love it!
Thank you! Very useful information. One comment - it was almost 7min till you started discussing the actual solution which almost led me to click away.
me too...
Me too lol
7 minutes in for the technique
Thank you
Hi Ashley, i use mosquito bits also but with cold water. I have heard that hot water will kill most of the good bacteria and not be as effective. Also top watering when you use the product will allow the tea to saturate all the soil, not just what is pulled up from the bottom. Hope this helps.
I came to say this also. Hot water breaks it down
I thought that too. I'll try it with just lukewarm water. She did say to water from the top when treating the soil.
I've been using this method religiously for 2 months with cool water. I water all my houseplants with it every 7-10 days. I let the bags soak for at least 30 minutes. Along with the sticky things, it has killed almost all of the knats. But I still see a pesky one or two around. I hope they eventually disappear.
Thank you, cold water makes sense
The cheapest, easiest and organic way to combat fungus gnats is using "neem cake" which does come in a powder. Simply mix it in your potting mix or if your plants are already potted, mix a couple spoons of it into the top of your pot. Neem cake is the husks left over from the neem oil production. It's a natural 100% organic pesticide and also a fertiliser. Been used in India for thousands of years. I added it to my plants 2 years ago during a huge fungus gnat explosion (my 1 bed apartment looks like a horror movie, gnats all over the walls and ceilings 🤮). The neem powder fixed it and I've been gnat free ever since. I always add some whenever I'm making up new potting mix as standard additive 🙌🏼🙏🏼
What if I have no plants inside can I still use neem cake? And how?
Thanks for sharing, will try!!
Is it safe to put in cat litter?
Do you think its ok for veggies and edibles. I have gnats out in the garden and really would love a solution. Ive watched videos and they say not to use it on edibles and it doesn't say anything about using it on edibles on the bottom (this is the liquid neem). Would love any help :)
How much per size of pot do you use?
Breaking up the mosquito _dunks_ , by the same brand, into quarters and throwing them in my regular watering can avoids the issue of the bits clogging up the spout or getting moldy on the surface of the soil. You do have to let it soak in the water overnight before use but they last a month at the minimum, are reusable and I add a little neem oil right before each watering. I lightly top water (but not drench) since eggs tend to be near the top layer, but somebody pointed out that when you've let the top of the soil dry out, the eggs will go deeper to find moist soil. So I then bottom water to make sure they don't breed at the drainage holes either. It's working great and I haven't had to use sticky traps for the adults. Neem spray kills the adults and BTI kills the eggs.
I too make Mosquito Bits tea. I use a coffee filter, put a capful in it, fold it and staple closed. I do fill up the watering can 3 times to fill up a gallon container. Then I water my plants as normal.
Fungus Gnats are pretty smart. I find I have to do more than one thing to get rid of them.
1.) Moisture meter
2.) Only water when plants are dry
3.) Bottom watering for plants that have FG'S
4.) Spray new plants and soil with Neem oil, peppermint soap, alcohol and water spray
5.) Spray the top of the soil everytime you water your plants
6.) Apple cider traps
7.) Yellow sticky traps
8.) Bonide systemic granulars
9.) Sprinkle cinnamon on top of the soil
10.) Aerate the soil with a small rake or chopstick
11.) Hydrogen peroxide drenches
Hope that helps,
Gerry
HPEteacher
😎
Thanks for the tips!
@@LifewithAshleyAnita More than welcome!
😎
Wow! That's a lot!!!
Can you post a link to the mesh bags?
Thank you so much..
I will definitely follow you.
I’m a pest controller (fungus gnats not normally on the job list) and I got a fungus gnat job last week, this video has helped me understand a bit about treatments for these little beggars. Thanks
I water my plants with a solution of 3 to 4 drops of alcohol to 1 quart of water. It kills the larvae if they ever get started. It has not hurt the plants.
Bananas from the grocery store brings them in un-noticed. New plants from the nurseries also brings them in. I have used the alcohol method for 40 years with great results.
Thanks! 👍🏿
Do you mean isopropyl alcohol?
@@TXgrown78 Yes
Thank you!!!!
70%?
Next to my plant I placed a night light with a sticky butterfly pad up against the light. It helped catch so many more.
I did the same but like they die like a lot daily but they keep hatching as well 😤
good idea
I didn't know I had knats until I put out plates of Dawn underneath nightlights for fleas.
I’ve had the same issue when growing my vegetable sidling indoor because most of the potting soil contains peat moss and that’s where the eggs live like forever. So, before planting anything new, I put the potting mix in a large container with drain holes (outdoors of course) and fill it up with boiling water then allow it to drain and cool before using it to plant. You might have to add some nutrients to your newly potted plant after it has acclimated to its environment. That has eliminated my issues with them little critters
thanks for the suggestion!
Aaaaaaaagh! Wish I had seen this before I planted my seed starts indoors. I got some potting soil with peat moss at the store and mixed with some of that coconut fiber seed starting stuff. Fungus gnats everywhere. Grrrrr. Thanks for the tip.
@@christina6532 just remember to let it cook completely before starting your seeds. And add some nutrients to the soils after (liquid fish emulsion works great but just ensure you dilute it (2 tablespoons or less per gallon) The seedlings will use the nutrients once they sprout.
Ah..I see no wonder my peppers seeding kept wilting and died off. I see little black bugs buy didn't think it's the problem.
I used to bake the soil I dug in our woods. Great soil but full of seeds including poison ivy. I think this would kill gnat eggs too.
Thank you so much. I was ready to throw out all of my plants when I found this video. It took me approximately five months to get rid of them using the fly traps and the mosquito bites! I have been rid of them now for two months.
5 months it took you…Sooo there is hope. I’m 2 1/2 months in. Ugh it’s painful….😖😖
I wouldn’t throw out. Just restart the growth by propagating. You can also wash all the roots and just place them in water. They grow fine and fungus gnats need soil.
I stand by this remedy, saved my plant collections from my husband 😂😁😋
Lol...I tell my husband that they’re in the house because of all his fruit..shhh, I know it’s my plants. Will try this.
@@inos3697 🤣😂🤣🤣😂
Ha ha love it!
Same 🤣.
I'm so grateful to have found your video. I've had fungus gnats for 3 months. I've tried fly paper, neem oil spray, Natria spray with pyrethrins, diatomaceous earth, cinnamon, bowls of sweetened vinegar, peroxide soaks, and combinations of these and while they reduced the numbers, they didn't eliminate the pesky little bugs. I'm praying that your treatment works and I'm trying it in the next week. I'll post back here with my results. I ordered the mosquito bits, filter nets, and sticky pot inserts.
Thanks SO much! And I love your cute saying that you started the video with. It's SO true!
I use a gallon jug and gallon pitcher. Fill the jug with warm water and 2-3 Tbsp of Bits. Shake well and allow to sit 24 hrs, shaking occasionally. No need for bags, just use a strainer and pour into the pitcher. 3-4 treatments, works like a charm! Non toxic, run the pitcher and strainer through the dishwasher and save the jug for next time.
I do same 😊
Great tips, thanks!
How long can you save the mosquito bit tea for?
@@AlejandraHernandez-yh6yc I'd say no more than a week? I have a lot of plants, it gets used up pretty quick.
You could also poke holes into the top of the jug to strain.
Yes, wow I have been doing this for years. I put a mesh bag filled with mosquito bits that I always keep in my watering can and sometimes for new plants will plop a few bits in top of the soil. I saw the thumbnail and was like OMG I’m not alone!!
I swear by this mthod. Saved my sanity. I us a milk jug to mix mine and let it sit 24 hrs. I do water from the top when doing treatments since the eggs and larva are in the upper soil of the pot.
Fantastic! Thx for the tips!
Yes, they are at the top. I was surprised she did not water at the top to kill the eggs/larva.
Do u still cover the plants with sand?
Ty so much ur video helped me save my plants my family wanted me to get rid of my plants! gladly I found ur video & saved my plants can't be more thankful 😊
Great vid. 6:20 is when she gets to the process.
Thank you so much. I was about to click out of the video
Relevant frequency at 7:40. Actual demo at 9:32.
Thanks. Though I wish I had looked at the comments before watching the video.
I already the mosquito bites. I will try her technique. Hopefully, it works as I have a number of plants in my home and my husband is getting impatient with having gnats around.
She won’t quit talking.
Same here. Why do they talk so much?
I filled an old sock because I didn't feel like waiting for the bags. It seems to mix in pretty well
I switched to a lot of my indoor plants to a mixture of Mother Earth Coco + Perlite, orchid bark, charcoal, and more perlite. I've used ground cinnamon for the plants that are still in soil.
How did your plants do without the actual soil? I did this same thing, and it seems all of my plants wilted, and turned yellow. I am so distraught because I have spent hundreds on plants, and not many are left.
I started buying plants this year, and I'm definitely a newbie. This video saved me and my plants! Thank you so much! ❤️
I eventually bought seed starter mesh planting bags on Amazon that I cut open and placed on bottom of all my pots and then filled with soil. They allow the water/air to drain through but don’t get moldy and they work amazing for keeping the fungus gnats from getting into the drain holes which is half the battle in my opinion.
That's a good idea! You could use tulle I bet as well, and get it on the bolt so it's cheaper.
@@FluffballKitties You don't want to use anything that will break down or decay. I recommend stainless steel mesh for long term use/reuse. If you want to go for cost you can get the mesh screening used for screen doors/windows. It comes in bulk and won't break down. It's also easier to cut and work with than stainless.
As a side note, it's far from new technology but I recommend putting a layer of LECA clay pellets at the bottom of pots when appropriate. This creates a false bottom than allows excess water to drain below the bottom of whatever kind of soil you use. I put the pellets first, then the mesh, then well-draining soil with some lump wood charcoal or activated carbon (about 1/6 of your overall soil volume) to filter your soil and provide ready carbon for plant growth.
Now if I can just stop the cycle with these knats.
@@antidulvian666 thanks
Best way to get rid of gnats in house plants:
1. Repot with new soil (even in existing pot). Throw the soil in a garbage bag and seal tightly, to dispose of eggs, larva and junior gnats in the soil.
2. Spray roots with Garden Safe Insecticidal Soap. Make sure to spray in the remaining soil on the roots.
3. Refill pot with new soil, making about 1.5 inches for room on the top of soil for sand.
4. Add a thick layer of 1.5” - 2” of sand. Pat down to keep it tightly packed.
5. Water the plant. If sand moves to expose soil, add more sand at the top.
I tried everything and couldn’t get rid of gnats in my plants, until I tried this method with sand. This worked, no more gnats going on 2 months. Gnats can’t dig into tightly packed sand, nor can larvae or gnats crawl up through the sand if packed tightly.
What kind of sand if i may ask?
Sorry about that. Use horticulture sand. You should be able to buy it at any garden or home improvement store that sells plants. Make sure to put at least 2” of horticulture sand over the top soil. Horticulture sand is made up of very fine grains of sand. 😊
This may be a dumb question but can new growth pop up through the sand? Like Mican leaves, philo’s and pothos?
@@curleygurlie If you’re using horticulture sand (fine grains), they should be ok. ❤️
@@curleygurlie If it’s horticulture sand, yes. For new plants, I suggest letting the sprouts come up first before adding sand & packing it. Keep those plants somewhere else away from other plants that could have gnats in the soil. Horticulture sand is extremely fine grains. I hope this helps.
Hi Ashley from the UK. The opening really resonated with me because I've been plagued by FG since I re-visited growing citrus trees. I've cooked my soil, added lava rock, added lava rock and big rocks, Not watered, over watered, under watered and actually killed one of my orange trees in the process. I've spent more money than I'd want to in changing the soil and then have my partner bring in new plants with infected soil......Seriously peed me off! And finally I found the state secret that is this bacteria we find in Mosquito Bits or Mosquito Chunks. I bought the latter the other day on the 'net. Down on my knees and hands clasped, I say thank you for your video and your instructions of how to make and use it. Mosquito chunk/bits needs a new publicity dude/dudess. Cheers.
You’re sharing all this great info, but I’m having trouble paying attention at some points because I am admiring your gorgeous plants in the background!
Thank you so much! We have tried almost everything so I am definitely going to try your method. We also found that most of the time the gnats are already in the potting soil when you buy it because it’s obviously impossible to keep them out of it. We have started treating the soil before planting. We also dump out the soil in a container and let it dry out before using it.
Going to try this. When I first used the bits years ago, I got annoyed the bits wouldn't dissolve. Then I saw Harli G. Sprinkle them on top. NOW I am going to use this net trick. Thank you so much
Additional improvement for more even coverage of the top of the soil bed .. after making and filtering the tea, apply it with either plant mister or pump canister sprayer, rather than a watering can, because you need to saturate the entire soil column diameter to a depth of several inches, in order to soak/kill all the larvae present.
I just came back to give like to your video and to let you all know that this WORKS! after fighting with this gnats for almost two years this worked after to watering my plants twice.
Top or bottom water?
I own an indoor plant store, I'm just getting ready to open and got hit with these gnats. I've taken care of plants and accounts for years and never had a problem with them. Thank you I'm glad I found your video going to try it today. I can't open if I have an infestation! I'll let you know how it goes thanks.
Does the tea last if stored or does the bacteria break down quick?
Thank you for your tip, I am going to try. It's my second time of repotting my house plants, One of which I've had for many generations, and never had this problem before, and then it started when I brought new potting compost. Will try and get back to you with the results
Thanks for this video! Clear sticky traps work very well too and you can’t see them. I cut a strip into smaller pieces and placed them on top of the soil, and they trapped hundreds in my Christmas Cactus. Waiting for mail carrier to deliver Mosquito bits. Love your plant shelf.
Christmas Cactus Liver here, and this is only place I have ever had a problem with gnats, so very interesting as they are the ones I water the least.
I have this problem too and did the sugar water with soap in a small dish next to a pot that was swarming with gnats. Overnight there was literally 100 or more gnats in the dish. Its cheap and simple and pretty effective so anyone reading the comments, give it a go!
a spoon of sugar, a spoon of water and a spoon of soap?
Tried, didnt work
Sorry just saw this... might need to add more sugar! Try 2 or 3 spoons of sugar, melt and 1 spoon water, and 1 spoon soap.
Then your problem was fruit flies.... as this does not work for fungus gnats... two completely different species that look similar.. please don't confuse the two
I just did that see what happens 😊
I noticed in the comments that some folks couldn't get the bits, so this is for anyone that can't. You can use a bacillus thuringiensis product that usually comes in liquid form found at any good garden center/grow shop or online. Usually you can find a concentrated product that'll allow you to treat multiple gallons of water so it'll last for bit while you experiment with which strength works best in your case!
Just put the bits on top of your soil before you water. Works perfectly for me. Yellow traps are great for getting the adults.
I've done this too, works great. I use old pantyhose or knee highs.
Great idea!
Thank you dearest. I’m ordering both items right now. Thank GOD for ‘smart’ plant lovers willing to share tips & tricks. One of these days I’m gonna have something ‘smart’ to share! Lol. 👍
I used spent dryer sheets on the bottom of my pots to prevent soil from running out. I think it prevents fungus gnats from entering there also
Formaldehyde is in dryer sheets, understandable how that would work, but they are toxic all the way around.
I’m a new plant mom so this was extremely helpful! Thank you! 🥰
4 tablespoons per gallon in hot tap water (not boiling), and steep for 20 minutes. Allow to cool before using.
thanks
heard 20 hours is the better number to let it sit... idk tho, have you tried her method?
@@MrJustliketht I did try it at the 20 minute steep level and didn't have great results. I will have to try with 20 hours
Hey guys! I am also in the process of getting rid of annoying gnats in my new plants. I recommend isolating your plants from your other plants (this may be obvious to all you plant lovers already), and then mixing 1/4 cup of mosquito bits in a 1-gallon jug and letting it sit/absorb for 24 hrs. From there I just water my plants like I normally do and then put sticky traps in the plants so that they can catch the adult gnats. Since the mosquito bits primarily just kill the larvae and not the grown gnats. Hope this helps!!
Great tips thanks!
I've noticed they definitely don't kill the grown up bugs I'm dealing with a pretty rough infestation myself not to the point where they're killing my plants but it's definitely rough I've got sticky traps and everything I've been watering with bt tea, but I've been battling for quite some time been using the bit tea for about 2 months and still have quite a problem and I also just brought in three new plants from my mom because she was dealing with the same problem came from a soil we got from a dispensary. Hopefully this problem clears up soon.
@@mistyn380 Thanks for this tip. I hate waiting around for a mixture to cure and this I can do ahead of time before my scheduled watering day.
Hi! I begin an explanation of my process at 6:18. UPDATE: Top water when using the treatment. I hope this video helps with pesky fungus gnats. In the first part of the video I share information about fungus gnats, why they become a problem, their breeding cycle, and some prevention/treatment options. Thank you for watching! Don’t forget to leave your tips below. :) xoxo -Ashley
Cant wait to try it. I brought a bag of miracle grow and didnt check it. Now i see the critters walking in the dirt. 😠 i tried neem oil also the peroxide .i guess it kept them undercontrol. I want them gone. Thank for this video.
..
@Plant Life with Ashley Anita
Thanks for the video! I ordered the mesh bags from your link. One question for you, can these mesh bags be washed and reused? If so, what do i wash them with.
Thanks again!
Do u need to ph the tea?
Very helpful, thank you. How many times can you reuse the existing gnat tea bag before adding more pebbles?
I use a larvaside made for ponds. Super easy, 2 drops per gallon of water. 100% success. Best thing I've used in my over 25 or so years of plants. Much easier than mosquito bit tea
@Kathy Hillman what is the name of the larvicide made four pawns if you don't mind sharing
Could you share the name of the product please.
I've done this many times too! Anyone else think it would be a more thorough process by TOP watering, to get in every nook and cranny????
That would be great as well!
I had a box of tea filter bags that I use for my loose leaf teas. It fits 4 tablespoons of the mosquitoe bits perfectly. Thanks for the easy recipe and solution. Just trying it and hoping it works. I only have 4 plant starts that was given to me from a friend and I told her that she needs to treat her plants as well because she has a gnat problem. I shared your instructions/recipe with her.
Yes mosquito bits are the key to controlling fungus gnats, I like your tips on making the tea. I've been sprinkling them into my soil mixture every time I make it and haven't had any issues, but I think using this tea method on the plants that don't need to be repotted will be a good idea to keep the issues under control!
Wonderful! Thanks for sharing.
Is the mosquito bits safe for vegetables and fruit plants
@@MikeTV1987don't know. Call your country extension office in your state and ask. I will have to get around to asking that myself. But I think it is safe. BT is used on veggies in the garden and safe for veggies there
Dissolving neem cake in water seems to be equally loved. Had a bag arrive today so I will be trying it out.
The video starts at the 6:36 mark ... sorry, but you could have done this video in half the time😴
Thanks for this! Mosquito bites aren't available in Canada though. We do have mosquito dunks? Do you know if those work the same?
If you have new plants, all you need to do is top dress with some nice fine sand. 1/4 to 1/2 inch is what is needed. The life cycle of the fungus gnats is 14 days. Once you top dress with SAND (rocks or pebbles wont work since the wiley little buggers can burrow past those larger items) then only water from the bottom once the soil is totally dry. GET A SOIL MOISTURE TESTER! Keeps you from watering when its not needed and over watering then causing MORE gnats. Also if you water from the bottom, the fungus gnats will start using the bottoms as access points. My hubby tried the Bit Tea and it basically over watered the plants and killed them so im not a fan. I got rid of my gnats (we had them for MONTHS cuz we kept giving them moist dirt to burrow into) simply by top dressing EVERY PLANT with sand, making sure to get it around the edges of the post and around the stems of your plants. Those gnats are sneaky and will get in anyway they can. Then I tested the moisture of my plants and they were dry all the way to the bottom, I then bottom watered them. Once they have drank what they need and drip dry about an hour, I immediately placed each one in a tray with enuf sand in it to cover the bottom of the pot. This suffocated all the babies trying to emerge from the root buffet and kept adults from finding ANY dirt to procreate in. The tea never worked for us and it killed most of my brand new, repotted babies, yet the sand did work well, as inexpensive, colorful and it happens to look very nice in the pots👍
I hope this helps someone out there
ALSO PUT A FAN ON THE PLANTS WITH GNATS! A simple fan blowing across the dirt will keep the gnats from being able to land
@@lauriescholes5690 Thanks for sharing. I have a big strawberry tower being attacked by fugus gnats. It's tricky to bottom water strawberry plants in a tower. Do you think simply dressing the top of the pots with nice fine sand but still watering from the above wiil help?
I have successfully used polished pebbles--the small size used in aquariums. I use the mosquito tea, yellow traps, and the pebbles and it works well.
How do you water from the bottom?
@jessicaevans4206 put a drip tray under your plant, pot will have holes in bottom for draining, just pour water into tray and let plant suck up water from the drain holes
Get a coffee filter and tie a rubber at the top and drop it in!
Um... do you mean an elastic band?
@@jtidema rubber band
White coffee filters are treated with bleach. The brownish looking ones are not. Just a thought.
What is the rubber for? Sorry I'm trying to visualize it
I used clingfilm to cover the soil in my plant pot & then covered the clingfilm with sand.. it stopped the larva from getting out & the flies from laying more eggs!?
I then started to water the plants from the bottom but not enough to rot the roots 🙏🏽
If anything changes I'll update you xx
I'm glad I found this video before sprinkling Mosquito Bits on my plants, I'm going to do the tea! Thank you so much 💚🌱
A mix of fine and coarse Sand mixed with a Little cinnamon works the BEST ~ literally 1/2” of sand on top of the soil = fungus gnat issues GONE only thing thing had eliminate them.
I tried this and 1/2 my plants flipped out, it was like it sucked the moisture out of the stems i don't understand so I'm scared of this now! I also found issues with cinnamon, ppl saying to sprinkle it fairly thick and I found plants rotted with the cinnamon even if it killed the fungus... if you have any advice on how to use these affectively please I want to know.
@@ellielou52 don’t use sand. Use small aquarium gravel or the stuff like it that’s marketed for plants. I bought a bag of it at a nursery.
Best Method so far including , tge lead from Pencils when u sharpen. Builders Sand mixed with Ground Cinamon . I also have 1 pot of Venus Fly traps on each window Sill per 10 house plants
I put a layer of epsom salt on top of the soil of my plants and bottom water with mosquito bit tea and it helped a LOT!
Saw your comment and thought I would share this with you. Usually epsom salt is used in plants that has leaves starting to turn yellow due to lack of nutrients. It’s adds magnesium. If your soil is not old and your plants are nice and green no need to add epsom. The ratio I use if you need it is 1 to 2 TBLS per gallon of water. I have not seen anywhere that it kills gnats. Hope you plants are doing good, maybe the ones you grow love extra magnesium, I grow African Violets and have over 200.
Awesome information, thank you for sharing what works, what REALLY WORKS!! I'm going to get the products now!
I'm an avid Mosquito Bits user. The teabag approach is a great idea. Thanks!
You're welcome!
Hello, definitely helps for me, I just ordered my mosquito bites, I can’t wait to for do me tea.
Liked the video!!! I agree a barrier on top of soil really helps too. I bought a cheap bag of play sand and put an inch on top of soil in each indoor pot. This did away with them 100 %
Thank you for your 100% confidence. I only have a few but I would love to completely eradicate any future problems.
Hey there! Yes! I’ve been fighting with the gnats since the beginning of last spring and it’s been such a hassle! I heard about using a different product called mosquito dunks and I just added it to the rain barrel where I collect water for my plants and it did make a difference but you know it just did not completely get rid of the problem. I am definitely going to use the hot water method and I am SO hoping this gets rid of the problem completely. And after that, no more new plants are coming into my green room, I’m going to just have to hold back and keep any new babies in quarantine for the first couple weeks. I get so excited when there is a new one and I want to see them all together but that has to stop. I kept thinking I got rid of those evil little bugs but then I probably brought new ones in and started the cycle all over again. So glad I found this video, thanks soooo much!!
did it work???
I am bringing potted plants into a room I am now using as a grow room and I am sure I will be dealing with these buggers. Have them in my house plants. I have heard about the bits and dunks. Rain barrels may just need more dunks. My rain barrels are full now so when I find those dunks they WILL go into my barrels.
I just found your channel and I have ordered your suggested products to end my fungus gnat problem. Thank you so much for sharing!
Hope they help!
Did they help??
yes, the yellow butterflies sticky pads are working great. I just sprinkled the mosquito repellent bits on top of my plant pots to cover the soil so when I water them , it can soak in. I have about 30 small plants and one large geranium. The geranium still has them, but it is more manageable it now. So not perfect, but good enough for my situation, hope this helps!
@@randimayes560
Super informative Ashley. A lot great ideas. Currently I treat my soil with mosquito bits and place sand over steel wool. Thanks
Great idea!
You place over steel wool? Can you explain?
Yellow sticky paper, sand on top ,organic spray I found on amazon along with a fan on low. Found it helps soil dry and adults don't seem to like the wind. When I moved fan out they came back.now my plants have their own fan!
Wouldn’t you water from the top if you’re wanting to kill larvae with the mixture.. 🤔
That's what I was wondering?!
Melissa... It's not the main way to water... It's to treat the surface.
I have been watering with this tea from the top and have seen a great reduction of gnats
Bottom feeding keeps the top soil dry & that's what u want...I wld bottom feed ,it does go up to the larve..they lay their eggs no more then 2 in down..
If you water from the top, it will get to the larve that are only a couple inches down. If you water from the bottom, the plants are getting water via their roots, it's not going to get the soil very wet if it's 12" or deeper to reach that larve at the top. BUT watering in both places could take care of any gnats in the water that have gathered in the trays and the larve at the top of the soil.
This is my second time finding this video, obviously it's my go to!!! Thanks for sharing what works!!! :)
I get rid of fungus gnats totally simply by layering about an inch and a half of fine sand on the surface of the growing medium in each planter.
Bottom water with the planter sitting in a drip tray trying not to over water to the extent the sand gets wet and that’s it.
Fungus gnats will not lay eggs in moist fine sand - end of problem - little expense.
tried it - hardly see one after one day = THANK YOU.
This stuff does work. The adult gnats live about 3 weeks so you must use the treated gnat tea once a week for at least 3 weeks to kill everything.
Thank you for this!!!! It works. I even put little glass bowls with water and mosquito bits near my pants to get rid of the adults.
Just started using it 2 weeks ago and there’s already a huge difference 🥰
Love the idea of the bags! I had been putting the tea in a 1L bottle and cutting an X in the lid so it catches the bits but I’m going to have try it!
I’m also a Sagittarius ♐️
Are you watering on the soil?
Fast foreword to 6:28 if u just want to learn. If ur a ran I recommend u watch it all she is very smart and knowledgeable
When I first encountered these on my gem cacti they killed them. I tried neem oil and hydrogen peroxide and neither worked for me well enough.
Later, when I started growing tomatoes and saw them coming back, I was agitated. I didn't want my tomato plant to die too. Then someone recommended cinnamon. I thought, why the hell not, my plant is dying anyway.
It worked! I sprinkled cinnamon all over the top soil and around the stems. Just enough that you could tell it was there, but not a thick layer. Slowly but surely the pests dwindled and my plant sprung up and has been thriving ever since.
I don't currently have any issues anymore, but when I do I might just try this method out.
Glad that worked for you. I got the bill gates hybrid that exponentially multiplied from the cinnamon.
I do the tea and bottom water. My question is Do I need to spray the top of my pots every time I water my plants? And how long do I have to treat the top of the pots? I’ve been using 1 part hydrogen peroxide to 5 parts water. Is alcohol better than hydrogen peroxide Thank you so much for all and everyone’s help!! ❤❤
I apply insecticidal soap, I bought it in Lowes and works perfect.
What kind did you use?
@@kmrial07 Garden Safe, insecticidal soap, insect killer.
@@georginacampuzano6412 Thank you!!!
Do you just spray the plant directly w/ the soap??
@@jessicaangelpennington5883 Yes, I just spray it to the soil.
You only mentioned it breifly, but it really works really well is Cinnamon. I sprinkled it on the soil and they were GONE, packed their bags and left, success. I love it!
Me too! I also use it when some closed seedlings started a little mold, it's great
I had a huge infestation of fungus gnats. I tried neem oil and it only killed the adults when directly sprayed. Then I applied the mosquito bits on top of the soil (I made zero tea) and the gnat population was reduced by 95% in two weeks.
Wonderful!
Fellow Sag here and I'm a measurer! LOL! Thanks for the video. With new plants coming in the house I'm seeing some again and want to nip it.
Yes!!! Definitely making a tea has work the best for me!!! Great video!!
Thanks so much!
Great video. I am very new with plants and am now having a problem with Gnats. I am going to also get help at a nursery. Sounds like a great product.
This was needed today. My string of pearls is the problem even though I don't water her. Aggravating😬
This should take care of it for you!
Yessss people seem to think you're automatically overwatering if you have fungus gnats, but they're very persistent even when you're not!
Yes. This method worked perfectly for me.
So I'm gonna guess it okay for succys... I'm seeing some in mine... Ugh
I’m excited to find your channel and this video! Thank you! I’ve sprayed the adults with a mixture of Dawn dish soap and water and that doesn’t kill them, and tried the hydrogen peroxide mixed with water to water the plant and still have tons of gnats!
I’m excited to see how this works! Thank you!!
I just recovered from a huge fungus gnat infestation... I used cinnamon powder, peroxide and final I used some powdered pesticide... my husband was over the gnats flying around and threatened to throw out my plants 🪴🙃😳😐😅
Cayenne pepper also helps for any pests!! Wont harm your babies :)
@@thiti6409 thank you 😊
Lol 😂
Works for me! I happened to come across this video, because I'm always searching for good plant videos.
I have rain barrels and only use rain water for all my plants, both indoor and outdoor. My goal this past summer was to get rid of mosquitoes around my house with mosquito bits. I followed other RUclipsrs and placed bits in my barrels at the end of spring, while maintaining my same plant watering routine.
Now, I have lots and lots of houseplants, and have had many of them for at least 8+ years now. Just love them! I've always had problems with fungus gnats, and never really knew how to get rid of them completely.
Since I've been using my rain water with mosquito bits, I didn't notice until around mid-summer that there were no more gnats. That's right! I don't have them anymore. So that's when I started thinking that it had to be the bits that was keeping them away. And there hasn't been a fungus gnat around my houseplants since.
So that's why I have to agree, that it does work. Unfortunately, it didn't work on mosquitoes the same though. They're still running rampant and eating us up. lol!
Thanks for sharing this. I've struggled with fungus gnats a lot this year. I tried sprinkling the bits and mixing in the top layer, with so-so results. Your tea method makes total sense. I'll try it. Thanks!
Awesome!
Did it work?
@@Angelskris333 Not for me. It did seem to reduce the numbers for a few days. I tried using this method twice, once using hot water out of the tap, and once using warm water. When that failed, I tried layering an inch of mosquito bits over the top and watered over it several times. That didn't work either.
@@pepperdactyl Thanks for replying back. I don’t want to get rid of my plants but I’m so annoyed by the gnats! I sprayed neem spray a few days ago & put sticky traps & it has improved, today I water my plants with the mosquito bites tea. I see a lot less flies
Did you finally get rid of the gnats?
I just got these. I’m brewing a tea right now. Tomorrow will be the first watering.
Good info from a Sagittarian who definitely has those moments. : )
Hahah
SAME! I felt like I was her for a moment! Lol.
Me too!! Lol!! ☺
Cannot wait to try this using your special tips. Thank you!!
Hi Ashley! Fellow Sagittarius here! I’ve been on the battleground with fungus gnats many times. On my first encounter I actually had a plant nursery worker tell me that they wouldn’t hurt my plants. WRONG! They got so bad that my dogs and cat were even getting annoyed! I’ve tried just about everything - nematodes, ground glass on top and in the soil, peroxide, traps, most everything. I recently had just heard about using cinnamon. The info I’d gotten about cinnamon was that you couldn’t use just regular cinnamon - it had to be a special, organic kind. I didn’t have any on hand and what cinnamon I did have I needed. So, I tried what I considered the next best thing which was ground cloves. I had a plant that was SO infested that a swarm of gnats amassed when I moved the plant. I literally sat there and squished a bunch of the little buggers! Then I sprinkled the clove. Lo and behold, fungus gnats detest clove! Any surface that had clove on it the gnats would not touch down on. I HOPE clove isn’t bad for my plants, is it?? Then, I watered my plants with a 50/50 solution of peroxide and water and I put up the yellow sticky traps. So far so good. For good measure I used one of those electric prods that my Dad would stick in the ground to encourage worms to come out of dirt. My prediction was that the larvae would show their ugly faces and I would kill them! That didn’t happen. BUT, I did notice a marked reduction in gnats after 3 days so I wonder if I electrocuted the tiny demons! My next step, and hopefully the final nail in the coffin will be the tea you mentioned. I bought mosquito dunks which I think are just bigger versions of the bits that you use! Thank you for your wisdom and your happy spirit! This got pretty long so I’ll end here by saying I’m looking forward to following your channel!
1- this story is one of the most dramatic comments I’ve ever read on RUclips
2- it’s comforting to know I’m not alone in my desperate battle against fungus gnats 🥹
I’d love to see an update on how this worked long term ❤️
I think peroxide will def kill the larvae but it will also strip your soil of any good bacteria and nutrients, so watch out for that!
Love the brutality described here. Please tell me more.
So.... those were plants you intended to eat???
I'm trying the cloves if it is.
I hope the ground clove won't kill my veggies I'm growing in my kitchen window....trying it. Anyone know??? Wanted only safe to eat gnat killer. Thank you!
Hi Ashley, thank you so much for this. These little critters are relentless. I’ll be glad to see the back of them. With thanks.
I love this method too! If you just sprinkle the bits on top of the soil, they look fuzzy like mold after a little and this is definitely the only way I treat fungus gnats(along with the yellow sticky traps)
Is it bad that the bits turn like mold?
@@ashleyhernandez4682 no just not the most aesthetic :)
I tried this and it really worked and then I used the yellow stickies, worked like a charm. Got rid of them all ❤
Hey Ashley, I love the passion, and the gorgeous plant wall 👍 fungus gnats are invading the world... I tried a chemical that works like mosquito bits, eventually they come back... I tried camomile tea to kill the fungus... I also tried cinnamon, my flat smelled gorgeous for weeks on end... and then I tried garlic tea, my flat smelled like an Italian pizza restaurant... i tried watering less often, but my plants were suffering more... nothing worked.
I live in a ground floor flat, with a huge lawn surrounding the house, lots of little streams in my area, the UK is known for sometimes having the 4 seasons in one day, and when it rains - it rains lol
It doesn't help that I work in a garden centre and constantly bring plants home, mostly rescues. The last count was 350 house plants months ago.
Then I thought, before I buy the mosquito bits (its expensive stuff) I buy a drossera capensis = instant results. Now it migrates around my flat until my propagations have come to fruition...
Fungus gnats are now welcome in my flat, I have a thriving drosera and everytime I go to other garden centres I look to see if there is a different drossera... I rather buy plants!
What your video did was give me the confidence that if in the winter this gets out of hand, I will get mosquito bits, but hopefully by then I'll have a better carnivorous plant collection to protect my family of plants in my flungle (=flat+jungle) 👍🥰
I can see where this would take care of the adults, but the larvae that eats roots would not be affected until they are adults, and the damage is already done. Do you find this to be true?
@@beckyboopz1 By accident I have been neglecting my houseplants a bit ... its been great gardening weather and I get so tired that I tend to fuss less about my houseplants ... and they dried out a bit more than usual, meaning the larvae would dry out. I still see the odd fungus gnat, but not on a daily basis.
I agree that even if we kill the adults, the larvae remain, it looks like watering a little less for a period worked for me and I kindda am trying to keep that routine.
On a different note, I bought a couple of those reed oil diffusers - lavender - cos I liked the smell, and I have no flying insects in my home ... could that work to prevent fungus gnats from coming in the house?
Interesting thought - we shall see.
Pitcher plants work well, but carnivorous plants are finicky slow growing, expensive plants, supported to be easy to propagate.
HI Ashley--thanks for this! Last time I had fungus gnats I ended up baking all the soil and repotting. It worked but AY YI YI! Blew a weekend. I'm going to be trying the Mosquito Bits thing. I made sure I ordered everything through your links so you get your cut 😀 SO WORTH IT (if it works, which I'm hopeful it will!). Also subscribed and liked.
Hm. Turns out Amazon won't ship Mosquito Bits to quite a number of places. But you CAN buy it at ACE or Lowe's if they're near you.
I appreciate this video. I haven't seen a video yet this is the first one I have seen for the fungus gnats. Definitely going to try.