They’re back😭😭😭. After having eradicated them for about a...
They’re back😭😭😭. After having eradicated them for about a year I took my plants back to my screened porch and planting my propagations to give way, I now have an impressive infestation of gnats. It’s always the propagations, and now I have 50 more plants than I want that I can’t give away until I get rid of these. I know the drill. Despite the infestation, I still think it’s well worth it to bring my plants out for the summer. I’m just here to vent. #TheWateringHole
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Hi Cindy, I hate gnats!! I used to have my plants indoors- but the soil always stayed too wet, and gnats love that wet/moist soil. I took mine outdoors, but I did 2 things. I bought neem “soil”. You add a little bit to the soil you use for your plants. Once I did that- then I bought a bag of coarse Sand (teeny tiny pebbles), and put that on top of soil. I haven’t seen a gnat since, and it’s been about a year. Both can be bought on Amazon if you’re interested.
@SillyPlantGirl @Just1More @debbiedo Yes!! I’ve been searching for an accessible neem seed meal with no luck for a while, thank you Catherine! I link it:
Neem Bliss Neem Seed Meal on AMZ
https://a.co/d/0a0iaN6g
Neem Bliss Neem Seed Meal on AMZ
https://a.co/d/0a0iaN6g
@Just1More @debbiedo @SillyPlantGirl Also, Here is a study on the effectiveness of Brassica Juncea (as a mustard seed meal) on fungus gnat larvae. Looks promising.
https://docs.nlr.gov/docs/fy05osti/35333.pdf
https://docs.nlr.gov/docs/fy05osti/35333.pdf
@DreamMachine @Just1More @debbiedo @SillyPlantGirl
Hi dear Nadia!!!!!
Those pesky, obnoxious fungus gnats love 3 of my plants 🪴 and are in abundance.
Thanks so much for the link for the Neem Bliss Seed Meal.
Depending on the size of the plant, how much do I add to the soil?
Is it to be mixed in or just sprinkled on the topsoil?
How often should it be applied?
Also, do we also need to buy the coarse Sand?
I have an organic liquid Neem mix exclusively for fungus gnats that just arrived from We the Wild.
I started treatment on one plant just the other day so I don't know how and if it will work.
Last year, I ended up finally using hydrogen peroxide added to distilled water and that did the trick.
It sounds weird 😕 but didn't harm my guys.
Thanks ❤️ 😊 🫂 🙏🏻
Hi dear Nadia!!!!!
Those pesky, obnoxious fungus gnats love 3 of my plants 🪴 and are in abundance.
Thanks so much for the link for the Neem Bliss Seed Meal.
Depending on the size of the plant, how much do I add to the soil?
Is it to be mixed in or just sprinkled on the topsoil?
How often should it be applied?
Also, do we also need to buy the coarse Sand?
I have an organic liquid Neem mix exclusively for fungus gnats that just arrived from We the Wild.
I started treatment on one plant just the other day so I don't know how and if it will work.
Last year, I ended up finally using hydrogen peroxide added to distilled water and that did the trick.
It sounds weird 😕 but didn't harm my guys.
Thanks ❤️ 😊 🫂 🙏🏻
@CutePolypremum
An early good morning Joanie and all 🥰 @Just1More @debbiedo @SillyPlantGirl For neem seed meal, you can use it as a top dressing and mix 1-2 Tablespoons (per gallon of soil) into the top 1-2 inches of soil. Reapply once per month. It does add some nitrogen too so be wary and light handed with your fertilizer. It can be stinky like neem oil, so read on for a less stinky solution.
Unfortunately, I’m not sure how effective the we the wild liquid neem will be. Once neem is mixed with water it starts to lose effectiveness…FAST. Like 4-8 hours fast. Neem oil should be mixed up right before you use it. You also would have to treat every plant because the fungus gnats will just go to the next untreated plant to lay their eggs.
I don’t use sand because fungus gnats will just go to the bottom drainage holes and I don’t want to compact my substrate.
Honestly the easiest and best way I’ve ever found is letting the soil dry out FULLY, before watering again, and then when you do water, water with a hydrogen peroxide solution. When you do that don’t add any fertilizer. I’ve found effectiveness with even a 1:10 solution, and what I do is pour 1.6 cups of 3% hydrogen peroxide (eyeballing it) into an empty clean milk gallon and filling the rest up with water. You can go full throttle and use up to a 1:3 part solution too. I water once or two times of watering.
An early good morning Joanie and all 🥰 @Just1More @debbiedo @SillyPlantGirl For neem seed meal, you can use it as a top dressing and mix 1-2 Tablespoons (per gallon of soil) into the top 1-2 inches of soil. Reapply once per month. It does add some nitrogen too so be wary and light handed with your fertilizer. It can be stinky like neem oil, so read on for a less stinky solution.
Unfortunately, I’m not sure how effective the we the wild liquid neem will be. Once neem is mixed with water it starts to lose effectiveness…FAST. Like 4-8 hours fast. Neem oil should be mixed up right before you use it. You also would have to treat every plant because the fungus gnats will just go to the next untreated plant to lay their eggs.
I don’t use sand because fungus gnats will just go to the bottom drainage holes and I don’t want to compact my substrate.
Honestly the easiest and best way I’ve ever found is letting the soil dry out FULLY, before watering again, and then when you do water, water with a hydrogen peroxide solution. When you do that don’t add any fertilizer. I’ve found effectiveness with even a 1:10 solution, and what I do is pour 1.6 cups of 3% hydrogen peroxide (eyeballing it) into an empty clean milk gallon and filling the rest up with water. You can go full throttle and use up to a 1:3 part solution too. I water once or two times of watering.
@SillyPlantGirl I will try to show you with pictures. First you tap the share icon on the page you want to share. A menu pops up, tap “copy.” Then go to wherever you want to share it. Tap the text box until you get the pop up menu with “paste” as an option. And voilà. Our phones might not be exactly set up the same, but Let me know if that doesn’t work 🫶
@DreamMachine
Hi cutie patootie!!!
It looks like you just posted.
Thanks SO MUCH for the incredible and very thorough information, dear Nadia!
I'm going to screenshoot it so I can refer to it at random.
Yup...I finally understand now how to use Been oil properly. WTW has made a fortune from me.
Sweetie pie...this morning I posted on several sites about my Rattlesnake plant.
He began showing these brown rust-looking brown spots about 3 months ago.
He always watered with distilled water, fed with Super Thrive when needed, and, I'm careful not to splash water on his leaves.
Any clues as to why these splotches are happening?
Hi cutie patootie!!!
It looks like you just posted.
Thanks SO MUCH for the incredible and very thorough information, dear Nadia!
I'm going to screenshoot it so I can refer to it at random.
Yup...I finally understand now how to use Been oil properly. WTW has made a fortune from me.
Sweetie pie...this morning I posted on several sites about my Rattlesnake plant.
He began showing these brown rust-looking brown spots about 3 months ago.
He always watered with distilled water, fed with Super Thrive when needed, and, I'm careful not to splash water on his leaves.
Any clues as to why these splotches are happening?
@CutePolypremum I’ve had this happen to on my rattlesnakes and other “calatheas/goeppertias”!
I think they’re extra susceptible to fungal spores. I had a roseopicta that was awful for that! But after I sprayed her several times with neem +castile soap she got her act together and new leaves came in good. Hopefully if you do that to your rattlesnake his new leaves will also come in blemish free again.
I think they’re extra susceptible to fungal spores. I had a roseopicta that was awful for that! But after I sprayed her several times with neem +castile soap she got her act together and new leaves came in good. Hopefully if you do that to your rattlesnake his new leaves will also come in blemish free again.
@DreamMachine Full disclosure: I went straight to Results and Discussion 😂 It does look promising! The study was in 2005, I wonder if there was continued research?
@DreamMachine This Thursday will be my third week watering with Mosquito Bit tea. I also through out the remaining potting soil where they’d taken residence. The numbers are dwindling, but not zero 😕 Hydrogen peroxide is my next move 👍🏻 I also have 100 of these cool refillable traps coming today (thank you @SillyPlantGirl !) and I’ll be putting them EVERYWHERE!!! 💛
@DreamMachine https://a.co/d/03JKR1pS THANK you so much Nadia!!! (I think my old eyes looked right over the copy button🫣).
@debbiedo I took it a step further and bought MicrobeLift BMC which is just basically the BTS bacteria that’s in the mosquito bits, but in liquid form. It seemed to work just fine, just like the bit tea, and the convenience was there—you just squirt some into your watering can. That’s another option for if you don’t want to go the peroxide route which will unalive the bad AND the good stuff in the soil. Although I decided I’d rather build up my soil again after using peroxide. 🥴
@DreamMachine https://a.co/d/09d0xDua this is the “sand” I use- mostly on cacti and I only use it on top of the soil. For me- using with the neem cake- has been great at keeping gnats and weeds popping up. It’s way bigger than regular playground sand-and I honestly think it should be called tiny rock bits. 😊
