If You Have Fungus Gnats DON'T Do These 3 Things!

Fungus gnats can be quite the annoying little buggers. This episode is all about what NOT to do when you get them. Hope it helps!

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[anitahernandez]

👎No on cinnamon ✅ Yes on neem oil ✅Yes on yellow sticky traps ✅Yes on coating the top soil with vermiculite 👍Thank you!

[angelaanderson]

Neem oil is not the only way to address the problem. I use mosquito bits in the soil and water with a solution of the mosquito bits in water. It is very effective. Thanks for the valuable info. Luke.

[fizzypop]

Great info! Years ago, I heard about the cinnamon thing for gnats; I tried it, didn't work. Now, I use about a 1/2 inch layer of sand on the surface of all my houseplant's soil and it has worked perfectly. When I bring new houseplants home, I layer them with the sand and I never have issues with fungus gnats from bringing in new plants.
When I plant seeds for starts that will go into my garden, I make sure to first sterilize my growing medium. I do this by either pouring boiling water over it and putting a lid on it until it cools down or I bake it in a large pan in my oven at 200ºF for 15 minutes, then let it cool in the closed oven. These methods have worked perfectly for keeping fungus gnats out of my house.

[GardeningD]

I like to use BT mosquito bits in my soil and watering trays to prevent fungus gnats! It's a great organic way to prevent the little critters, and harmless to pets, people, and wildlife. (Except the fungus gnats and mosquitos!)

[mneraasen]

Hey Luke, Gently Bend the stake part of the sticky trap back. There is a tab without sticky on it to get the paper off.

[Ashas.Garden]

I used Cinnamon in an attempt to dry out a problem with my (overwatered) wet & humid greenhouse full of plants. I sprinkled a bit of cinnamon in certain pots and the very next day the flying gnats were gone but so was ALL humidity.

Cinnamon has great applications when used with care. Fortunately, the baby plants didn’t suffer, but what a lesson.

[suzyqakers]

Hold the fort. Mosquito bits. There is instructions on the bag. Worth EVERY PENNY. I put it into my gallon milk jug for indoor watering and put holes in the lid. Then I top water with it for about 2 weeks. I also hang the BLACK FLAG FLY STICKS from over my grow light as well as the ones you described. No more larve. And it’s pet friendly

[Wisconsin.pikachu]

Im glad my hydrogen peroxide way wasnt in this video, i honestly think it works really well. It seems to have another benefit of aeration of the soil because as hydrogen peroxide breaks down it creates water and oxygen. The soil poofs up after treatment and isnt compacted. Maybe placebo 🤷‍♂️

[IngDebo]

I use Carnivorous Plants. Sundews are the best!

[susanhenley]

Sometimes knowing what NOT to do is just as important as knowing WHAT to do.
Thank you, Luke!

[smuggafree]

I like short and to the point. Thanks Luke.

[noeditbookreviews]

I will like this video BECAUSE it's a shorter video. I feel that most youtubers are very considerate of their audience's limited time. ESPECIALLY when it's something like the subject of this video. I click on a video to learn something, not to be charmed by someone's editing sensibilities and music tastes, which, I've noticed, seem to be the primary focus of most gardening-based youtube videos. In other words, thank you.

[katjoy]

Thanks for the informative video. I found BTI and sticky traps together worked really well.

[notyaaverageb]

I had the worst infestation I've ever had this fall. I tried everything. Nothing worked till I used DE. It was very very effective almost immediately

[whitedevilcannabisco.]

I have used only yellow sticky traps and letting top layer of soil dry and worked great... have not had any in a long time...

[kennymoore]

Another good video. I’m going to try my bug zapper light just because it’s sitting in the room being stored anyway. I use neem oil but might try cinnamon. I’ll put it on my upper lip to mask the smell of neem oil inside. 😀.

[melissa]

I do 3 things.
1. Use CLEAN gear. I clean and sanitize EVERYTHING that touches my seedlings. Trays, scoops, diblers, markers, etc... Anything that might retain even a spec of soil, because you can't easily see eggs.
2. I premositen the soil with boiling water. This kills any hidden eggs in the seed starting mix.
3. After planting the seeds, I place a 1/4 layer of perlite on top. Keeps any bugs that might have made it through the first 2 steps from laying eggs.

[zeruty]

Luke, here's the 3 things you shouldn't do to avoid fungus gnats:
Don't use soil that retains too much water
Don't overwater
Don't mess around with neem oil drenches or anything else other than Bti. Mosquito Dunks, Mosquito Bits, or Gnatrol. You mentioned how fast they reproduce, so don't screw around. Get the magic bullet.

[GabrielAzoulay]

You told us what not to do but finally, you never said what to do to stop the fungus process. Also, I suggest you ask a friend to edit your videos. You are so passionate, that you repeat 10 times the same thing.

[gannas]

Completely agree on the futility of DE and cinnamon with fungus gnats.
Sticky traps can help keep adults from being a nuisance but don't fix the issue.
Great video!
Edit: forgot to mention... I stopped using sticky traps because they started nabbing useful insects like lady bugs and jumping spiders. I love my jumping spider army out in my porch greenhouse. Little army of Henrys.