How To: Prevent and Combat Fungus Gnats

Fungus gnats typically arrive with warm weather, 70+ degrees F. While they don't damage plants as much as other houseplant pests unless you let the problem go too long and their population gets totally out of control, they are still a frustrating part of keeping plants. There are some things you can do to prevent and combat them though. 

• Empty saucers, cachepots, etc of excess water - standing water is fungus gnat heaven. 
• Ensure pots have good drainage if you plant directly in them - excess water gets trapped at the bottom of pots with no holes and fungus gnats thrive in that muck. 
• Water according to the needs of the plant - very wet potting mix attracts fungus gnats. 
• Check new potting mix before using it - potting mix that's been sitting outside for months often already has fungus gnats hatching out in it (including brand new potting mix you just picked up from the hardware store or garden center). If you do find gnats, use it for outdoor plants only or sterilize it with heat. 

• Try to hone in on specific plants that gnats seem to be coming from and isolate them if possible.
• Capture adult gnats with sticky traps placed near plants. Shop sticky traps here.
• Wipe out gnat larvae with Mosquito Bits - an all-natural and animal safe bacteria that kills mosquito and fungus gnat larvae before they mature into breeding adults. 
• Covering the surface of the soil with horticultural sand can also trap juvenile larvae in the soil and end the life cycle (just remember that the soil won't dry out as fast with sand on top, so go easy on the watering). 
• Remember that you have to deal with both the adults (by catching them with sticky traps or other flying insect traps) and the larvae (by killing them with Mosquito Bits before they mature and leave the soil) in order to end the life cycle. 
• You may find other tips online about using products like hydrogen peroxide to fight fungus gnats, but we've found that Mosquito Bits combined with sticky traps are the most effective way to get rid of fungus gnats.