Gnats are pesky little gnats that like to live in and lay their eggs in houseplant soil. Let's face it, no one wants gnats in their home.
Jump to:
What causes gnats in houseplants?
Plants that have been over-watered will develop a fungus that attracts gnats. You can help by only watering your houseplants what they need and nothing more.
They come in from outside, but they can also be found in bags of potting soil! As a rule of thumb, any houseplants I recently purchased from a nursery or garden center, I spray some of this insect spray on. This way I don't unknowingly bring in a plant with gnat eggs.
Houseplants with gnats...what to do?
- Neem oil spray- Add some neem oil spray to help kill any gnats that are in your soil. I like this particular houseplant spray because it gets rid of lots of pests, not just gnats.
2. Sticky Traps- You can also place some of these sticky traps directly into your planters to trap them to the adhesive. Then, just toss them and put in a new trap.
3. Don't overwater- I'm guilty of this too, but when you overwater your houseplant, it lets fungus start to grow, which then attracts those annoying gnats.
4. Good Drainage- Are your planters properly draining? Check the bottom side of the planter for a drainage hole. This again helps keep the soil from growing fungus.
Getting rid of gnats FAQ
Very much like a venus fly trap, a carnivorous cape sundew plant will kill gnats. It is a tropical plant and also pricey, which is why it would be my last resort.
Gnats lay their eggs in soil, so you could unintentionally be bringing them in when you bring your plants inside for the winter. They are also attracted to fungus from overwatered plants.
Natural Alternatives for pest control
- carnivorous cape sundew plant (that will eat gnats that lead on it)
- Venus fly trap (these are better for bigger flies, but they can sometimes work on gnats)
Hope this helps you finally get rid of those pesky gnats on your houseplants. Happy gardening!!
Join the discussion