How do you get rid of plant gnats

How To Get Rid Of Gnats in Plants: Causes, Treatment and Prevention

If you’ve noticed tiny flying bugs perched on your houseplant lately, you may have a fungus gnat infestation. Though easy to treat, these little pests can still be a pain to deal with and a hindrance to proper plant care, especially if they’ve already laid eggs.

Fungus gnats are commonly mistaken for fruit flies, but the two pests have several distinguishing characteristics that will help you tell them apart. Fungus gnats are slender and have long legs — they usually have a black head and clear wings that are used for minimal flying. Fruit flies, on the other hand, are slightly more orange and have stubbier legs.

Not sure where to begin with gnat removal? We’ve put together this helpful guide on how to get rid of gnats in plants — it covers various symptoms, treatments and prevention tips so you can ensure your plants are pest-free.

Does My Plant Have a Gnat Problem?

Before you diagnose your plant with a gnat problem, there are a few signs to keep your eye out for. Knowing if your plant has gnats can sometimes be hard to tell since the bugs are so tiny. Though these little guys don’t necessarily harm the plant itself (unless it’s a severe case), they still can be a hassle to deal with.

Below we’ve compiled a list of sure symptoms so you can be prepared to treat your plant when the time comes.

The plant stops growing. It may not be the adult gnats you need to look out for! The larvae actually like to eat your plant’s feeder roots, which ultimately affects the plant’s ability to absorb nutrients.
Leaves begin to yellow and drop. If the damage is especially bad, the plant may begin to wilt and the leaves will yellow. If the roots are extremely damaged, the plant may not be able to survive.
You begin to see tiny flies surrounding your plant. If you’re near your plant and see little flies circling around, that’s almost always a sign that you have fungus gnats.
Root rot. In many cases of overwatering a plant, the roots will begin to rot and spread through the soil. Gnats come into play here because they love moist environments, so if you notice your plant has symptoms of root rot there is a good chance you may have fungus gnats.

What Causes Gnats in Houseplants?

There could be a wide range of causes to your gnat infestation, but the most common ones are organic debris, wet soil and light sources. Keep reading below to find out what may have caused your plant to attract gnats.

Organic Debris

Fungus gnat larvae love nothing more than feeding on organic debris in potting soil. These bugs reproduce by laying eggs on the first couple inches of soil, and when they hatch they feed on the organic matter around them. After about two weeks, they begin to pupate.

Wet Soil

If you find yourself watering your potted plant frequently and the soil is always wet, that might be the reason you now have fungus gnats flying around. Keeping the soil moist at all times creates the perfect environment for these bugs to survive and reproduce — something we definitely don’t want to happen!

Light Source

Not only do fungus gnats get drawn toward organic debris and moisture, they also like to swarm around light fixtures. This makes your home the perfect place for them to gather! If you do notice fungus gnats flying around your lamp or window, you can use one of the following ways below to get rid of them.

How To Get Rid Of Gnats in Plants Naturally: 4 Ways

Thankfully, there are many natural and chemical-free solutions to eliminate fungus gnats from your beloved plants. You can opt for a classic trap, or turn to household items like dish soap and potatoes!

Let the Soil Dry

Since fungus gnats and their larvae like to nest in moist soil, be sure to let the soil dry out for a couple of days and avoid watering your plant. This will create an inhabitable environment for the gnats and they will die off in dry soil. Your houseplant will be able to handle the dryness longer than you might think, so don’t be afraid to skip out on your next watering to remove the gnats.

Pro tip: Take your plant out of its planter and remove any excess water at the bottom. This will ensure that there isn’t any moisture for gnats to lay their eggs.

Use Traps

If you’re looking for a quicker solution, there are several traps you can use to eliminate these pesky bugs. Depending on what best suits your needs, you can opt to DIY these with a few household items or run to the store and buy specialized traps.

Vinegar mixture: Fill a shallow saucer with 2-3 drops of liquid dish soap and a cup of white vinegar. Place the bowl near your plant — the gnats will be attracted to the solution and fall into the trap. Keep repeating the process until all the gnats are gone.
Sticky fly traps: If the smell of vinegar puts you off creating your own DIY gnat trap, another option is to buy sticky gnat traps. These small sheets of paper are a bright yellow color, attracting the gnats and catching them with adhesive. This method is easy and nontoxic, though it may not be a pretty sight.
Flycatcher: If you’re sick and tired of gnats in your plants and need an immediate solution, consider investing in an indoor fly-catching device. These can be found online or in your local store and are usually USB-powered. The gnats become attracted to the LED lights and fans, which will ultimately suck them into the trap.
Potatoes: Have some spare potatoes in the kitchen? Use them as a trap! Cut the potatoes up into small pieces and place them flesh down on the soil. The moisture from the potatoes will attract the fungus gnats — just make sure the pieces don’t dry out, otherwise it won’t work.

Sanitize and Repot

If you’re looking to take matters into your own hands, consider removing the plant from its planter and scooping out the soil. When you do this, be careful not to disturb the roots and only remove what you can. Seal up the infected soil in a plastic bag and sanitize the planter with warm water and soap. Once this is done, repot your plant into fresh soil and place it back into its planter.

Use a Spray Bottle

Grab a spray bottle and fill it with water and dish soap. Spray the solution on the top layer of soil and keep repeating the process until the gnats are gone. This is a simple and natural way to remove fungus gnats if you’re looking for something effective.

How To Prevent Gnats in Houseplants

So, how do you prevent fungus gnats from infesting your houseplants? You can take several precautions to ensure your plants don’t get overrun by these little bugs. With a few simple steps, your fast-growing plant will be healthy and thriving without any unwanted visitors!

Avoid Overwatering

The most common cause of fungus gnats in plants is overwatering, so be sure to let your soil dry out in between waterings as often as possible. Check the soil with your finger every few days, and once you feel it starting to get dry, leave it like that for about a week to keep gnats away. . These guys thrive in moist conditions, so be aware of how often you’re watering your plants!

Use a Pot with Good Drainage

Make sure the pot your plant is in has good drainage, otherwise the gnats will lay eggs and begin to spread. Having good drainage will also prevent root rot, a nasty disease that develops in plants that are overwatered.

Check Plants Before Bringing Inside

Many people assume that plants are bug-free when first bringing them into their home. Though that’s not always the case, it’s still important to check your plants before bringing them inside to ensure that they are free of gnats or any other pesky little bugs.

Frequently Asked Questions

Still have some lingering questions about removing fungus gnats? We’ve compiled some FAQs below to help you become the best gardening and houseplant expert you can be!

Will fungus gnats go away on their own?

Fungus gnats will not go away on their own. In order to ensure these bugs don’t hang around for a long period of time, you’ll need to take matters into your own hands and try several different methods to remove them. Something as simple as draining the excess water may solve the problem, or if there are too many, you might have to resort to traps.

Can I spray fungus gnats?

Yes, if you want to ensure the gnats are removed from the plant, spraying them is a viable option. You can go the natural route and simply use water and soap, or you can opt for a harsher solution with store-bought insecticide sprays. Keep in mind that these sprays can harm beneficial insects, so use them carefully!

Do gnats fly around the house?

Fungus gnats do have wings, however, they only fly around the soil or nearby the plant. They are also attracted to carbon dioxide, so you may notice some hovering near your nose or mouth.

Though fungus gnats are quite annoying to deal with, they are harmless to both your potted plant and yourself. However, it is still important to catch them early so you can avoid a potential infestation. With our advice, you’ll be ready to handle anything that comes your way!

Everything You Need to Know!

Wondering how to get rid of gnats in houseplants? I’m talking all about what fungus gnats are and what causes them, as well as how to prevent fungus gnats in your plants!

How to get rid of gnats in houseplants

If you have any houseplants, you probably have dealt with fungus gnats at some point. Fungus gnats are teeny tiny black flying insects that are attracted to wet potting soil.

That’s why they typically affect indoor plants—the soil takes longer to dry out, and many people overwater their plants by mistake. Also they are trapped inside, so you notice them a lot more!

What are fungus gnats?

So let’s talking about what fungus gnats actually are. Fungus gnats have a four-stage lifecycle. They start as eggs, then develop into larva, then pupa, and then adult.

The gnats lay their eggs in damp soil, usually the top layer of soil. And they lay 200 eggs at a time! These 200 eggs then hatch and turn into larvae…which feed on the fungi produced from the damp soil (hence the name fungus gnats).

Once you see them buzzing around, they are at the adult stage. And then the cycle begins again. The whole lifecycle is about 2.5 weeks depending on the conditions (temperature, humidity, moisture, etc.).

The adult gnats will buzz around the pot; they don’t fly very long distances and always seem to aim for your face.

What causes fungus gnats?

As I mentioned, fungus gnats lay their eggs in and feed on the fungus that breeds in damp soil. So the chief cause of fungus gnat infestations in houseplants is overwatering.

Many people think they aren’t good at taking care of plants. In reality, they are probably just overwatering them! Most common houseplants don’t need as much water as we think they do.

I overwatered so many plants years ago when I first started getting into houseplants. Not only does it lead to root rot and just generally unhappy plants, it also leads to fungus gnats.

What can I do to prevent fungus gnats?

There are a few things you can do to help prevent fungus gnats in your houseplants. Some might work better than others depending on the plant, so try them out and see what works best.

1. Let the top few inches of soil dry out

Letting the top few inches of soil dry out helps to keep things healthy and to prevent the moist environment necessary for fungus gnat breeding. Watering in planters without drainage holes can also lead to soil retaining too much moisture, so it’s best to avoid that too.

2. Aerate the soil

I like to occasionally aerate the soil in my potted plants to help promote air flow. This not only helps with moisture issues in the top few inches of the soil—it also helps prevent the soil from caking together too much and shrinking from the sides of the pots.

I like to use a fork or a chopstick for this. Or, if I’m being honest, my fingers. 🙂 You don’t have to wait until you’ve overwatered a plant to do this, either. It can help soil and plant health all the time as long as you don’t disturb the roots.

3. Bottom watering your plants

Bottom watering your plants is one way to help prevent fungus gnats. Some plants like to keep their soil moist, so it’s not a great idea to let them dry out too much between waterings.

Bottom watering is when you set a planter with a drainage hole into water and let the plant soak the water up through the hole. This helps to prevent fungus gnats because the top layer of soil is never really wet.

The bottom-most layer of soil gets moist, and the roots pull up the moisture. I bottom water some of the plants I have because it keeps water from pooling on leaves—for example, my hoya carnosa compacta.

4. Setting a barrier up for the drainage hole

I have read that gnats can also sneak into plants through the bottom drainage holes and lay eggs there. I typically put a piece of a coffee filter in the bottom of my planters when repotting just to prevent dirt from spilling out, so that might be helpful.

This is one of those “can’t hurt, might help” tools, though. Just doing this probably won’t knock out a fungus gnat problem, but it can be one tool in the arsenal to remember.

5. Isolating infested plants

If you get a plant that already has gnats, keep it away from your other plants. Fungus gnats can spread quickly. Always quarantine new plants that you buy. If you notice any issues, treat them before introducing the newbies to your existing plants.

Like this? Check out my posts on How to Propagate Pothos, How to Propagate Snake Plants, and How to Propagate Spider Plants in Water!

How to get rid of gnats in houseplants

Fungus gnats don’t generally hurt your plants if you don’t let an infestation get too out of control, but they are really annoying. They fly around your face, often straight into it. And they always seem to follow you around.

And although they don’t really hurt your plants, they are often signs of problems in your care routine, so it’s best to address their presence! Establish an appropriate watering routine

1. Establish an appropriate watering routine

Establishing an appropriate watering routine will help to kill off any eggs or larva in the soil. It will also prevent fungus gnats from moving in in the future.

Always check to make sure the top few inches of soil is dry before watering (for more common houseplants). You can get a moisture meter, but I don’t fuss with one.

I honestly find that backing off of watering my plants a bit can knock out a fungus gnat problem. Many people overwater their plants, and just letting the top few inches of soil dry out before watering again can make a HUGE difference!

If you’re struggling to remember when you last watered your plants, you can grab my free printable plant watering trackers. Laminate it, put it on your fridge, and update it whenever you water your plants! 🙂

2. Use sticky fly traps

I included my favorite yellow sticky stakes fly traps in the houseplant lovers gift guide I made last year. I’ve since started buying some budget yellow fly paper, cutting it down in strips, and adding it to the stakes. Or just hanging it up.

These work great to control adult populations. The adult gnat populations are attracted to the yellow color on the fly traps. They get stuck in the super sticky yellow fly paper and die. Sorry, gnats.

And once you control adult populations, there isn’t anything to lay eggs. The second I see a fungus gnat, I throw some sticky paper out. If you can catch them soon, you might prevent a bigger problem.

3. Invest in a Katchy machine

Okay I have to admit, I bought a Katchy after I saw one of my planty friends on Tiktok post about hers. I had a bad fungus gnat problem at the time and couldn’t get it under control. So I caved and bought it…and it’s kind of amazing!

The bonus with the Katchy is that it actually looks really nice…much better than a bunch of bright yellow fly paper hanging around your house. You can also quickly switch out the sticky fly traps to refresh it.

It has a UV light on top of it, and you turn it on at night so the flies are attracted to the light. The fan in the machine then sucks the flies down onto the fly paper.

4. Get rid of gnats in houseplants with vinegar

Vinegar is a simple and straightforward way to help control adult gnat populations. This is also a great option to use in addition to sticky traps. You can simply fill a small shallow bowl with vinegar and add a few drops of dish soap.

Refresh every few days as it fills up with dead gnats. They love this stuff. But if you don’t want to have bowls of stuff sitting around, this might not be a good choice.

5. Use sand or gravel to dress the soil

Since fungus gnats lay eggs in the top few inches of the soil, dressing the top of the soil with sand or gravel can help to prevent them from moving in. I have used decorative sand or pebbles to do this, but it isn’t my favored method.

I know some love this method, though. So it’s worth a shot. Especially for plants like cacti and succulents that prefer a grittier soil to begin with!

6. Hydrogen peroxide mix

In addition to vinegar, hydrogen peroxide is another thing you probably have in your house already that can help to control fungus gnats. Use roughly 1 part hydrogen peroxide mixed with 5 parts water to water dry soil will help kill everything off.

This is harmless to almost all common houseplants—just don’t use straight hydrogen peroxide! And I’d also recommend waiting until it’s time to water the plant again before trying this treatment.

7. Try a soap and water mixture

I talked a bit about this in the post I did on how to debug plants before bringing them in for the winter. I typically use an insecticide spray and a soapy water mixture to kill off anything in the soil.

I don’t overthink this. I simply put a few drops of dish soap (a mild kind without a degreaser) into a watering can and fill it up with lukewarm water. It will bubble a bit. Then I water the plant.

If your plant is already damp, you can simply spray the top layer of soil to prevent further overwatering. If the plant is ready for watering, just use the soapy water.

8. Neem oil spray

Neem oil is another method you can use to control fungus gnats. You can buy a neem oil spray that is already diluted, or you can buy a neem oil concentrate and dilute it yourself.

I find buying a concentrate goes farther—I have had mine for a few years, and I just reuse an old spray bottle. However, not everyone enjoys the pungent smell of neem oil. If that’s you and you’ve still gotten this far without finding a solution…read on!

9. Sprinkling cinnamon

Okay…I have tried this in the past, but I don’t think it did anything. A lot of people recommend cinnamon though. You can sprinkle cinnamon, which is a natural fungicide, on top of the soil.

I’d recommend doing this when the soil is dry, working it into the top inch or so of soil, and then watering the plant. This seems to fall into the “can’t hurt, might help” category like the coffee filters do.

10. Beneficial nematodes

Beneficial nematodes are an option I learned about from a plant group I’m in. They are microscopic worms that you can’t even see. However, once in the soil, they will eat a TON of different types of bugs.

Including fungus gnats. (And thrips, if you ever have those.) They are not harmful to you or the plant at all. The downside is that they do not affect pests on leaves or the stems. Just the soil.

11. Use mosquito bits

While mosquito bits are marketed as kill mosquito larvae, guess what? It works for fungus gnats, too! Mosquito Bits are a microbial larvicide. They use a bacterial active ingredient that kills off bugs in the larval stage of development.

For use on fungus gnat larvae, you can make a “tea” by soaking mosquito bits in water. Then water the plant thoroughly with the tea. Repeat until there are no more signs of gnats. I’d recommend combining with sticky tape, too.

12. Use a systemic pesticide

You can also use a systemic pesticide to kill off anything in the soil. But this is the nuclear option. I’m not anti-pesticide by any means, but they might not be for you. I have used them on my plants, and they work very well.

These are pesticides that you can work into the top few inches of the soil, and when you water the plant, the insecticide kills everything off. Unlike some other soil-based treatments, this will kill of things sucking from the stems and leaves, too.

But fungus gnats don’t suck from the stems and soil. Honestly, you probably don’t need this level of insecticide for fungus gnats…they are easier to get rid of than other pests. But if you do need to resort to them, they’ll work.

I used insecticide granules to kill off some thrips I had in some of my houseplants, including my large monstera deliciosa. It worked! And it also killed off all of the fungus gnats I had at the time, praise be. So, it was an added bonus!

Good luck with your gnats!

I hope this post helps you understand what causes fungus gnats in houseplants and how you can get rid of them. Not everything works for everyone, so it might take a bit of trial and error.

Don’t give up, though! Start small and see what works for you. Kick up the treatment only if necessary. I have tried SO many different methods and have been gnat-free for well over a year now. You can do it, too!

Pin My Tips About How to Get Rid of Gnats in Houseplants!

How to get rid of midges in flower pots: fighting midges

Flies in a flower pot

Their main goal is to satisfy the food interest by eating the plant. Pests will not die on their own. This may happen to a couple or three individuals, but the rest will continue to breed safely. And in a couple of days the second generation will appear. With inaction, after a few weeks, the parasites will destroy your favorite flower.

Insect larvae cause the most damage. They are not visible to the human eye. The larvae live in the flower soil. Their main source of nutrition is the root system of the plant.

If small pests have started, then first you need to determine the degree of damage to the plant, and then think about how to get rid of them. The initial degree of infection is the very first days of the appearance of midges. As soon as they multiplied, larvae appeared - the second degree came. Therefore, it is important to quickly destroy adults. Dealing with them is much easier than with the larvae.

What kind of midges can settle on indoor plants

There are more than 2000 varieties of pests. But some of them are especially dangerous. Let's take a look at them.

White pests

Whiteflies (Aleirodids). Characterized by white wings and body. Outwardly, they resemble the aphids you know, only in a reduced size, which does not exceed 1.8 mm. If white midges are wound up in a home flower, then you can find them on the back of the leaves.

They are also called Shields. They are most commonly found on begonia or fuchsia leaves.

Black midges

People called them Mushroom mosquitoes, the scientific name is Sciarids. This type of insect, settling in the ground, makes it very hard, dense. As a result, the roots of the plant receive less oxygen.

Sciarids look like mosquitoes. Body length with wings does not exceed 2 mm. Favorite plants are ficus, aloe and azalea.

Ground fleas

They do not have wings, move by jumping, and in general look very similar to a flea. Their body is predominantly white. These pests love high humidity, so they live at the bottom of the pot, at the base of the stand, as well as in the upper most moist soil layer.

Drosophila

They reproduce very quickly. After a couple of days, a couple of individuals can turn into a whole colony.

The size of Drosophila is much larger than the previously described counterparts and averages 3.5 mm. You can recognize them by their characteristic yellowish-brown color.

Why are there small insects in the flowers?

Excessively wet soil is an excellent breeding ground for small parasites. It is wet soil that is the main source of reproduction. But to get into the ground, pests have to come from somewhere. From where? Let's take a closer look:

Poor quality soil. It happens that you come across soil already inhabited by parasites.
Too much organic fertilizer. Excessive watering of the land worsens the situation.
Migration of insects from the street, neighboring apartments, cellars, etc.
Transplanting flowers into huge containers. Moisture will be concentrated below, and the roots will miss it.

Managing midges in indoor flowers: ways to get rid of them

How to get rid of midges in flower pots? The first thing you should do is take the infected plant away from the rest.

Remove the flower from the pot, discard the old soil and then rinse the roots under cold running water. Wash the pot thoroughly with Domestos All-Purpose Spray. It will ensure cleanliness and hygiene, as well as destroy mold that may have formed due to excess moisture. Turn the nozzle, spray on the surface of the planter, wipe with a cloth. If necessary, leave Domestos for 1 minute. Then pour the earth into a clean pot, place a flower, water it.

There are both special chemical insecticides for killing flies and folk recipes.

How to get midges out of a flower pot: folk recipes

You have already encountered a situation where midges have appeared in indoor flowers. What to bring them out? Here are some of the most effective folk methods:

Garlic tincture. To prepare it, you will need: 4 medium heads of garlic, chopped with a garlic press, 1 liter of boiled water. The resulting tincture processes the soil, the foliage of the plant.
Potassium permanganate solution. When cooking, do not overdo it with the amount of potassium permanganate. The water should be a little pink. The soil is treated with a solution. A couple of days after treatment, you need to repeat watering.
Ammonia. 12-13 ml of alcohol is diluted in 1 liter of water. Carry out abundant watering of the plant.
Celandine tincture. 50 grams of celandine are poured into 500 ml of water, the solution is infused. Spray the leaves with the tincture.
Wood ash. Sprinkle ash on the ground at the root of the flower.
Laundry soap solution. Take a small piece of soap (20-30 grams), grate it, pour 1 liter of water, let it dissolve. Carry out the processing of the earth and foliage.
Asterisk balm. Spread generously on the edges of the planter around the entire circumference.

How to get rid of midges in flowers: effective insecticides

If midges are bred in a flower pot, and none of the folk remedies helps, then what to do in this case? The best solution is to use effective chemical insecticides. They will help get rid of annoying insects once and for all. Such preparations are of three types:

Liquid. Designed for watering and spraying.
Granular. Are added to the soil.
Aerosols. Sprayed on leaves, soil.

When choosing, pay attention to safe preparations. But do not forget about personal protective equipment when working: a mask / respirator and gloves.

Pest prevention

In order not to think about how to get rid of midges in indoor flowers, it is better to prevent their appearance. To do this, regularly follow the simple care rules:

Remove fallen leaves in time. Don't let them rot in the soil.
Do not flood the ground. Moderate watering is a guarantee of good growth and the absence of parasites.
Treat the soil before planting/transplanting.
Rinse flower containers thoroughly.
Do not be lazy to loosen the soil to enrich it with oxygen.
Install a humidifier to ensure a good level of humidity in the apartment.

If you find insects on one flower, it is better to treat all the plants in the house.

Flies in indoor plants are a fairly common problem for flower growers. Our experts told you how to get rid of them. Act in a timely and correct manner, then the insects will no longer bother you.

How to get rid of midges in indoor flowers

March 2, 2019 Likbez Do it yourself

Simple and proven ways to deal with all types of flower midges.

What kind of midges live in indoor flowers

Various insects can start in pots with plants. If you understand what kind of pest you are facing, the fight will be more effective.

Black midges

These are sciarids, which are also called mushroom gnats. They are quite small, just a few millimeters. The body is elongated, gray-black, the wings are transparent.

Adult insects are not dangerous at all. Plants are threatened by eggs that sciarids lay in moist soil.

The hatched larvae are approximately 3–5 mm long. They have a black head and a white body. They feed on organic matter rotting in the ground, but they can also gnaw on thin young plant roots.

White midges

They are also called whiteflies or aleurodes. Adults are approximately 2–3 mm long. Outwardly, they resemble moths. They have two pairs of milky white wings covered with a flour-like coating.

Gary Chang

Insects lay bright and easily visible eggs on the underside of leaves. With special pleasure - for juicy. There are, for example, fuchsias, primroses, pelargoniums, poinsettias, hibiscus, abutilons.

Hatching larvae, like adult whiteflies, suck juices from stems and leaves. Damaged areas are deformed, twisted, sticky dew appears on them. If you do not take action, the plant will die.

Drosophila

These are fruit flies 2–3 mm long. Outwardly, they resemble ordinary flies, only very miniature.

Katja Schulz

Drosophila are not dangerous for the plant. They rather annoy people, as they multiply quickly and scatter around the apartment.

Water the right way 🌵

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How to get rid of black flies at hand

Start fighting black flies as soon as possible. And with both adults and larvae.

Carefully inspect the soil in the pot. If there are a lot of larvae in it, play it safe and just transplant the plant into a new soil.

Accumulation of black midge larvae

If there are few larvae, work the soil in one of the following ways.

Potassium permanganate

Instead of ordinary water, water the plant 1-2 times with a light pink solution of potassium permanganate.

Matches

Take some matches and stick them with their heads in the ground near the edge of the pot, away from the flower itself.

After the second watering, the matches can be removed: all the sulfur has been washed off them. If the larvae survive, repeat the procedure.

Frightening scents

Place a piece of orange peel or a clove of garlic on the ground in a pot. Just remember to replace the flavor after a couple of days to prevent rotting.

Find out 🥭

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How to get rid of white midges with improvised means

Before starting processing, inspect the plant. Immediately remove leaves that are severely affected and almost completely occupied by insects and their larvae.

If there are not very many insects, eggs and larvae, they can be destroyed in the following ways:

Garlic infusion

2-3 garlic cloves mince with a grater or knife. Fill with a liter of water at room temperature. Infuse for a day in a dark place, and then strain and spray the plant.

It will be enough 3-4 times with an interval of 5-7 days.

Tobacco infusion

Take tobacco from 20 strong cigarettes. Fill it with hot water and leave it for 5 days in a dark place. Strain and spray plants at least 3 times with breaks of 2-3 days.

Soap solution

Grate tar or laundry soap without additives on a fine grater and fill with water in a ratio of 1 : 6.

Every day, gently spray or wipe the leaves and stems of plants on which the whitefly has settled. Repeat the procedure until the insects disappear.

Cold Quarantine

Plants that can tolerate temperatures as low as 10°C (eg fuchsias and geraniums) in the cool season are left on the balcony for a week. This will help get rid of the adults.

Memorize 🌸

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How to Get Rid of Drosophila at Home

Traps

Take a plastic cup, deep bowl or jar. At the bottom, put pieces of any ripe fruit or pour apple cider vinegar, compote or sweet wine. Add a couple of drops of liquid dish soap.

Cover with cling film and make holes in it with a large needle or toothpick.

Place a trap next to a pot with fruit flies.

Pungent odors

Light an aromatic lamp with oils of lemon and lime, patchouli and ylang-ylang next to the plants.

And if you're not afraid of the garlic flavor, put one clove in the pot.

Don't throw away the seeds 🥑

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How to get rid of midges with special products

You can buy them in hardware stores or in the department with indoor plants.

Sticky traps

Take fly tape or sticky insect traps and place them near the affected plant. It will help get rid of flying individuals. This method is good if there are few insects.

Aerosols

Aerosols from flying insects will help to destroy adults that have just appeared on plants. When spraying them, pay special attention to the shelves, racks and window sills on which the potted plants stand.

Moist clean after treatment.

Mosquito Fumigators

Plug the machine into a socket that is near infested plants every day. This will scare away flying flies.

Systemic insecticides

Treat the plant with an insecticide containing thiamethoxam or imidacloprid. Strictly according to the manufacturer's instructions. This will help in the fight against white and black midges, but will not save you from fruit flies.

Remember: Insects can become immune to certain drugs. So it is better to alternate insecticides.

Put on the windowsill 🌱

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Why midges appear in flowers

To avoid the reappearance of insects, try to figure out where they came from.

Incorrect watering

Constantly waterlogged soil creates ideal conditions for insects. Drosophila can even settle in a swampy pallet.

Stale air

Pests thrive best and multiply actively in poorly ventilated rooms without ventilation systems.

Uncultivated land

You can bring the midges along with the soil. Moreover, both store-bought and recruited in the country or in the forest.

External factors

Midges may well fly into an open window or window, get into the apartment along with bouquets or potted flowers.

Mushroom mosquitoes often enter rooms through hoods and ventilation shafts from warm and damp basements.

Spoiled vegetables and fruits

Drosophila and black midges also harbor waste vegetables or fruits that are not thrown out on time. And already from them the midges move to the flowers.

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What to do so that there are no midges in the flowers

Water plants moderately. Check each time that the soil is dry enough.
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