How To Get Rid of Gnats in Plants Naturally: The Right Ways

How to get rid of gnats in plants naturally is a method that would vary from plant to plant because of the versatility of gnats and plant varieties. Gnats are a very common problem in plants and thankfully, they can be removed and gotten rid of if you act on time.

Plants that live and grow in humid and moist weather are mostly prone to gnats because such weathers are ideal for their growth. In this article, we will take you through the most commonly used methods to get rid of the gnats naturally that are also pocket-friendly.

How To Get Rid of Gnats in Plants Naturally in Effective Ways?

You can get rid of gnats in plants naturally by using vinegar, fly traps, nets, potatoes, and flycatchers. In addition to this, you can also try to replant the plants, and lastly, you can also do so by avoiding watering the plant for some time.

The reason why you should get rid of them is that gnats are also harmful to the humans that they come in contact with. Their bite can trigger a serious rash and life-threatening allergic reaction known as anaphylaxis. So make sure that you go near them with protective gear on.

– Vinegar Solution

The vinegar solution is one of the easiest and most affordable ways of getting rid of gnats, all you have to do is prepare the mixture as vinegar is found almost in every household. It contains the chemical acetic acid that works by removing water from anything that it is sprayed on. This is how the solution dries out the gnats which ultimately kills them.

The best way to use vinegar is by adding it to a spray bottle, and this way you can easily use the spray bottle to tackle the mix of vinegar on the gnats. They will instantly fall down to the ground. You can either clean them off from there or let nature do its job.

There is one side effect to using vinegar on plants. The vinegar may prove to be harmful to the plants beneath the gnats. This vinegar may inhibit or disturb their growth. So when using vinegar for gnats, make sure that you spray directly on the gnats and save as much plant as you can.

In this case you should note that the gnats can easily spread from one plant to another plant in the same garden because the conditions will be similar. So if one plant in your garden has gnats, it will not be long that the rest of the plants are also infected with them, so ensure that you are targeting the bugs in a very thorough way, as they would be able to come along from other as well; hence, it is best that you try to tackle them away.

The best way to avoid a situation like this is by using nets around the infected plants so the gnats can be confined to one place. You can also try to displace the affected plant from the garden to a position where there are no plants so they will not be affected.

– Use Fly Traps

Fly traps are another great way of keeping the gnats away from the plants, you should remember that these traps can be found easily in a gardening store or a common grocery store. Wherever there are gnats or there is a chance of gnat growth, plant the fly traps nearby. These biological control traps come in all sorts of shapes and sizes, so you will have a great selection to choose from.

These tools are also harmless to the plants and other vegetation which is why you can use them without any problem. They are not only great for gnats however, they are also great for any sort of bugs or insects that may damage your plants.

In general, note that these pests can be infectious to humans as well so do not take their existence lightly. When you go in to plant the traps, make sure to wear protective gear so you do not get bitten by them, and then you can go ahead and install the traps properly.

They are small flying insects with long legs that are attracted to moist and humid soil around plants, when you see them on the traps, you will know that it worked well. These insects can cause the fresh produce to spoil more quickly and cause fungal and algal growth.

So wherever gnats are found, it is of utmost importance and needs that they are removed and killed, and the safe way to do it is through traps. You can use many ways to do that, but not all of them are user-friendly and safe.

– Use Cinnamon Sticks or Powder

Using cinnamon on your plants will effectively help you get rid of gnats. You can use cinnamon sticks as well as powder for the best results, because this is how they will repel away.

The sticks can be poked in the soil whereas the powder can be sprinkled in the soil and the leaves. This is one of the most potent ways of getting rid of the fungal gnats naturally and effectively at a lower cost.

When you place some cinnamon, it works against the gnats because it has natural anti-fungal properties. Whether you ingest it or use it from the outside, it will be beneficial for you. The only catch here is that the regular cinnamon in your houses may not be adequate for gnats. You will need to use a specific kind of cinnamon, ceylon cinnamon, for fungus gnats.

– Use Flycatchers

Flycatchers are most commonly available at any convenience store or gardening store and they do exactly what the name implies; they catch flies, and in this case, note that the gnats are not very smart bugs, and they can easily be caught. You can hang flycatchers around your plants so the bugs can be collected. The catchers are made in a way that they seem attractive to the flies.

The fruit flies will thus move towards them and be ultimately caught; in addition to this, they are cheap and will last you a long time. As a preventative measure, if you have such vegetation, so you should go ahead and try to set up the traps beforehand, so you do not have to waste any time when the flies attack.

– Replant the Plants

This is one of the easiest and most effective solutions yet. The gnats are attracted to overwatered plants which means wet and moist soil in the planters and pots. This can also mean that the entire soil bed is filled with water. So the best thing that you can do for your plants is to replant them in dry soil and planters.

This can be a little tricky because the roots of the plants will be all muddy and may break if not handled with care. Make sure you wear protective gear before handling them.

Make sure to use pots that fit the size of the plants because if a big plant is potted in a smaller pot, the roots won’t be able to grow well, and the plant may soon die. Moreover, make sure to clean the plant before replanting because we do not want any eggs or larvae of gnats making their way to the new location.

The fungal gnats leave their larvae where they stay for a while. Even if the soil dries out and the gnats leave the plants, a single larva that is left behind may grow into a full gnat colony when they find the optimal conditions. This is why it is important to treat the whole area of gnat infestation to ensure that the gnats do not grow again; in short, you can change the soil for the best result.

The gnats can go away on their own, but they will need a little push, and this way, when you change the environment, they will no longer feel welcomed, as the gnats grow best in moist and humid soil conditions. This is why when the soil completely dries out and you do not water it, the gnats are bound to go away, and the new soil would be a new chance for you to function as such.

– Use a Net

The second last way of getting rid of gnats is by using a net. This is simple, effective, and inexpensive. All you need here is a net that will go around the plants and give them a barrier that will keep the gnats away. You can use it on healthy and affected plants as well to avoid any from getting to the rest of the healthy plants.

The net can also be used as a preventative measure for when there is a chance of gnats forming. Try and put the net around the plants before the gnats are even seen. Make sure to get a net that is non-toxic and safe for garden use.

We know gnats form when the plants are overwatered but this overwatering may also be because of a natural cause such as rain. Constant and heavy rain may also cause the plants to be overwatered and stay in a state of dampness. This can easily cause the gnats to develop and grow on your plants, so in all cases, the fly net works well because if used above the plants, it can reduce the amount of rain that pours into the soil if not completely blocks it.

– Avoid Watering the Plant

When the gnats have affected the plants, and you can see that the soil is all wet and damp, the best measure for you to take is to stop watering the plant together. This will not put the plant in any shock but will help the soil to remove all the existing and surplus water. The sun will help a great deal in drying out the soil. Use large fans to dry the water if the sun is not out.

You can prevent gnats from growing in plants by avoiding over-watering the plants because the higher water content in plants can cause the conditions to remain moist and humid, which are ideal for gnat growths. Make sure you water only when needed and don’t do it excessively; however, if you wish, you can always schedule your irrigation to be very precise.

The plant pots are deep and can retain a good amount of water if the plants are overwatered. To prevent the water from standing in the pot, you can use a sponge at the bottom of the pot that can absorb all the surplus water. You can also use a spray bottle with the smallest nozzle to spray the minimum amount of water.

Conclusion

In this article, we talked about seven ways how you can get rid of gnats in plants naturally, but in case any detail was missed, here is a short conclusion to help you:

• You can get rid of gnats at a low cost by using vinegar, fly traps, nets, potatoes, and flycatchers, replanting the plants, and lastly, by avoiding watering the plant for some time.
• Use Ceylon cinnamon powder or sticks in the soil to get rid of gnats naturally and effectively.
• Stop watering the plants if there are gnats on them as the water will only make the condition worse.
• Replanting gnat-affected plants in a new pot and soil will also help you in getting rid of them.
• Fly traps, flycatchers, and nets can be bought from any convenience store or garden shop and will be very effective in getting rid of the gnats naturally.

Here we come to the end of the article about getting rid of gnats in plants. We hope that the above-mentioned ways will prove to be very helpful to you.