Advice on gnat like insects

[tarpalsfan]

Help and advice please!
Last season some sort of gnat like insects attacked my young plants. The 'gnats' attacked not just tomatoes, but just about every vegetable or flower, especially the seedlings. I used a pyrthium spray to try and stop them with just fair results. I tried dish washing soap water too, and just about killed my plants myself!(Palmolive ) I also spent a lot of time picking them off my plants too.
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This week we had 3 days of rain, and I drug all my 50+ plants inside, today it was sunny so I took the plants out for some much needed sunshine. The plant sucking gnats are back, swarms of them.
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Can someone please tell me how to stop these dreadful gnats? The plants are still little, none over 6 inches tall. I don't want to loose my little plants to some darn gnat, I hate it, but will use 7 Dust as a last resort.
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from Kathryn

[ginger2778]

I use this for the larvae. https://www.amazon.com/Gnatrol-WDG-5...ywords=gnatrol Works like a charm.
I use these yellow sticky traps for all the adult gnat and whiteflies, they are very strongly attracted to the bright yellow color. https://www.amazon.com/Yellow-Sticky...w+sticky+traps This is the cheapest I have seen them in a while too. Mostly the 15 pack is about $17. I need to order some.

[brownrexx]

If your plants are that small and you want to put them outside, how about putting a floating row cover over them to keep the gnats off for now.

It won't be feasible when the plants are full sized of course but it might be an easy fix while they are so small.

[tarpalsfan]

Originally Posted by brownrexx

If your plants are that small and you want to put them outside, how about putting a floating row cover over them to keep the gnats off for now.

It won't be feasible when the plants are full sized of course but it might be an easy fix while they are so small.

Hi
I have some gardening catalogs that carry floating row covers. My plants aren't in the ground, but in 4 inch pots. I put I move them around in a big cart so that they can get the best sunshine. It would be easy to cover that. Thanks for the reply

[brownrexx]

You can also use tulle fabric like they make bridal veils out of. You can buy it at the fabric store relatively cheap but make sure to get tulle so that the holes are small enough to keep the gnats out.

[tarpalsfan]

Originally Posted by ginger2778

i use this for the larvae. https://www.amazon.com/gnatrol-wdg-5...ywords=gnatrol works like a charm.
I use these yellow sticky traps for all the adult gnat and whiteflies, they are very strongly attracted to the bright yellow color. https://www.amazon.com/yellow-sticky...w+sticky+traps this is the cheapest i have seen them in a while too. Mostly the 15 pack is about $17. I need to order some.

hi
thanks for the reply and links. I appreciate it very much!
,
the sticky traps have reduced in price to $12.50 per 15. A great deal.
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About what you said about the color yellow, earlier i dead headed some yellow ta gates marigolds. I thought that the marigolds would repel the gnats, and dropped some in my little tomatoes-but no the gnats went for the yellow flowers. I tried a cup of water dyed yellow, wiTH a tiny bit of sugar. The gnats went for the OUTSIDE OF THE cup-but not inside it
.
Again, thanks for the link-i will order some stickys. Hurrey and come stickys

[oakley]

A basic home arsenal is so important i'm finding out. Does not need to be expensive.
Sticky traps are cheaper than a few yrs ago and some home DIY's work.

I like them as an alarm that a problem exists. Then something more aggressive will
knock them out in no time. (takes a few weeks).

Important to find out what the critter is. Fungus gnat or aphid. White fly is more obvious.
Not sure what is worse. The fungus gnat is in your soil, the top two inches or so. Nasty
breeders they are. They feed on the roots of your seedlings.

Aphids do not breed as heavily in numbers but harder to control.

I've had both and went into heavy get-them-out-now mode. Success so far.

Tulle works but not if they are breeding in your pots. You will just trap them in your
seedling frame. Just watch daily.

Seedlings in 4inch pots are pretty safe if they survived thus far. Just keeping numbers down...

It is the tiny new sprouts that get attacked being tender and peppers seem to be a
favorite.

If your explosion is outside and not inside, cover them until stronger and in the ground.

[brownrexx]

Sorry, I may have misunderstood the problem. I thought that the problem occurred when you took your seedlings outdoors and that it was an outdoor gnat of some type attacking your plants.

If the problem is happening indoors then it is fungus gnats which are hatching from eggs in the soil that you used to pot your seedlings.

I usually put my seed starting mix in the freezer for a few days before using it to kill any eggs and this works for me but if you already have fungus gnats, yellow sticky cards can catch the adults but the larvae are still in the soil. You can make a solution of bt to water your seedlings with by crumbling one of those mosquito dunks into your watering can and then watering your plants with the solution. This will kill larvae.

[Rockporter]

100 sticky traps for $23.95 + $7.35 shipping. I'm ordering right now.


https://www.amazon.com/100ea-Yellow-...w+sticky+traps

[ginger2778]

Originally Posted by Rockporter

100 sticky traps for $23.95 + $7.35 shipping. I'm ordering right now.


https://www.amazon.com/100ea-Yellow-...w+sticky+traps

These are the sticky traps I ordered that trapped a bird and pulled out do many of its feathers as I tried to free it and it flaled around trying to escape. It was heart breaking. The bird ran away because it couldn't fly. I cried. The glue on these is much stronger, traps other animals too. I went back to the Seabright brand because birds and squirrels don't get stuck.

Please don't use this brand in the photo. The glue on the Seabright brand is very good and strong enough for flies, mine are covered in flies, gnats, and whiteflies by the end of the season.

[ginger2778]

Originally Posted by oakley

A basic home arsenal is so important i'm finding out. Does not need to be expensive.
Sticky traps are cheaper than a few yrs ago and some home DIY's work.

I like them as an alarm that a problem exists. Then something more aggressive will
knock them out in no time. (takes a few weeks).

Important to find out what the critter is. Fungus gnat or aphid. White fly is more obvious.
Not sure what is worse. The fungus gnat is in your soil, the top two inches or so. Nasty
breeders they are. They feed on the roots of your seedlings.

Aphids do not breed as heavily in numbers but harder to control.

I've had both and went into heavy get-them-out-now mode. Success so far.

Tulle works but not if they are breeding in your pots. You will just trap them in your
seedling frame. Just watch daily.

Seedlings in 4inch pots are pretty safe if they survived thus far. Just keeping numbers down...

It is the tiny new sprouts that get attacked being tender and peppers seem to be a
favorite.

If your explosion is outside and not inside, cover them until stronger and in the ground.

The tulle is a great price! Is that Amazon?

The fungus gnats are why I use gnatrol in my soil. I never have that problem anymore. It's BT bacteria so just a few granules will grow into millions bacteria that eat fungus gnat larvae.

[oakley]

I actually can't find the one i have that is really good. The seller has many colors and
i purchased and olive green last year. Stupidly they did not put any brand/seller info
on the cardboard bolt end. (i paid under 10 maybe 9.99 i remember)...i should look
in my past purchases list.!
Year before last a bolt was of lesser quality...
I also bought tulle bags for my grapes and fruit trees. My concord grapes are out of
control and the seeds are toxic to dogs...my pups love grapes.

I purchased an herb trio around Thanksgiving...rosemary tree, thyme, sage...through
the house and right away out back deck to flush it when i saw gnats. Peroxide flush,
then new soil, potato test and all seemed fine. Later on it was aphids downstairs i
confused with fungus gnats...

...and a crap bag of seed starter.

Freezing soil will not solve much. Heat/steam is the best sterilizer. After an hour in the
oven in those foil roasters i bag it and into the freezer for storage. Commercial
greenhouses use big steamers. We just went through a big thaw... the yard is full of
life.
Interesting article, http://www.sitnews.us/0509news/05210...k_science.html

My issue has been growing all winter...micro greens, micro toms, seed starting room full
of growth. Never a problem for years. Seems under control now finally. Catching it early
is key. Knowing what to look for.

[tarpalsfan]

Originally Posted by brownrexx

You can also use tulle fabric like they make bridal veils out of. You can buy it at the fabric store relatively cheap but make sure to get tulle so that the holes are small enough to keep the gnats out.

I think I'll just save this whole page.

[jillian]

I am using the yellow sticky traps this year too. I didn't realize there was a difference between brands as to the "stickiness". I have bird feathers stuck on one of them. I hope the bird survived I didn't find it .

[ginger2778]

Originally Posted by jillian

I am using the yellow sticky traps this year too. I didn't realize there was a difference between brands as to the "stickiness". I have bird feathers stuck on one of them. I hope the bird survived I didn't find it .

I know. I found out the difference the hard way. I felt awful and could not get that image out of my mind. Please folks, only use the Seabright brand. It really matters.