We all love our houseplants but any experienced indoor plant lover knows that occasionally you get struck with Gnats! Annoying! SO WHAT ARE GNATS?
Gnats are little flying bugs that are about the size of fruit flies. They are attracted to moist, organic environments hence why they can be attracted to your indoor plants! These are common indoor plant pests can pop up from time to time so don’t lose faith in your plant patenting! The good news? Gnats are not great at flying so they usually stay pretty close to your plant, and with a little effort, can be quickly controlled. Before you read on it is important to know that although these bugs are ANNOYING they will not hurt your plant, immediately. It is good to try to get rid of them though as they eat on the root hairs and have a pretty fast life cycle so they can multiply quickly!! Eek! HOW TO GET RID OF THEM... 1. Watering your plants:
It's important to understand that the gnats lay their eggs in the soil and since they love moist environments, the best way to get rid of them is by letting your soil completely dry out before watering. Try to avoid the temptation of giving your plant a little bit of water often. It's better to water less frequently, but more thoroughly so that the soil has a dry period. This will help to kill the gnats at the larval stage.
Watering this way is also much better for the health of the roots of your plants. Win win! You can use your finger to feel if the soil is wet. Scratch down the surface of the soil a couple of cm. Alternatively you can use one of our water checkers to help you with when it’s time to water to ensure you are not watering too much. 2. Use Traps:
Whilst you are implementing your new watering process, the best way to keep the pesky gnats at bay is by using commercially available yellow sticky strips such as these. The adult gnats will be attracted to the strips, get stuck, and therefore stopping the reproduction process.
Owning houseplants is such a joy - and sometimes little challenges pop up but that's all part of the fun! With a little nurturing those gnats will quickly become a thing of the past! Good luck! And remember, we are here for you if you have any questions at all! hello@captainmonstera.com.au