What can I use to repel knats from my indoor plants?

Question

What can I use to repel knats from my indoor plants?

Answer 1

The gnats around your plants are not fruit flies as the other answerer seems to believe, your gnats are called fungal gnats. As flies they are harmless, just annoying. Their larva is the problem. The flies lay their eggs in your soil and as the eggs hatch and grow they feed on the roots. This can cause a whole host of problems for your plants (the whole range really, stunted growth, it puts the plant under stress allowing it to become more susceptible to other pests, even death.)



The only way to control fungal gnats is to let your plant dry out in between watering, you can also get these sticky yellow cards to place in the pot which will tell you your level of infestation.

Answer 2

These bugs are living in the soil, so you do not want to repel them, you need to kill them. A solution that always works well for me, at the office and at home, is to buy a "No-Pest Strip" from the grocery or hardware store. Hot Shot is one brand, Shell used to make them, & there are other brands. Cost about $6. The product consists of a yellow soft plastic-like slab (impregnated with insecticide), about 10" long by 2" wide and a quarter inch thick, inside a plastic cage. Put this product on top of the soil or right next to the plant, and in a day or two you will see dozens or hundreds of tiny dead insects. Clean these up, and a couple of days later there will be another wave of dead insects. This will repeat for 3 or 4 cycles until all the eggs hatch and there are no more adult insects to lay eggs. Then the problem is gone until you buy more bananas which is where the buggers originate, in my experience. But remember this product is poison, and do not keep it too near your "breathing space" or where you store food (about 6 feet is a safe distance in a well-ventilated workspace). If you have a number of plants, you can take the yellow slab out of its cage and cut it up with scissors into as many pieces as you need, sticking them right into the soil. Or you can just cluster the plants close together for a week or so. But wash your hands and scissors WELL after handling, and remember it is serious poison. I have heard professional exterminators say there is "nothing you can do about this problem except throw out the plants", but I just smile and shop for my secret weapon: a "No-Pest Strip".

Answer 3

To repel fungal gnats, you can use diatenatious earth. This is actually crushed sea shells and the gnats can`t go through it without getting cut up. If you want to use a pesticide, you can use Adept. It is a systemic drench (which means you put it in when you water) that works really well. Your local hardware or nursery might handle it. You could also let your plants dry out a little more like Megan C said.

Answer 4

changing the soil in simple terms could be a competent thought.. take the plant and place it interior the bathtub and combine a million or 2 drops of dish cleansing soap in water sprayer.. and spray the leaves.. or use a humid textile 2 do away with meldew or fungus.. as quickly as you spray the leaves, do no longer put in sunny window, till leaves dry.. and it appears that evidently like the plant is around dampness.. so possibly a place close to the solar could be extra powerful.. gnats will take continuously 2 kill.. call and ask at a ironmongery shop in the event that they carry sticky fly paper.. it is your maximum suitable guess 2 do away with the bugs.. bummer eh

Answer 5

maybe this will help







Things You’ll Need:

Bottle and vinegar

Bug repellent spray



Step1Do the vinegar trap. Prepare an old plastic bottle and poke holes on its cap. Put some vinegar on the bottle but do not fill it up all the way. Leave a little bit of space to where the gnats can accumulate. Position the vinegar-filled bottle on areas where you often see them buzz around. Gnats are attracted to the vinegar scent and soon enough they will make their way to the bottle and go inside it, but won't be able to come out. This is a very effective trap and is easy to prepare, so make more and capture every single gnat around your home.



Step2Entice gnats with their favorite food and then get rid of them. You can do this by placing some rotten fruits or vegetables on a plate and position them near the door or window. They will soon track the smell of the trap and swarm on it. When they do, finish them all with a bug repellent spray.



Step3Prepare a deep bowl, fill it with a mixture of vinegar and dish soap. Gnats will be attracted to the smell of vinegar and will dive on to the bowl to get it. The way inside the bowl is easy, but the way out is impossible. The purpose of mixing the dish soap is to make the surroundings of the bowl slippery, so when they try to struggle their way out of the bowl, they will always come sliding back in. In other words, they will be trapped inside the bowl.



Step4Try using pheromones. These effective gnat extinguisher is nontoxic and comes in a form of sticky sticks that can be hang around doors and windows. Gnats are lured by its scent and once they get to it, they are unable to find their way out.



Step5Check your plants for some buzzing gnats. If you happen to notice gnats buzzing around your indoor or outdoor plants, this may indicate that they have nested around that very area. Try to sneak onto their nests by spraying them with bug repelling spray such as Gnatrol.



Step6Keep your home clean and properly protected from gnats. Wipe counter tops and tables with bleach and flush some ammonia into your kitchen sink to keep all types of flies away. Eliminate areas inside and outside your home, dispose rotten vegetables and fruits on tightly sealed garbage bags or bins and properly dispose trash to prevent it from building up. Also cover cracks and holes around windows or doors to where gnats can easily pass through. You may also want to install some protective fine door and window screens as well.



Step7Control the use of outside lightings. Gnats are attracted to lights so try to turn of the lights in your porch, the front or back door, as soon as you are done using it. Do not leave it on, for it will only lure gnats into your home.



Step8Purchase some bug repellents to use around your home. Insect repellent sprays, such as Deet (Off), are excellent for driving gnats away. You may also try using Avon's Skin So Soft to repel gnats from your skin.





or this site too..

http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf949883.tip.html