Fungus Gnats on Houseplants - Knowledgebase Question

New York, NY
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Question by damcatts
August 26, 1999
I have fungus gnats in some of my houseplants, particularly my spider plant. I read that I should put a layer of stones in the pot to discourage the larvae from getting into the soil. Is this ok to do with adult spider plants whose roots are at the top of the soil? Also, the larvae are so small and they seem as though they'll get through any layering; what in particular will keep them from burrowing into the soil?


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Answer from NGA
August 26, 1999
The grit or sand layer need only be a thin one and it is free-draining enough not to bother the roots; it works more like a barrier mulch than a layer of soil. It will not stop the existing insects, but its dryness will stop the next generation because the adults will not breed in it. Luckily, fungus gnats don't live very long!

Note that if you have fungus gnats in a number of plants, it may be that you are keeping them overly wet. Most plants do best when the top layer of soil is allowed to dry off between waterings.

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