Has anyone had luck growing herbs, gnat free, indoors?

Somehow, it seemed like back east it was easier than out west to do...

I'd like to grow a few herbs indoors, but despite all the precautions (using only brand-new soil in sterilized pots, baking soil in the oven, watering with a touch of dishsoap,) everything I've tried to grow in soil always yields a bumper crop of fungus gnats, tons of them (maybe it's the difference in humidity, the desert is bone dry. Then again, I think I've tried keeping pots on dishes of stones and water...) I'd *really* like to have some nature in the house, *really* (I've even considered getting carnivorous plants to keep near the herbs, but karmically it doesn't seem like a good course.)

Does anyone have suggestions? They'd be very much appreciated.

Thank You,
Marigold

Hi!

I'm not sure those gnats are the same as those we have here where I live, but if they are similar, here are some things that might work:

* Keeping watering down to a minimum. Your soil may be too wet. Many herbs like it sunny and dry. If the soil is too wet, the roots may rot, the eggs hatch easily, and you're making a paradise for the little fly larvae that like to eat rotting organic matter. For the same reason, throw away any fruit that's going old, empty your trash every day and pour boiling water down the drain because that might be one place where they hatch.

* Let tobacco lie in water a while and water plants with the "tea". Nicotine is a strong poison that kills the larvae. Careful what plants you use it on, and don't make it too strong so that you hurt the plants.

* Flypaper. But that's really ugly.

* There is a kind of blue lamp that the flies love, but when they get too close it kills them. I don't know what it's called, but it should be easy to find.

* And this I know really worked against the tiny flies that were destroying my plants (but, again, I don't know if we are talking about the same insects, so you might want to check this independently)
I went to the garden shop and they sold me a little bag of this stuff... There is a tiny little parasite nematode that's specialized in eating the larvae of those small flies, and you mix them in the water and water your plants with it, and they destroy all larvae in the soil. And when they've eaten them all, the little parasites themselves starve to death (takes a couple of weeks). It's cruel (as nature sometimes is), but very effective, and poison free. (But you should only use it indoors in potted plants, not spread the stuff outside where it might mess up the balance in the soil - after all, the gnats have some kind of purpose somewhere, you just don't want too many of them in the flowerpots...)

marigold's said:

I've even considered getting carnivorous plants to keep near the herbs, but karmically it doesn't seem like a good course.

Click to expand...

Depends of course from which point of view you look at it, the gnat's or the carnivorous plant...

Good luck!

Fungus gnats


These tiny, black insects seem innocuous enough as they buzz over your plants. While the adults rarely cause any problems to plants, if the young larvae are in large numbers, they can damage your seedlings. Fungus gnats search out moist soil in which to lay their eggs. When the eggs hatch, the larvae will feed on the roots of your plants. Healthy seedlings will often be able to withstand this feeding but any seedlings that have small root systems like onions and leeks and those that are showing symptoms of nutrient stress can be put back quite significantly.

The easiest way to prevent fungus gnats is to water your plants properly. Overwatering, which causes your potting mix to remain moist for extended periods of time, seems to attract fungus gnats. If your plants are already infected, allow the soil to dry out between watering. Alternatively, sprinkle a ¼" of sand on top of your soil to confuse the adults. Since the sand drains water quickly, it can sometimes trick the adults into thinking the soil is dry.

Potting mixes containing peat seem to be particularly affected by fungus gnats. If the problem is reoccurring for you, think about switching from a peat-based mix to one that only contains perlite and vermiculite. Lastly, if the adult fungus gnats are bothersome, trap them by making your own sticky trap. The adults are attracted to the color yellow. Make your own sticky trap by smearing Vaseline or Tanglefoot on a yellow surface and hang it up close to where the adults congregate.

Damping-off

Not only will controlling your watering help to prevent fungus gnats, it will prevent the second most common problem, damping-off. This condition is caused by several fungi such as Phtophtora and Pythium. These fungi live at the soil line, just where air meets the moist soil surface. When your potting soil is kept continuously moist by overwatering, the fungi attack your seedlings. The telltale symptom is a constricted stem, just at or below the soil surface. Once seedlings are infected, they tend to fall over at the soil line.

As mentioned, allowing the soil surface to dry out will go a long way in preventing this problem. If, for some reason, your potting mix remains wet for an extended period of time, look to your kitchen cabinet to help prevent the disease. Cinnamon powder is a natural fungicide and has been shown to be particularly effective against damping-off. In addition, Weak chamomile tea (after it has cooled) is another natural fungicide.



This was taken from an article found online at backyardgardener.

hope this helps

herbs like a stony gravelly poor soil ,they also dont like frequent watering i only water mine when they look thirsty. it sounds as though you could be over watering .the previous suggestion about fly paers is also helpful.you could try watering with a solution of water with garlic,just leave a clove in water for a couple of hours then water plants,growing garlic or chives can also help to keep infestations at bay if grown near other plants ,hope this helps
carol

Growing herbs can be a lot of trial and error, but don't despair!

WATER LESS. People are right...watering has a lot to do with it. Let them go bone dry before rewatering and don't let the water sit in the bottom of the dish. Water your plants over the sink until the water is dripping through the bottom, so that you know you saturated the entire root system. Then let it drip for a while before returning to its stand. Also, water in the morning, never at night. During the night the plants are cooler and absorb less of the moisture, so keep the watering routine for mornings, only.

CLEAN YOUR PLANTS. Yep. Clean them. Daily. Check for dead leaves. Pluck them off. Check for dead leaves/flowers under the pot, in the soil, around the area. This is a huge attractor of gnats.

AIR YOUR PLANTS. Yes, not just regular ole air. Be sure they get a lot of circulation in their space. While some may argue plants do better in clusters to create a humid atmosphere, what they are forgetting to tell you is that, again, this makes plants prone to various diseases and fungi, thus attracting gnats. Also clay pots are nice for herbs because they breathe, but they are harder to clean, so see what works best for your home atmosphere.

TRIM, TRIM, TRIM. Shape your plants, take off dead heads or yellowing leaves, branches, etc. The better shape your plants are in, the better chance you have of keeping them pest free.

How do I know this? I have worked in several greenhouses and almost majored in horticulture, so I remember what I was taught, what I have seen, what I have experienced firsthand! Good luck!

I completely agree with Hearth Cricket!

Having adequate airflow is very important. Air goes stale the same way water goes stagnant. Definitely clean and trim your plants often, as the litle buggers love the dead and dying stuff. Oh, and while it seems like they need a lot of water as you live in the desert, a good saturation once or twice a week should suffice.

Here are two solutions to eliminate the gnats:

1) Make a solution of natural dish soap and water (hand-washing dish soap - I like Bi-O-Kleen, Ecover, and Sun & Earth. I'm sure Dawn would work too.) My solution is usually 1-2 tsp soap to 1-2 cups water.

Place the solution in a spray bottle, and spray the soil of the affected plants (or all your house plants) regularly until the gnats finally go away. The soap helps destroy the eggs which breaks their lifecycle in your houseplant pots.

2) Neem oil - same deal: you'll make a solution with water, and it achieves the same results. Follow the instructions on the bottle. You can find neem oil (and loads of other natural pest controls) here:

Planet Natural - Home Page

Planet Natural - Neem Oil