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Author Topic: Gnats in the greenhouse.  (Read 27491 times)
Louis

Posts: 377



« on: November 08, 2010, 09:37:45 AM »

Billions of them in and around the potting soil. any idea how to get rid of them.
they dont appear to be doing any damage. but, no bugs are allowed in the greenhouse. this is a bug free zone   Grin

i assume they were hitchhikers in potting soil.

louis
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Doll

Posts: 1036


Houston, Texas


« Reply #1 on: November 08, 2010, 09:48:30 AM »

Louis, maybe you will find this helpful:
http://www.hiddenvalleyhibiscus.com/care/gnats.htm
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I wasn't born in Texas, but I got here as fast as I could.
Louis

Posts: 377



« Reply #2 on: November 08, 2010, 09:57:01 AM »

Louis, maybe you will find this helpful:
http://www.hiddenvalleyhibiscus.com/care/gnats.htm

thanks for the link. its very informative.

louis
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helixturnhelix
Seattle, WA

Posts: 1945



« Reply #3 on: November 08, 2010, 04:24:15 PM »

I had a gnat problem too, but I just bought two cap sundew plants and put them near the infected plants and wham, they are pretty much gone.  I might see 1 or two everyfew days but nothing beats using sundew plants as natural control.  They would love the environment in your greenhouse and enjoy sun just like hibiscus.  I have Drosera capensis, Drosera binata and Drosera spatulata, with D. capensis and D. binata being the best gnat catchers. Tropical butter warts also work really well.    I would try using these as biological control, AND its an excuse to get more plants Smiley 

Try to stear clear of the temperate species as they need cooler temperatures, good luck!


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Louis

Posts: 377



« Reply #4 on: November 08, 2010, 04:31:53 PM »

I had a gnat problem too, but I just bought two cap sundew plants and put them near the infected plants and wham, they are pretty much gone.  I might see 1 or two everyfew days but nothing beats using sundew plants as natural control.  They would love the environment in your greenhouse and enjoy sun just like hibiscus.  I have Drosera capensis, Drosera binata and Drosera spatulata, with D. capensis and D. binata being the best gnat catchers. Tropical butter warts also work really well.    I would try using these as biological control, AND its an excuse to get more plants Smiley 

Try to stear clear of the temperate species as they need cooler temperatures, good luck!

thats a fabulous idea,

thanks,

louis
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blupit007

Posts: 960



« Reply #5 on: November 08, 2010, 08:50:58 PM »

I have them too!
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-Kristen
helixturnhelix
Seattle, WA

Posts: 1945



« Reply #6 on: November 08, 2010, 09:05:02 PM »

No problem!  I always resort to chemicals etc, as the last resort.  Granted using BTI is organic (insect endotoxin produced by bacteria) but using Sundews seems to work pretty good.  The plants produce pheromones or other chemicals that fungus gnats cannot resist.  Plus carnivorous plants are really really interesting Smiley
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blupit007

Posts: 960



« Reply #7 on: November 09, 2010, 06:45:01 AM »

Chris, Is there one of these carnivorous plants that like splotchy indirect sunlight and cooler temps?  I would put one on the big table I have everyone on, but there is no more room in direct sun for it...
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-Kristen
Louis

Posts: 377



« Reply #8 on: November 09, 2010, 07:08:59 AM »

No problem!  I always resort to chemicals etc, as the last resort.  Granted using BTI is organic (insect endotoxin produced by bacteria) but using Sundews seems to work pretty good.  The plants produce pheromones or other chemicals that fungus gnats cannot resist.  Plus carnivorous plants are really really interesting Smiley

all i can think of is The Little House of Horrors and Audrey the carnivorous plant, yelling "Feed Me"

louis
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Charlie
Administrator
*****
Posts: 3646



« Reply #9 on: November 09, 2010, 07:13:39 AM »

That's a great idea, Chris!

For anyone who has Safari that is also a very effective chemical means to eliminate the gnats.

Watch for algae, too, since it feeds shore flies and attracts them. They are similar to the gnats but fly more like house flies instead of hovering the way fungus gnats do.

Charlie
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helixturnhelix
Seattle, WA

Posts: 1945



« Reply #10 on: November 09, 2010, 10:02:13 AM »

LOL, they are super bizarre, I could see them being from another planet Tongue

Kristen: Most Carnivorous plants love sun, but with that being said tropical butter orts can do very well with bright indirect light and because they pseudo epiphytic, ive seen very nice displays of them in an abalone shell on tables.  They send up pretty hot pink, purple or white flowers when happy.  There are also a group of tropical pitcher plants, nepenthes, which if you select species that are considered highland they would do very well under cooler temps and bright indirect light.  In fact, I have a baby highland N. tuncata that does not appreciate full sun.  N. truncata makes huge pitchers, with mature pitchers being able to hold about 4 liters of liquid!  What is interesting is within the species there is alot of variation, but luckily the highland form is usually more colorful Smiley   

Here is a butterwort and N. trucata Smiley



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* Large Flowered Butterwort.jpg (190.38 KB, 400x400 - viewed 980 times.)
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Cindy
Cindy Black, Webmaster, Customer Service
Administrator
*****
Posts: 315



« Reply #11 on: November 16, 2010, 08:50:21 PM »

In the Pacific Northwest, the old classic trick for gnats is a drop of detergent in the water. It has always worked to keep gnats away for me.
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Cindy
Southern California
Charlie
Administrator
*****
Posts: 3646



« Reply #12 on: November 17, 2010, 06:49:05 AM »

The Houseplant Formula we use on our houseplants is designed to discourage gnats from laying eggs in the pots (detergent as Cindy mentioned). I can't remember the last time we saw a gnat in the pots but we do allow the potting mix to dry out completely on top before watering and that, too, is highly effective in preventing mites. Harder to do in cooler, wetter climates perhaps.

Chris, when you say "pitcher" what is that - the insect trap? It's hard to imagine one that can hold hold 4 liters which would weight about 8 pounds. That's really amazing!

Charlie
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Louis

Posts: 377



« Reply #13 on: November 17, 2010, 06:52:45 AM »

An update on the billions of gnats in my greenhouse. they are down to a more manageable number, hardly any.

i am lucky to have a mushroom farm not to far from me and they also raise bait worms.  i have always liked using the worm castings and this time for a different reason. i topped all pots with about an inch of worm castings and the gnat population has almost disappeared. there is something in the castings that annoys bugs. lets see if it continues.

louis
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blupit007

Posts: 960



« Reply #14 on: November 17, 2010, 08:25:46 AM »

Louis, great remedy.  I have heard about that and tried it.  Charlie, I have a question for you about the worm castings...  I know it is a good way to decrease bugs, but when I used it, I found that it packed my soil like cement after some time (a month or so).  Also, if it is cooler out, the stuff on top turned to sludge.  Is that normal?  The hardening to cement made me nervous, what do you do in a situation like that?
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-Kristen
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