Saturday, February 5, 2011

More on fungus gnats

Fungus gnats can be a problem in worm bins-- especially if you have seedlings growing nearby and the seed soil has fungus gnats.


I picked up this tip on controlling fungus gnats from Susan Littlefield's newsletter courtesy of the National Gardening Association (http://www.garden.org/regional/report/arch/reminders/3683)

"Foil Fungus Gnats
If fungus gnats are troubling you and your houseplants, allow the top couple of inches of potting soil to dry out between waterings. Fungus gnat larvae need moisture to survive; keeping the growing mix drier will decrease survival and make the mix less attractive to egg-laying females. Covering the surface of the growing mix with sand will make it less enticing to females as a place to lay eggs. You can also apply beneficial nematodes (Steinernematids or Neoaplectanids) to control larvae in the soil."

Hope this helps.

Cheers,

Mark