Fungus Gnats- bounce them ! - Orchid Board

orchidsarefun · #1 01-30-2012, 02:28 PM

found this tip, haven't tried it

Gnats No More. Fabric softener sheets not only repel static cling but pests. A joint study last year by Kansas State University and University of Illinois found out that fabric softener sheets repel gnats. Fabric softener contains chemicals that prevent gnat larva from wreaking havoc on indoor and greenhouse potted plants.

https://sharepoint.cahnrs.wsu.edu/bl...ng-sheet-.aspx

Bud · #2 01-30-2012, 03:32 PM

just remember its just a study...the scientists who experimented on this did not suggest to anyone to put fabric softener on the plants...they did not even instruct us on how to administer this fabric softener: do we put it on the surface or do we integrate it to the media?
until they say so...I will not dare use fabric softener on my orchids...because there might be some complications or side effects on the plants...we do not know for sure

camille1585 · #3 01-30-2012, 03:57 PM

Actually in the materials and methods section of the paper they do write how it was administered: By placing a sheet of softener on top of the soil.
But even the researchers admit that this research is still in very initial stages. The duration of repellency is not known, and neither are the distance at which it is repellent nor the possible effects on plant health. They do envision it as a possible pest control measure in the future if further research is good.
So while it's certainly very interesting research, I think I'll stick to growing my plants on the dry side to avoid the gnats!

Discus · #4 01-30-2012, 04:37 PM

I also find sundews (cape sundews, Drosera capensis, are easy to grow from seed, and I now have loads of them) are pretty excellent at trimming populations of small flying things. I hear good things about butterworts too, but I've yet to get my paws on any...

Bud · #5 01-30-2012, 04:56 PM

I just love home remedies and concoctions but I must have correct instructions, it must be tried and tested and then I will do it myself

BruceP · #6 01-30-2012, 06:20 PM

Fungus gnats are the bane of the Interiorscape industry. As much as we dislike them in our growing areas, they're REALLY not welcome in a bank lobby!
I just sent this off to my friend in that business. I can almost guarantee she'll try it and I'll report back. Thanks for sharing this.

Gin · #7 01-30-2012, 11:58 PM

I use mosquito dunks in the water no knats at all ..

RosieC · #8 02-01-2012, 05:32 AM

I've looked and mosquito dunks are not available here, I don't think the stuff in them is licenced for use in the UK by the look of it

Interesting stuff about the fabric softener, but I'll wait until it's been more tested because of the worry of the effect on the plants.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Discus

I also find sundews (cape sundews, Drosera capensis, are easy to grow from seed, and I now have loads of them) are pretty excellent at trimming populations of small flying things. I hear good things about butterworts too, but I've yet to get my paws on any...

I find subdews die for me (but are effective when alive) they either just die, or they get greenfly and then die. I do well with butterworts though and they are very effective. I was worried they would look ugly with the flys all over the leaves, but they are constantly replacing the leaves, at such a fast rate it doesn't seem to be a problem. They also have pretty flowers (usually a couple at a time on mine) on long stems which are also sticky and catch the gnats. They go down to a small non-carnivorous rosette at this time of year but then there are less gnats anyway. I'm going to be looking for more of those for next year.

I also have a pitcher which started out pretty small, but keeps growing bigger and bigger pitchers. Hubby saw it catch a massive fly a few weeks back. We're not sure if it helps with the gnats or not, but it seems to be doing well as a plant and gnats are what we mostly have to feed it

camille1585 · #9 02-01-2012, 05:35 AM

Are you watering them with pure water? I killed several carnivrous plants just by using tapwater...

RosieC · #10 02-01-2012, 07:33 AM

I use rain water. We have a white watering can which only ever has rain water in and a strict rule of only using that.

I think the main problem with the sundews is that most of the ones we've had have got greenfly (when nothing around them, including the orchids have them).We checked the last ones very carefully when buying them and there were none on them, but the appeared about 5 months later and we had trouble getting rid of them (tried soaking the whole plant in rain water which one website advised) and they just seemed to sap the energy out the plant. The other one that died we allowed to flower, and apparently that's not good for them and it definitely went downhill after that.

The pitcher and butterwort do well on rain water. The pitcher we keep always wet, the butterwort (on advice from a website) we allow to dry slightly but still keep fairly moist.

The venus is also clinging on. We've read those can die back in the winter anyway and we've put it in the greenhouse to get a winter rest. Don't know if that will survive, but it's definitely the butterwort that seem to do best for us, and also seem to catch the most gnats.

---------- Post added at 11:33 AM ---------- Previous post was at 11:30 AM ----------

And we do notice a difference in the number of gnats in the house. Whichever room has the butterworts or even the pitcher has hardly any problem with gnats. We move them around a bit, but will get more next year so we don't need to.