How to get rid of FUNGUS GNATS (EASY + 100% EFFECTIVE)

Hi, if you're dealing with fungus gnats, this video is for you. In order to eradicate a fungus gnat's infestation, at its core we need to understand their life cycle. And there are four stages. Fungus gnats start their life in the egg, become larvae, then pupae, and then adults. These adults prefer to deposit eggs in the soil and especially in moistened soil. A generation of fungus gnats can be created in two weeks, so this is really fast if you think about it, because then we're going to have an infestation in a very short period of time. But not to worry, this is just information that I want to give to you, so you know exactly how to target the problem and get rid of them. So let's get to that. So let's think about it, from the time that they are in the egg, to larvae, to pupae, fungus gnats live in the soil. And it is only when they become adults that they start flying around and become super annoying. So having this information, we know that we want to target the soil and the adult flies in the air. In order to target the soil and the larva that is living there, I like to use a solution that is organic, very easy to make, and frankly really effective. This solution includes one part of hydrogen peroxide, and this is a 3% hydrogen peroxide, and four parts of water. Then I will water my plants with this solution. You will see that the soil is going to start bubbling, but this is normal with the hydrogen peroxide. And this will kill the larva. Now, I use this solution every time I water until I stop seeing fungus gnats in the air. This is because you may be killing the larva that is in the soil, but remember that you still have adults flying around, and they will still deposit more eggs in the soil. So you want to keep using this solution until you don't see any fungus gnats. As I said, there is another way to target the adults flying in the air, and these are sticky traps. These are very effective when targeting the adults in the air, because you will make sure that they stop flying, which is really great for us because as you know they're very annoying, and also they won't be able to lay more eggs in the soil. Now remember, plant care is a patient's exercise. So always observe your plants and continue using this method until you don't see any fungus gnats flying around. Now, another thing that I always recommend is to observe your plants. So observe them and see how they react to these treatments. If you see that more fungus gnats are attacking a specific plant, also try to separate that plant from the others so you prevent any other infestation in the other plants. But again, these two methods have proven to be very effective in my case, so I strongly recommend that you try them out. The first thing that I always recommend people to do to prevent fungus gnats is to let the soil dry out in between waterings. Of course, this depends on the plant, because some plants like calatheas or alocasias actually prefer the soil to be moist at all times. But still, what I do is with my calathea, I always try to let it dry a little bit, not completely, but just a little before I water again, so I can maintain the soil moist but not too wet. In the case of cacti and succulents, you want to make sure that the soil dries out completely in between waterings, so let it do so and it's going to be good for your plant and also great to prevent fungus gnats. Other than frequency of watering, another thing that you can do is the method that you use to water your plants. Remember, fungus gnats like to deposit their eggs at the top of the soil when it is moist. So one watering method that can help you prevent this from happening is the bottom watering method. The way that this method works is that you pour water in a container and then you submerge your plant there. The water will be absorbed from the bottom up by the soil and will get to the roots from the bottom. But this will make sure that the water stays at the bottom part of the pot and doesn't come to the top of the soil, where the fungus gnats would actually deposit their eggs. So this is another great way to prevent fungus gnats from depositing eggs in the top of the soil. Another great thing to do with your potting mix is to add an amendment that will help with drainage. For example, in my case, I love to add pumice, and if I don't have pumice, I also add perlite to my potting mix. These are great materials for drainage and will prevent the soil from being too saturated with water, so it's not going to be a great environment for the fungus gnats to deposit their eggs. And the last thing that I do that has proven to be really effective in preventing fungus gnats is to add a top layer to the potting mix. I usually add sand or rocks, and this is because these materials will dry out quicker than the soil. With a dry top layer, the fungus gnats will not want to deposit their eggs there because again, they prefer moist conditions. So other than watering and potting mix, there is one more tip that I can give you, and this one actually relates to the pot. As you may know, the material of your pot will influence how long your potting mix stays moist. For example, plastic pots actually retain moisture for longer periods of time than terracotta pots. This is because terracotta is a very porous material, so when we water our plants, over time terracotta will absorb that water out of the soil. This means that we have to water our plants more frequently, but it's going to stay moist for shorter periods of time, which is great in preventing fungus gnats. If you would like to learn which type of pot is best for you and your plants, make sure to check out my video on plastic versus terracotta pots because there are many other things to consider. But in terms to preventing fungus gnats, terracotta does a better job. If you're dealing with fungus gnats right now, I'm so sorry, I know they're very annoying, but you got this. And if you use any of the methods here, make sure to tell me how they go below. I would love to know your experience. Also, if you would like to support this channel and the work that I do here, we do have a Patreon page, and we actually meet every month live to talk about plant issues like this one, so we help each other out. And if you would like to join us there, you're always welcome to join. And as always, I will see you in the next one. Okay, adios!