How to Get Rid of Gnats in Your Plants for Good
Getting rid of bugs in your home is no easy feat, whether you're dealing with an infestation of ants, fruit flies, or gnats. Gnats—tiny, two-winged flies that typically appear in large quantities—can appear all over your indoor (and maybe even outdoor) plants. But fear not, there are numerous ways to prevent them from appearing in the first place, as well as many ways to get rid of them altogether. Below, House Beautiful has rounded up numerous ways to avoid gnats from showing up uninvited and remove them from your harmless plants. Plus, if you're in the market for gnat traps and pots that will help fight off gnats, we've found a selection of products for you to shop.
Don't Overwater Your Plant(s)
One reason you might be experiencing an influx of gnats swarming around your plant(s) is due to overwatering. To avoid doing this, make sure your plant's soil is dry before its next watering, as gnats tend to thrive in wet climates.
Make Sure Your Pot Has Adequate Drainage
In the same vein as avoiding overwatering your plants, you should also make sure its pot has adequate drainage—otherwise, gnats can lay eggs that will then disperse throughout the plant's soil. And that's definitely not what we're going for.
Set Up Traps to Capture the Gnats
Once you find even one gnat in your plant, it's time to turn to traps to try to capture said gnats. There are a bevy of options when it comes to ridding your plants of gnats, including:
Use a fly-catching device with LED lights and fans—two things that gnats are drawn to.
Use a sticky gnat trap made of small sheets of bright yellow paper, which will draw the bugs in.
Mix several drops of liquid dish soap with a cup full of white vinegar in a bowl, and place it near your plant(s). Gnats will be drawn to this scent and fall right into the bowl.
Cut potatoes into small pieces and leave them (flesh down) on the soil of your plant. Gnats will be drawn to the potato's moisture.
Repot Your Plant, if Necessary
If all else fails, you can always repot (or replace) your plant and hope for the best!
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