How To Make Mosquito Bit Tea
Oh. My. Goodness. I Detest mucus gnats. And that's from someone who dislikes using the word detest. And I've put it in capitals. Yep. That much...
When I first started collecting plants I was quickly over-run by Fungus Gnats. And because they love carbon dioxide, the only thing more highly-seasoned to them than the moist soil of my plants, was the CO2 in my breath, and so you ever know when you have Mucus Gnats.
Even 1 or two adults and they'll quite literally be all up in your face. Plus I couldn't get out a cup of tea uncovered without finding petty unwanted floaters, and I actually love my tea. They had to go.
I tried almost every remedy out at that place, starting with what was in the pantry (cinnamon, apple cider vinegar, potatoes...), you name it, I tried it. Everything helped a trivial, some more others (and the cinnamon smelt lovely when I watered), but nothing totally eliminated them, they simply reduced the population a petty. Simply watering less helped also, although I did take it a bit far and ended upwardly almost losing some plants, and then had to detect a solution that didn't compromise my plant's wellness.
What DID go rid of Mucus Gnats entirely for me in the cease, was this simple two step methodbelow. That's non to say this is the one-and-only method. Just the i that finally worked for me once and for all.
Exercise Fungus Gnats harm your plants?
*Skip this section if: you lot don't want to learn more than nearly these annoying bugs and what they exercise*
Fungus Gnats eat all sorts of yummy organic goodies. Simply some of what they love includes the organic $.25 in your potting mix, plus grass clippings, compost, fungi, leafage mould, rotting roots and more. They lovewarm, moist conditions, so if you tend to water too often or keep the soil moist,and information technology'south a warmer time of year, that'southward a big 'yes please' from fungus gnats. A bad infestation will continue right through wintertime. However, if their preferred nutrient option runs out, or the population gets out of hand, theMucus Gnatlarvae may feed on your roots, which tin can stunt found growth, specially in seedlings, newly rooted cuttings and younger plants. I imagine it would have to exist left to get actually bad for them to cause so much damage that fungus gnats could impale a institute, and then that's very unlikely to happen.
If yous go on top of them while the infestation is small, the good news is they are unremarkablyabrasive rather than harmful. Fifty-fifty in large numbers, information technology'due south not the adults y'all demand to worry about, information technology's the larvae.
The potato test
If you don't know if you take Fungus Gnats or some other flying pest, expect for something thesize of a fruit fly, simply that looks like anitty bitty mosquito. Since they love CO2, you're style more attractive to the flying adults than your plants are, so you don't usually have to search, they'll come up find you.
*Skip this section if: you already know you lot have Mucus Gnats*
Instead of niggling tubby, round fruit flies, mucus gnats are a like size, but skinny and gangling, like a mini mozzie, simply they don't bite or make a sound. If you're yet unsure what you're dealing with, or which establish they have fix home in, you can try the potato trick.
Slice up a raw potato and place a few slices laying apartment on the surface of the soil of whatever of your plants you think might be infested. Bank check the potato slices a few hours later and yous may be unlucky enough to find a few - or lots - of little larvae happily chomping on the irish potato.
Throw out those murphy slices, larvae and all, andbecome treatment started now. The method I use below won't harm your plants, so you can care for every found in your jungle if you lot're not sure which ones are infested, or just to exist rubber since fungus gnats can spread so easily.
The easy mode to kill fungus gnats for indoor plants
The secret to this method is that information technology breaks the wheel by targeting both larvae and adults at the same time
First, go yourself these 2 things: Glutinous Traps & Mozzie Bits (or Mozzie Dunks)
1. The offset affair you lot desire to get is some yellowish insect sticky traps.
I use these differently than the label says, which makes them last a good 2 to 4 times longer. The brand I employ are calledMini-Stickies by Easy Trap. I sell them on my site, but yous should also exist able to find them at hardware stores and oft at your local supermarket.
Wait for indoor pot plant size ones (that'southward the mini size I sell), but if you tin can only find the big outdoor garden ones, only become snipping. The ones I sell come in a pack of 5 and my method makes one trap concluding up toiv weeks, so a five pack can last you ages used this manner. More about the indoor plant method for using these below.
two. The second thing you desire is mosquito bits, also chosen BTI granules.
The brand I use isMozzie Bits, but mosquito bits, mozzie $.25 or BTI granules are however thing, although the dose I employ, below, might be different depending on which brand you lot buy. The key here is to brand yourself some 'Mozzie Tea' using BTI granules. If sold out, you can also utilize Mozzie Dunks merely the training is different (both coming upward).
These are the two products I utilize (both are bachelor in NZ):
How to use yellow sticky traps to kill fungus gnats
If yous get theMini-Stickies, one pack of traps comes with5 double-sided glutinous traps included. The directions on the back of the pack will tell yous to skin off the paper from both sides, then stick the pointy end in the soil. Nuh uh. Don't practice that. Great for other insects (equally these traps too work for thrips, aphids, whitefly and more), merely for Fungus Gnats, I've had much better results using them this way:
My sticky trap method for indoor plants
Remove the newspaper on one side of the trap only, exposing the viscous surface. Do not stick the pointy end into the soil. Instead, lay the trap down flat, sticky side upward, on the soil surface.
Yep, you can cut them in half or smaller for smaller pots (each trap measures 16cm long 10 6cm wide) but if you desire to do that, cut showtime before removing the protective paper.It'southward all-time toembrace at least one quarterof the soil surface, ideallyone one-half, with the trap/s.
Lay the trap flat on the soil, later watering withMozzie Bits. I observe the trap stays sticky a good 2 weeks or more (the dustier the air is in your business firm, the faster they lose their stickiness). In a couple of weeks, flip the trap over, peel off the paper on the other side to expose a fresh viscid layer, and you get double the utilise compared to how they recommend using them.
In one case both sides are used up, get a new trap. Used this manner, you'll go up to 4 weeks Fungus Gnat trapping from one sticky trap, instead of two weeks each, and catch many more than gnats than using them upright.
Using one trap at a time, a pack of 5 will last you up to twenty weeks per plant. That's the adult population fast declining, which of form reduces the eggs, simply for this to piece of work you lot demand to interrupt the larvae wheel also. That's where a piffling 'Mozzie Tea' comes in...
How do you use mosquito $.25 to impale fungus gnats?
The brand I use is calledMozzie Bits. The box gives y'all the directions for larger areas of water based on surface surface area (equally like the name suggests, y'all can use them for musquito command in areas like ponds and water tanks), but used for treating indoor plants, I utilize the same method plant YouTubers accept nicknamed 'Mozzie Tea'.
How practice you lot brand 'mozzie tea' for fungus gnats using mozzie bits?
For indoor plants, you can utilize a mixture of 4 tablespoons ofMozzie Bitsper 4.v litres of water. The hotter the h2o the shorter the time it needs to soak. Invery warm water (non boiling)soak for at least 30 minutes so the BTI infuses into the water, but allow time for the water to absurd before watering. Once soaked, scoop out the used granules (or put them in a mesh bag for no mess), give the 'tea' a bit of a stir or shake as the BTI can settle, and top water as usual. If using mozzie dunks the dilution rate and process is different (coming up below).
You can bottom water if y'all prefer, but the larvae tend to hang out nearly the meridian, so it won't exist as effective.If you do bottom water you'll need to get out the constitute to soak long plenty for the elevation surface of the soil to exist wet. You lot can also bottom water and simply keep a little of the mozzie tea bated to spray the tiptop layer of the soil with.
PRO TIP: Go yourself a inexpensive mesh purseand put the granules in a mesh bag to soak, which makes it much easier to remove the used granules (as removing them is the most annoying office).
One200gram Mozzie Bits works out to just over33 tablespoons, (a tablespoon averages 6gms of granules), and then one pack makesover 37 litres of 'Mozzie Tea'.
The libation the water, the longer the mixture needs to infuse. I've heard of some leaving it in cold water to soak overnight but the leaner do become inactive over time, and then I prefer thewarmh2o + short soak method myself. You do have to expect for the water to cool earlier you water. I normally do awarm water soak for at to the lowest degree one hour past which time it's soaked and room temperature, ready for watering. Once mixed, use fresh.
How practice musquito bits work?
Musquito bits target the larval stage of the Fungus Gnat lifecycle.The larvae are killed past a microbial insecticide called BTI. A naturally occurring bacterium that is deadly to mosquito larvae and fungus gnat larvae. BTI is short forBacillus thuringiensisisraelensis. BTI is what'southward inMozzie Bits and Mozzie Dunks. Although mortiferous to mucus gnat larvae, it's harmless to other living things. BTI is nature'south fashion of keeping mosquito populations under command and works a treat on fungus gnat larvae too.
Is BTI safe for plants?
Aye! This is pest control using nature. Mozzie Bits won't damage animals, birds, bees, livestock, fish, vegetation or u.s.a.. Information technology can be safely used in bird baths, indoor and outdoor potted plants, rain barrels and roof gutters, h2o troughs, vases, ponds, fountains and more. Just don't put it in your treated drinking water supply.
Can you water with 'mozzie tea' and with fertiliser?
Yep, you tin can. I make my mozzie tea get-go, and once information technology's cooled, I add my fertiliser, and water with both at the same time. I use liquid fertiliser simply if you're using a granulated or powder fertiliser you may need to give everything an extra good-mix and then both the BTI and fertiliser are evenly throughout the water.
How to brand 'mozzie tea' for fungus gnats using mozzie dunks?
I prefer mozzie $.25 as they are faster interim and faster to make into 'mozzie tea' (prep takes around one hr), but if you can't get Mozzie Bits, you can use Mozzie Dunks instead. Dunks are made for larger bodies of water outdoors, and designed to slowly release BTI over time, so the directions on the pack won't be much assist for indoor plants. One dunk is similar a flat donut. Hither's the indoor plant directions.
For indoor plants: Break up one douse into quarters. Soak ane quarter of a dunk in 4 litres of waterovernight. What doesn't dissolve you can put bated to dry out and use next fourth dimension (dunks are reusable). Using warm to hot water (non boiling), helps the dunk suspension up and 'brew' better. Remove the douse later about 12 hours (I normally leave it to soak overnight), give the 'mozzie tea' a good mix, and h2o as usual. Top watering is more effective as the larvae often concentrate nearly the top few inches of the potting mix.
How long does it take to get rid of Fungus Gnats?
Firstly, don't give up. This method may be easy, simply will take a footling patience. One developed fungus gnat can layup to 200 eggs, so every one you get rid of makes a huge dent in the future population.
Merely if you lotsimply get rid of the flying adults using viscous traps, it's still doable to eradicate them somewhen, but volitiontake a lot longer than the mozzie tea + sticky traps method, that tackles fungus gnats atboth the larvae and flying stage to break the bike.
Fungus gnats tin can go from egg to larvae, pupa to flying, egg-laying developed, in as fiddling as17 days when weather are just right, although the boilerplate is typically3 weeks in summertime. In cooler weather condition it can take4 to 5 weeks or more than to consummate the life cycle, and then winter treatment tin take longer.
That's why I always recommend treating fortwo months (8 weeks), merelyat to the lowest degree 4 weeks minimum if you've caught it early on and only have a tiny infestation. A longer handling is completely safe - no poisons or chemicals are needed with this method - so treating for longer to make certain yous've got them all won't harm your plants and is definitely a better mode to go.
How oftentimes practice you need to repeat the treatment to kill Mucus Gnats?
You'll need to give them a good top water drench with Mozzie Tea at to the lowest degree every fortnight(ideally more oft), every time yous water, until eliminated. You can likewise bottom water if you lot prefer. The tricky matter is the directions say to drench weekly, merely b
My communication is to h2o normally, and use a mozzie tea drench every h2o, simply that'south why yous need to use this method with adult gnat command also using Mucilaginous Traps to reduce the developed population at the same time (so they don't lay more eggs and beginning the cycle all over once again!).
How practise you stop Fungus Gnats coming dorsum later on treatment?
The combo of Mozzie Bits and Sticky Traps deals with the current infestation. It doesn't preclude them coming dorsum forever, simply at present the hard work's done, at that place are some piece of cake ways to forestall Fungus Gnats taking over once more.
The best method I've tried is to sprinkle Fungus Gnat Barrier over the surface of plants most likely to become them (such every bit Peace Lilies and plants that prefer to stay moist).Gnat Barrier creates an abrasive, physical layer that prevents fungus gnats from landing and laying eggs. This is the brand of gnat barrier I utilise by Yates, which is natural and non-toxic, made from annoying pumice granules, making information technology a safer and more effective alternative to using diatomaceous earth or DE (I don't recommend using DE personally as it doesn't piece of work when wet, and tin can exist a risk to pets and kids).
Hither are the most common places fungus gnats come up from and how to avoid them taking over once more...
Where do fungus gnats come up from?
The most mutual source of Mucus Gnats is new plants. They won't ordinarily arrive with swarms of gnats buzzing around, as the adults normally buzz off when the plant'due south picked up and moved around, but once your new arrival has settled in, new adults hatch from the eggs and larvae subconscious in the soil, and they're dorsum!
E'er isolate a new plant for at to the lowest degree 2 weeks (although ideally 4 weeks if yous have the patience, since that covers the lifecycle of a lot of other pests too),and if you exercise find any flyers, you can much more hands treat just that one plant.
Soil stored exterioris as well Fungus Gnat heaven. It's not the soil itself as such, but the philharmonic of being moist and stored outside that does it. Moist soil left outside is an irresistible combo. If you're unsure how your soil's been stored before you bought it, you can give the new soil a expert drench with mozzie tea (made fromMozzie $.25) earlier or after potting up, or too employ hydrogen peroxide to sterilise the soil.
Don't water outside: The other place these annoying insects commonly set up home in our indoor plants, is when you put your plants exterior - peculiarly if you lot've just watered! You lot're basically putting a 'Vacancy' sign up and your plant is Fungus Gnat hotel key. Bring your plants back inside, and y'all've bought some uninvited guests along with it. Information technology doesn't take long for them to find a freshly watered plant left outdoors to drain.
So that's what fungus gnats are, what they look like, what they similar to munch on, and what worked for me to finally get rid of them (plus how to avoid them coming back).
So I became determined to get rid of them. When dwelling remedies didn't do the job, I didn't give in. I spent a little flake on this 2 step method (I don't know why, but I was really reluctant at the time to spend coin on getting rid of them even though they were so abrasive). I'm so pleased I did as I've been mucus gnat free ever since - although I still go along some leftover m
A few years agone my fungus gnat situation was so out of control it was causing me to question even having plants at all if that meant I had to put upwardly with fungus gnats all up in my face up, and picking them out of my freshly made cups of tea before I even got a sip.
I actually hope this method helps y'all like it did me. Please do share this with other plant buddies to help them too - Anna :)
Source: https://www.lovethatleaf.co.nz/blogs/plant-care-guides/easy-method-kill-fungus-gnats-indoor-plants
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