I love growing my own vegetable plants. If only there weren't those pesky little black midges everywhere in the apartment every time. But neem oil is supposed to work quickly and easily against fungus gnats. Is that really true? I've tested it and tell you everything you need to know about it!
For me, there is hardly anything better from January onwards than Pre-planting tomatoes- and bell pepper plants. While the Peppers sown at the end of January the tomatoes are placed on the windowsill at the end of February. This is not a problem at first - I use swelling tablets for this.
In March it's time for transplanting. And then every year the same scenario: about 3-4 days after transplanting, the whole apartment is swarming with small black gnats.
The plants look sickly and I can't go into the kitchen without being chased by the midges. 🙅♀️🙈
I glue Yellow sticker against fungus gnats* in every flower pot. But there are hardly any fewer of them.
I recently read about neem oil against fungus gnats. It is said to work wonders. I tried it out for you so that you don't have to worry about black flies from the earth. I'll tell you whether and how this natural remedy repels the little black flies.
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Table of contents
Where do fungus gnats come from?
You can get rid of fungus gnats with the Potting soil into the house. Either when you repot plants or when you buy a new plant. In many garden centers you can see the midges in large numbers - if you look a little closer.
They lay their Eggs into the potting soil and off you go.
At home with cozy 20 to 23 degrees and in moist soil they feel particularly at home. The new generation quickly hatches and reproduces.
All of a sudden and without warning, mosquitoes are buzzing around the apartment in large numbers. They also have a penchant for flying into your face - at least that's how it seems to me. Super annoying.
What the mosquitoes do to your plants
The plants don't really care about the mosquitoes themselves. The real problem is the Larvae of the fungus gnat. They cause lasting damage to the plants. The more mosquitoes, the more larvae and the poorer the flowers.
Larger, robust plants can cope better with the situation. Small, tender cuttings, tomato plants and the like can even perish.
The Larvae are about 4-5 mm large, transparent to white and have a black head. They normally feed on dead plant parts.
But because there are none in the flower pot, they feed on the fresh roots of the plant. If the infestation is severe, you can actually see signs of feeding.
The plants only grow poorly. Seedlings and saplings die, the leaves change color and the fresh shoots rot. 😓
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Does neem oil really help against fungus gnats?
It's definitely worth a try, I thought to myself. Because it can't get any worse. If need be, I still have enough time to plant a new batch of peppers or tomatoes and say goodbye to the old plants.
Especially when watering, the soil starts to get busy. The small plants hang their heads.
Now that I have discovered neem oil against fungus gnats, I can face the whole situation relatively relaxed.
Already after one week the infestation clear back. Me combine the neem oil mixture with Yellow stickers, which I change once a week. I'll explain exactly how to use them in a moment.
By the way, I have the Plantura organic fungus gnat repellent neem in use. It contains detailed watering instructions and a measuring cup. It also contains information on what pests you can use it against and what you need to watch out for.
Neem oil is used differently against fungus gnats on ornamental plants than on vegetables or fruit.
How does neem oil work against fungus gnats?
There are several methods to combat the black midges in the soil, for example you can them with coffee. I have tested almost all of them and am very enthusiastic about neem oil against fungus gnats. The pest is over very quickly, especially in combination with yellow tablets.
Neem oil contains the active ingredient Azadirachtin. It prevents renewed egg laying and blocks the development of the larvae. To be precise, it ensures that the fungus gnats absorb the substance and their hormone balance changes. Their metabolism no longer forms chitin.
However, chitin is necessary for their metabolic processes. Neem oil against fungus gnats therefore acts like a natural poison, which does not harm plants. There is also no danger to you if you come into contact with it. Neem oil is even used in some cosmetic products.
Azadirachtin is extracted from the seeds of the Indian Neem trees obtained. It is a biological pest control agent that is used against fungus gnats, aphids, spider mites and thrips.
When you use it, the pests are first paralyzed. They stop eating and die. Depending on the type of pest, you can use the oil into the irrigation water give or at the Spray leaves.
Neem oil against fungus gnats ensures that the larvae are effectively and particularly quickly controlled.
For the specimens that are still alive, it is best to use Yellow sticker against fungus gnats. You stick these sticky yellow tablets into the soil. The midges are magically attracted to them and stick to them.
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Neem advantages
- It does not harm your plants, pets and you
- Rapid and effective effect
- You can use it preventively
- It helps against many pests as well as spider mites
- It is easy to apply
How can I properly dose neem oil against fungus gnats?
Neem oil is very effective against black midges and their larvae. That's why you only need very little per application. Very important: Act immediately if you notice an infestation - no matter how small.
You can use the solution either for watering or spraying. For very heavy infestations, I advise you to use a combination of both.
Use neem oil against fungus gnats
- Put 15 milliliters of neem oil in a watering can
- Pour with 3 liters of tap water
- Make sure that the oil and the water mix well
Now you have two options: Either you water the soil with it or you fill the mixture into a spray bottle and spray the plants with it.
I recommend you water the plants and also use yellow stickers. This way you can be sure to catch the mosquitoes (and larvae) in the soil and the stickers will take care of the flies.
How often do I need to water the plants with it?
Max. 4 Applications at 7 to 14 days apart according to the instructions. The last few times I have had good experiences with watering the flowers in three rounds, each with a 14-day break.
It is important that you repeat the process. Then you can be sure that you catch all the larvae. If you don't repeat the process, the fun may start all over again. 🙈🙅♀️
To be on the safe side, put one more Yellow board*. This will also catch the mosquitoes. The spook should be over after 14 days at the latest. It gets better 3 days after the first application.
You can prevent this by heating the soil in the oven or microwave before planting the flowers and plants. This will kill the eggs and larvae. If you want to know more about this, you can read about it here: "7 Ways to get rid of fungus gnats for good!“
Neem oil with or without emulsifier
There is neem oil that already contains an emulsifier. You can recognize it by the fact that it is quite liquid and mixes well with water. And then there is cosmetic neem oil. It is about as solid as soft soap and does not dissolve in water.
If you have the second preparation, then you need to help a little. Put a teaspoon of it in a bowl. Pour 1-2 tablespoons of milk and heat the mixture in the microwave for a few seconds. Now the oil can be combined with the milk and then with the water.
However, I would advise you to buy ready-made mixtures. Neem oil is sticky and it is quite a mess to mix.
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My test: How quickly does neem oil work?
The first effect of neem oil should be visible after just 6 hours. Now the voracious larvae stop feeding and no longer develop into mosquitoes. They die off over the next few days.
Unfortunately, it was too late for half of my little plants. The soil was already very wet and muddy before the neem treatment. So I could only water a little neem mixture without drowning the little plants. 🙈
It hurt my heart, but I disposed of some of them. I put a greenhouse cover over the rest to prevent the midges from spreading to other plants. I covered the greenhouse with yellow sheets and then waited.
To be on the safe side, I have already started breeding new plants. This time I heated the soil in the microwave to kill the eggs and larvae. I then watered the soil with neem oil and water. Better safe than sorry.
After watering twice, I noticed a clear decline in the existing plants. They have started to recover. I was able to save 7 out of 15.
What I have learned from this:
- Less watering overall - mosquitoes love moist soil
- Preparing soil in the microwave
- Preventive watering with neem
- If I see an infestation: act on the same day
I am ready for the coming days and months and have stocked up on the herbal remedy. I add a little neem oil to the irrigation water every two months or so. Better safe than sorry 🦟🙅♀️.
Our conclusion
If you use neem oil against fungus gnats, you will soon be rid of the annoying pests. If you also apply a few yellow stickers, you can be sure to catch the mosquitoes. Neem oil is a natural remedy that harms neither the plants nor you.
All the best in the fight against black mosquitoes in the ground!
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