H2o2 and Gnats?

I have heard alot about watering with H2o2 to help reduce or rid house plants of fungus gnats, is there truth to this or is it hearsay? I was thinking it might help reduce the fungus they are so attacted to, but how would it get rid of them altogether? Maybe in conjunction with drying between watering to kill the larva? But then you still have the adults to contend with?

Inquiring minds would like to know, any thoughts on this topic?

Dena

This may be a stupid question but what is H2o2? I know H2O is water.


Char

Hydrogen Peroxide, right?

I honestly don't know if that works or not.

A lot of people say that if you place sharp sand on the top of the potting soil, it doesn't allow the larvae to get out (cuts them up....ewwww) and fly....they die and decompose in the soil.

Right Nan. H2o is water, add the hydrogen peroxide and poof, H2o2!
I have heard so much about it, adding o to the soil and getting it to the roots, and thats good for the plants. Now I want to know how this effects the gnats, that seem to be bad this year.

oh, and no question is ever stupid unless its a question you don't ask, then its a stupid question cuz you didn't ask it, causing another person who could have learned something from your question to miss out. I think your question was a good one. : )

I agree!! Not a stupid ? at all!

I'm interested in seeing if anyone else has tried the HP too......it would surely be an easy method to get rid of the gnats!

And far less expensive.

Definitely....I haven't as yet used the 'sharp sand' method, partly due to the numbers of plants I have, and it would be so hard to gauge when the plants needed water if their soil lines were covered with sand!

I wonder if any of the UBERs know the answer to this question?

I tried it last year and it worked but I also added a couple other things too. So I do not know what really worked. However, I just used a mixture of Murphy's Oil Soap, Lemon Lysol and VF-11 to a gallon of water on all of my african violets and I still had some fungus gnats this morning. So I am going to mix up some peroxide and water and spray my african violets again and see what happens. I will let you know how it turns out.

Jesse

I *had* to research this....have you seen this webpage?

http://www.everything2.com/index.pl?node_id=1388265

I don't know who wrote it or what their credentials or experience are/is, but it does seem to be well-written, and I'd bet that it would be worth a try?

Found this on another website/forum:

4oz of hydrogen peroxide (3%) to 1 gal of tap water. not only will it take care of the gnat but it is beneficial to your plants.

One thing that interested me in the article on the webpage above is that the person who wrote it acknowledges that fungus gnats *can* be detrimental to plants.....most people say they're harmless, and won't harm your plants....sure, the gnats won't....but the *larvae* will.....take it from someone who knows!

I had a bad infestation a few years back, and got rid of a lot of them by placing the pot that had gnats in a bucket, then flooding the soil with a solution of water and dishwashing liquid (I use Ivory or Dove...no antibacterial ingredients) and allowing the entire plant/pot to soak in that solution for several hours....then I simply did not water the plant again until dry.

This worked for several plants...but for some it was too late.

The (icky) larvae were floating in the solution in the bucket.

This message was edited Mar 15, 2006 1:55 PM

Hmm, very good link! Thank you Nan. I'm glad to know this bit of info, and I to am glad to see that someone out there knows that gnats are so to dangerous to plants (or at least their nasty offspring are)
I must admitt to using this H2o2 as a "treat" for my usually over watered house plants, during the winter. You could say I long to garden so I kill my indoor babies with kindness. The potential for this to be something to use on a regular basis to keep the gnats from reproducing would look something like this? Water with H2o2, let dry out, repeat?

If my house plants had gnats, I would know it, right? They'd be flying all over the plants and around the rooms where I have plants, right? Thanks everyone for this thread-I'll keep a sharp eye out. bye. ruby

Can I just say that I used my cell to make an SOS call to my daughter..."THREE BOTTLES OF PEROXIDE NOW...PLEASE!!!!" Mercy if I don't get rid of these it's going to be mutiny in my house. The kids are so sick of them...I can't blame them...the 3 in1 by safer does NOT work on these little demons, FYI.

...I was going up stairs after checking on my seeds and I sucked one in....gag!!!!

Ewww....Grenthumbs....that's just nasty...I feel your pain!!!

I know everything has its place in the environment but I hate those things and I would be happy if I never saw one again in my life. Sucking one into my grill was the last straw! this is war!

Well if anyone finds anything that will help Please tell us...I am getting gnats as well they are not all that bad yet, just a few flying here and there but would like to nip it in the bud before it gets bad....


Thanks,
Char

I wasnt able to get this method to work. I tried the sand method which helped but the only thing that has really gotten rid of them is the Scan Mask: http://www.planetnatural.com/cgi-bin/planetnatural/beneficial-nematodes?prod_group=Natural%20Pet%20Care

I noticed a difference the next day after treatment.

Hmmm. It might have been the peroxide that killed them all last year. I mixed up Murphy's Oil soap, Joy lemon dish detergent, and peroxide when I had a nasty infestation of them. Something in it worked right away. So maybe it was the peroxide. I will use it from now on when I see those nasty things.

Jesse

Scan Mask? I'm afraid to ask...what is that? I looked it up but my poor brain is fried...is that another insect critter in a bag used to kill the knat critters? We're always discussing fungus knats...aren't we?

ahahah. Hi Chantell. Yes it is another critter to kill the gnat critters. Works great. Check it out! It comes in a small plastic container fill with Vermiculite
to help cary the killing critters. When I first got it, I was scared to open it thinking that these fanged creatures would jump out at me. I made my husband do it. hahahhaa.

LOL! Thats funny! Did he think you were silly?

Where can we find this Scan Mask at? I am hoping Walmart carries it....


Char

Ok...so I'm not proud - I'll ask the question someone beside me has to be thinking....Where the heck do the killing critters go when their done doing their "deed?" And how long do they stay alive....gives me goose bumps just thinking about it. I don't have a DH to ask...hmmm, maybe my 14 y.o. son would think it's cool. Yeah right!! :)

Char - check the link http://www.planetnatural.com/cgi-bin/planetnatural/beneficial-nematodes?prod_group=Natural%20Pet%20Careshe gave us for Scan Mask - looks like you order it online...but you can check the site to see if they have it at any retailers.

This message was edited Mar 16, 2006 10:53 AM

Chantell, it would be my guess that if the "kiler Critters" have eaten all the gnat nasties, then they would live on in the soil for a bit and then die off provided there were no more invasions of gnat larvae within the life span of said critter.? just a guess...

Long as I know I don't have the assassins for life...LOL...it's just creepy I tell you!

its not creepy, they wouldn't do any harm to you. I would rather they lived indefinitly so as not to have to go buy more the next time my plants were in danger. Like a little habitat.

Very valid point there, grenthumbs - I was only 1/2 teasing really. At this point I think I'd try anything to get rid of the fungus knats that have infested (big time) my Birds Nest Fern

I have tried chanting, candle light vigils, prayer, native dances, volcanic sacrifices, voo doo dolls shaped like wriggling larvae...
just kidding...I would just like a simple inexpensive way to rid my babies of these awful gnats (as I have found that they are useless to me, harmfull to my plants and don't even taste good!)
: )

ROFLMBO!!!! Ü

I ain't buying no creatures to eat other creatures.......ewwwww!!
Thanks but no thanks!!

Grenthumbs,
You can't EAT them raw silly...you have to saute them in butter and garlic...don't cha know? LOL I swear I'm gonna take a pic of my Birds Nest Fern...seriously...it's surrounded by sticky traps COVERED with those nasty possessed knats - course when they're not bothering the plant they become heat seeking missels...up nose, in mouth...dive bombing innocent cereal bowls...least we forget their attraction to the ole computer screen at night...OMG!!! It's enough to make one run for Prozac!
Chantell

Do you have any idea how hard it is to roll on the floor, laugh your butt off with your mouth shut cuz you don't want to suck in any bugs?!!!!

Yep...cuz I just did it! Ü

You reminded me.....I was 'relaxing' in front of the TV late last night on the floor, and began to fall asleep....woke up by a gnat in the gnostril!!

I've only a few here and there at the moment....I hope there's no epidemic in store!

Ya'll are too funny. Check out the this other post when Becky aka lovethydog and I got into this type of conversation about those obnoxious insects: http://davesgarden.com/forums/t/565929/
Hey Nan the infamous question is: Did you inhale? That's the important part. Ya know...when we finally get our cameras w/the 10x optical zoom...bet we could get a close up of these demonic midgits and post them here. Now that would make everyone's day eh?

Just found this thread and am sitting here at work trying not to laugh out loud (only because my business partner is on the phone)!! Heat seeking missles -- LOL.

I have heard about using diotomaceous earth for the gnats - you just sprinkle it on top of the soil and it cuts them. Seems like a fitting way for them to die. A lot of people use the murphy's oil soap and lysol in their water and I thought the lysol was for gnats.

Sharon

Sharon,
Believe me...I've got a LIST of things to kill them...I'm starting at the top and working my way down till they're DEAD!!! It's this fear of killing them all off and falling asleep in front of the TV only to wake to the sound of a small voice saying "They're BAA-AACK" LOL

You guys are sooo funny. Laughed out loud and the hubby asked why so I told him, "oh, you know, just imagining fanged creatures". The Scan Mask stuff isnt cheap but it did work great for me. Shipping was free so thats a bonus. Yes GRENTHUMBS, he knows that I was being silly. The container was slightly scary though cause there were air holes punched in the top. I was kinda picturing in my head a bunch of creatures wriggling around with teeth ready to pounce. To my (or should I say his) surprise, it was only vermiculite. It is weird though cause there are billions of these larvae eating guys in this small container. Good Luck everybody and dont forget to wield your guns when opening the ScanMask.

I am so glad I found this thread. I've got some gnats, too. Not a lot and I suspect the ferns because they are sitting on watery pebbles for humidity. I have just cut up all my potatoes and put them on top of the soil on every single plant I have!!! per Nan's great find on the internet. I am going to try the HP first before I spend a bunch of money at Planet Natural. I think I'm catching it very early. It will be interesting to see what has attached to the potatoes when I get up tomorrow morning. bye. ruby