fungus gnats and little white worms???

[Issa]

i have fungus gnats and i have tried the cinnamon and dish-soap
but they keep coming back and
today i looked at the pot (its clear ) and i squished the side in
( i was starting at the side because there were some white looking skinny things i thought might be roots but they looked to weird)
when i squished the side in it moved : o
ugh and now i have no idea what it is but my flower is dying
the roots are dying and leaves are falling off
can anyone suggest anything
also does anyone know a pesticide that i could buy at a home-depot or lowes that will be safe for orchids

[Issa]

lol i am guessing the little worms were fungus gnats
>.<

[mehitabel]

You don't need a pesticide for fungus gnats. In fact, I'm not sure it would be that effective on them.

Bacillus Thuringensis (aka BT) kills fungus gnats. It isn't a pesticide, it's a bacteria tht affects the larvae of the gnats but not humans or pets. It's the active ingredient in mosquito dunks, so if you can't get the pure BT, get some mosquito dunks and soak them in your watering water for 48 hours or so before watering.

When I had them it took several weeks of watering with the mosquito dunk water to get rid of them-- 3 to 4 waterings. Probably this was necessary to kill successive cycles of them.

Fungus gnats tend to mean a medium is being kept a little too wet.

If your plant has no roots and no leaves, it's a gonner. Pitch it and start over with a new healthy one.

[Issa]

thank you !
they started in a different plant that was planted with miracle grow and then spread to my orchids ... but i bet i am watering a little to much ....

can i buy this at a store like lowes ?

[Issa]

n.m i looked it up
thank you for your help!

[Ray]

Think of fungus gnats as the "canary in the coal mine" for potting media.

The gnats' larvae feed on fungi and molds growing on decomposing organic matter. Their mere presence is an indication that your potting medium is "going south". Killing the gnats and their larvae does nothing to remedy that.

[Brooke]

If you have terrestrial orchids or house plants planted in brand new peat based potting media, you have introduced fungus gnat larvae to your area. If you pot them in a coco mix, you will never have fungus gnats.

You can bottom water or place a gritty layer on top of a peat mix and the adults will not reenter the media to lay their eggs, which then hatch out, eat your roots and emerge as flying fungus gnats.

If you don't want to repot, use raw potato French fry slice into the media. The larvae flock to the potato and you can destroy the larvae - it is fun to throw them outside in the freezing weather.

Brooke

[cerastes]

I had a problem a few years ago with fungus gnats in my masdevallias. I was able toget rid of them using old fashion fly paper. It took a couple of weeks to clear up but I have had no problem since then.

[davetheorchidaddict]

The gnats indicate excessive water which will kill the roots and then the plant. I would take the plant out and repot it with the roots that may remain, no roots means it is gone.