Today my wife and I noticed. these Gnats flying around, they seem to be mostly around other plants we had to bring in, but we have seen them near the fig cuttings I have potted up in cups. I poked around in the archives and didn't really see anything definitive or regarding rooted cuttings in the early stages. I am going to go get some fly paper tomorrow and I have this ecosmart insecticide I bought in the summer for something else. it says that it will kill them, but I am afraid after everything else going on with these cuttings to spray them. Can they kill the cuttings? Can anyone recommend any solutions, my wife has been tolerant of my experiments with the cuttings so far, but these gnats might put her over the edge.

http://www.homedepot.com/EcoSmart/h_d1/N-5yc1vZ4b8/R-202279709/h_d2/ProductDisplay?langId=-1&storeId=10051&catalogId=10053

You may have to do some reading after searching this site with "gnats".
It has been discussed so thoroughly recently and in the past. You may have to use combination of methods, like glue paper for killing the adults, flushing the soil with some solution that kills the larvae (making sure the soil drains fast). Mosquito-dunk in water has been mentioned as one of the things used when watering.

Thanks, I searched and read through the topics there were a few different solutions methods. I am not sure which one to go with. Since I have been recently diagnosed as an overwaterer and I am still waiting to see how my cuttings progess now that I am not going to water them until they get back to where they should be. I am afraid to pour anything else on them even if it does drain out of the bottom. I don't know if I would say my pottings are well draining. I was just checking to see maybe there was something else I could do given my situation. If not then I guess I will just get the lue paper for now and wait until I think the cuttings can handle a drenching.  

There is some discussion about gnats in the thread:
http://figs4funforum.websitetoolbox.com/post?id=5016823&highlight=window 

There I mentioned the use of "Window Fly Trap (by PiC) " plastic sheet with sticky glue. It does not eliminate the problem but reduce the population of adult gnats and slows down the damage if there is still some left. I still see some gnats but not at all as many as if I was not using the sticky trap.

I am using the sticky trap solution because I am also afraid to subject the newly rooted plants to extra moisture with some insecticide.  

Diatamatious Earth will also work. and also has a long lasting residual effect.
If you can get it combined with pyrithium, it works really fast.
the pyrithium starts working on contact, and it is active for a few days.

and as added bonus in your situation, it adds no water to the potted plants.

Grant
z5b

Hi Grant,

Is the pyrethrin in powder form?  If so, where did you get it?

the diamatacious earth that I got, home depot, came with the pyrethrin (thanks for the spell check.lol) already mixed in.
grant
z5b

I recently put some sticky strips on three of my pots and could not believe the amount of fungus gnats that were stuck there after one day. Also have not notice any flying around the last couple days im sure there will be more from the eggs in the soil. This is exactly why I never want to root cuttings before late March again.

Thanks guys, I will go to home depot tonight and see if I can find it. Nelson, if you did the cuttings in March then by the time they get going and these gnats would show up you can have the cuttings outside?

71GTO , yes thats exactly it if you root them in late march lets say 4-6 weeks for rooting by mid may you should be able to put them outdoors in the shade well once the last frost has past and dont really have to worry about fungus gnats flying around inside your home.

Try the sticky strips first they will catch all the ones you got flying around only prob is that they more than likely got eggs in the soil so with time you will see them flying around again but sticky strips does keep them in check.

I've never had fungus gnats show up outside.  I think a lot of it has to do with lack of moisture in the uppermost layer of soil while outside.  When in bins, especially depending on watering habits.

FG larvae are often in potting soils and sometimes mixes.  It's pretty hard to avoid.  The best solution (my opinion) is making sure you don't wet your uppermost soil too much, and use the least amount of potting (soil|mix) as possible during rooting.

Is there a gestation period or anything like that for the gnats to show up? So if I put the cuttings in a bag say in the third week of March, if it is two weeks for roots to show up. I pot them and keep them inside for two or three weeks potted in cups in a container for the humidity until they can go outside on their own. That isn't enough time for them to show up or is it just that they are not in the house for months multiplying, etc...
jason, so that would tie in to what you were saying about other members using that meat injector thing to water down into the soil? This overwatering really causes big problems, LOL!

Yes.  In fact, gorgi posted an insanely helpful bit of life cycle info in this thread:  http://figs4funforum.websitetoolbox.com/post?id=5016823&highlight=gnats

See post #26.  Also read the rest of the thread for more great info.

I'm telling you, I could be totally off-base, but I am 100% convinced that 99% of people's problems with rooting revolve entirely around watering habits, and quite often, how much and how often you water (usually too often!)

When you start watering correctly, you will actually water more frequently but because you're using LESS water, keeping your cuttings on the verge of water starvation.

In my experience fungas gnats are no big deal. I just put a little liquid soap in the water that I use to water with ( not detergent - it should be soap.) The soap will kill the larvae and eggs on contact and the adults will die of old age. Works every time. However, with fig cuttings you are limited as to how often you can water them without over watering.

Susan

Hello Grant,

The spelling is no big deal--It was close enough I knew what it was.  Having worked at a vet's office I just know how to spell pyrethrin by default because I saw the word all the time in flea sprays/dips, etc.  ;)

Thanks for the answer.

Hi Susan,

Where does one get this soap and what is its name?

Thanks,

noss

Thanks, Jason, I searched before and that topic came up. I skimmed dent hat topic just looking for what I can do to kill them. I didn't even notice that post. so I moved on next time I need to read through... I am going to go to home depot and try to get diamatacious earth. I couldn't get there last night. I like that I won't need water. These past few days I have been almost staring at the cuttings trying to use the force or something to evaporate the water out of there. 

Hi 71GTO ,
Because I tend to overwater from time to time , I've started pre fitting my pots with wicks coming out of the drain holes. Wick material I use is Walmart mainstays brand rayon mop refill heads , because it was suggested as a good wick on one of the fig forums. Each strand is made up of 4 individual smaller strands , so I cut to the length I want and then pull the strands apart. If I forget to put them in,I just push a strand in up through the drainholes. Any material will help in  same way, small strips of old fabric, pieces of rolled up paper towel ,whatever.
Also I've gone to smaller pots or containers,so they tend to dry faster.I use 3' deep pots or a shorter version(5" ?) of the uline bags Jon recommends
Most people probably don't need to do all of this , but for me it is a built in balance to my recognition of my sometimes heavy hand in watering.
So after I water a bunch of pots I let them drip- drain in a tub then move them on top of several sections of newspaper to let the wicks do their magic.
If I am in a rush , putting them on microfiber towels seem to draw the excess moisture out even faster than the newspaper. Since beginning to use the wicks my percentage of cuttings that make it has gone way up.
Best ,
Kerry
Zone 5 NH

hi Noss
any liquid soap would do, dish washing soap.
I have used sunlight and it works fine for killing little bugs.

Grant
z5b

OK, I got to Home Depot tonight. They did not have Diamatacious Earth. I did see Garden Dust which has the pyrethrin in it and it says it is for Fruit trees, but I wanted to check here first before I bought it. They also had Sevin-5. I am not sure what is in that. I am going to try a another place or two tomorrow and see if I can find it, unless you guys think ones of these is good enough.

http://www.homedepot.com/h_d1/N-5yc1v/R-202022324/h_d2/ProductDisplay?langId=-1&storeId=10051&catalogId=10053

http://www.homedepot.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/Search?keyword=garden+dust&langId=-1&storeId=10051&catalogId=10053

Noss, I sometimes use Safer Insecticidal soap but more often I just use liquid Dr Bronner's from the health food store. I used to keep a bottle of Dr Bronner's in the greenhouse so I could add it to my water when ever I saw them. It also works great on spider mites, mealybug, and scale. It will kill white fly larvae, too.

Susan

possum_trot, how much Dr Bronners soap do you add to the water? I will certainly try this. Thanks

OK, I went to ace and they had this, but the label seems to say its for home use like behind the fridge and around windows. THe people at the store where no help. I might try a real nursery.

http://www.acehardware.com/product/index.jsp?productId=3686458&kw=diatomaceous+earth&origkw=Diatomaceous+Earth&searchId=53984456553

HI 71GTO,
 at home depot the diatomaceous earth that I got was not in the gardening section, but in the pest control isle.
same area as mouse traps, etc,
hope that helps,

grant
z5b

Yup, that's where I was looking. Oh well... Maybe I can try lowes.

Noss, I don't really measure it, but probably a teaspoon to a gallon.

Susan