I had them myself for a while - this was when I was starting my leaves - so once I noticed that I had them - I took all my leaves and repotted them in NEWLY purchased soil. (sometimes I think you get them from the actual soil you buy from the store) Anyways then I put them all in individual plastic lunch bags and watched them very closely - squishing the bugs in the bags as I saw them. I weeded out the plants that still had the knats and I did not take them out of their bags until I was SURE I was rid of them. I have been free of them now for at least 5 months. They are hard to get rid of and they can multiply fairly fast - so you should start something soon. You can also buy sticky traps at the nursery which I used also. Good luck. Golden

Hi,
I have a few no pest strips hanging around my stands which has helped. Other than that I know some people put yellow trays of water around which are supposed to attract the flies who dive in and drown themselves.
Fred in NJ

Oh I forgot to mention - fungas knats like wet soil - let all your plants dry out completely and water only when you must (from the bottom) ( a tinsy bit) Because I was starting leaves I could not let my soil dry out like that - depending on which plants you have - just let them dry out real good.

You can allow the plants to dry out a bit or you can drench the soil with one teaspoon bleach to a pint of warm water.

Or you can put each tray into a garbage can and place a Yellow no pest strip with them. Then spray with Safer's soap or Lysol antibacterial spray. Leave 24 hours.

Nancy

I used to get a lot of knats when I watered from the top, now I bottom water and use sticky cards and am not bothered by them.

I too had a problem with knats when I first started. I started to add a stymic (sp) to the soil when I repot and I haven't seen a knat in months. It eliminates the sticky strip which I seem to touch everytime I am rummaging around under the lights.

Out of interest - whats a stymic (sp)?

Fungus gnats will disappear if you use systemic pesticide - for example Marathon. I wouldn't use Marathon just to get rid of the gnats - it is expensive. I got Marathon when I had an invasion of soil mealy bugs. It is active - let' say for 3 months - so in 3 months your pots can get reinfested by fungus gnats from other pots or from outside in summer.

Irina

The granules I add are systemic Houseplant granules. I got them at a local flower shop. They work great for me. the knats were just too annoying.......

Joanne