| By the time you notice the tiny dark gray or | | | | drainage hole in the bottom of the planter. |
| black gnats buzzing around, one generation of | | | | Remember that seedlings require smaller amounts |
| these common plant pests has already infested | | | | of water than mature herb plants and may |
| the soil of your herb garden. To find a natural | | | | require watering only once a week during the |
| cure for soil gnats in herb gardens you should | | | | winter months. |
| understand the life cycle of the fungus (soil) gnat | | | | For severe infestations, the herb garden plants |
| or Sciaridae. | | | | may need to be repotted in new soil. The old soil |
| The eighth inch long gnat you see is the mature | | | | should be discarded. Another natural cure for soil |
| adult and it is in the process of laying | | | | gnats in herb gardens is to fool the gnats into |
| approximately 300 eggs on the moist soil surface | | | | believing the soil is not moist. Do this by applying |
| of your garden for a new generation. These | | | | about a quarter inch of sand to the soil surface |
| gnats prefer to lay their eggs on damp soil which | | | | and then covering the sand with cedar chips. The |
| is rich in organic matter. During the winter, when | | | | sand will dry quickly and cedar is a natural insect |
| overwatering is more common, the soil gnats | | | | repellent. |
| may become a problem. | | | | Trap the mature gnats by hanging a sheet of |
| The entire life cycle of this garden pest is about | | | | yellow paper which has been coated with |
| four weeks in duration from egg to mature adult. | | | | petroleum jelly close by the affected herb plant. |
| The mature fungus gnat will not harm the herbs | | | | The yellow paper attracts insects and the |
| in your garden, but the larvae will. From four to | | | | petroleum jelly makes them stick to the paper. |
| six days after the eggs are laid, they hatch. The | | | | This coated paper operates much like the |
| fungus gnat larvae are white and about a quarter | | | | flypaper strips you can purchase in hardware |
| inch in length with a black head. Fungus gnat | | | | stores. |
| larvae burrow into the moist soil and feed upon | | | | Another method is to place vegetable oil and cider |
| the root system of the herb plants. Adult soil | | | | vinegar in a plastic container or jar with the lid |
| gnats live for only about ten days. | | | | perforated with holes. The gnats will find a way to |
| One natural cure for soil gnats in herb gardens is | | | | get to the cider vinegar and be trapped by the |
| to first rid the soil of the infestation of eggs and | | | | vegetable oil which floats on the surface. Even if |
| larvae. Horticulturists agree that you should allow | | | | the gnat finds a way to get out of the jar, it will |
| the soil to completely dry out between waterings. | | | | not be able to reproduce. |
| Dry soil will cause the larvae to dry up. The soil | | | | You can prevent soil gnat infestations in your herb |
| should be dry for up to three inches in depth. | | | | garden by these methods. |
| Water only until the water comes out through the | | | | |