i don't seem many current on topic posts, so i dont know if anyone is out
there to answer questions, but i hope so! i dont know much about plants, but
love them so my apartment is adorned with some. in the spring and summer
time they end up having these little black insects flying around them and
around my apartment. i have ended up getting rid of some plants when i saw
the tiny little winged bugs crawling around in the soil in numerous amounts
but i dont want to do that. i tried spraying them with soapy water and i
also tried spraying them with a store bought spray to eliminate insects.
neither worked. i was free of them for a few months after i dumped the ones
where they were most prolific, but now the bugs are back and i dont know
what to do about them. they don't appear to harm my plants but they are very
annoying and they end up multiplying. if anyone has any idea what to do
about them please let me know. thanks! -ginger

Most likely these are fungus gnats, which feed on organic matter in
the soil. They usually do no harm to the plants and are more annoying
than anything else. You may be overwatering your plants.

M. Reed
gingerobyn wrote:

i don't seem many current on topic posts, so i dont know if anyone is out
there to answer questions, but i hope so! i dont know much about plants, but
love them so my apartment is adorned with some. in the spring and summer
time they end up having these little black insects flying around them and
around my apartment. i have ended up getting rid of some plants when i saw
the tiny little winged bugs crawling around in the soil in numerous amounts
but i dont want to do that. i tried spraying them with soapy water and i
also tried spraying them with a store bought spray to eliminate insects.
neither worked. i was free of them for a few months after i dumped the ones
where they were most prolific, but now the bugs are back and i dont know
what to do about them. they don't appear to harm my plants but they are very
annoying and they end up multiplying. if anyone has any idea what to do
about them please let me know. thanks! -ginger

In article ,
gingerobyn wrote:
i don't seem many current on topic posts, so i dont know if anyone is out
there to answer questions, but i hope so!

Questions like these are best posted in rec.gardens.

i dont know much about plants, but
love them so my apartment is adorned with some. in the spring and summer
time they end up having these little black insects flying around them and
around my apartment. i have ended up getting rid of some plants when i saw
the tiny little winged bugs crawling around in the soil in numerous amounts
but i dont want to do that. i tried spraying them with soapy water and i
also tried spraying them with a store bought spray to eliminate insects.
neither worked. i was free of them for a few months after i dumped the ones
where they were most prolific, but now the bugs are back and i dont know
what to do about them. they don't appear to harm my plants but they are very
annoying and they end up multiplying. if anyone has any idea what to do
about them please let me know. thanks! -ginger

They are fungus gnats. The larvae live on organic matter in the soil.
You can discourage them by letting the soil dry out between waterings,
especially the top cm or two of soil. It may help to put a layer of
sand about that thick on top. The idea here is to make the pots
unattractive to females that want to lay eggs there.

To get rid of adults, you can use the yellow sticky traps sold to
control white flies. They work even better for fungus gnats, in my
experience.

You can buy several pesticides targeted for fungus gnats, but I've
found the above measures are quite effective. Although they can cause
damage to plants under some circumstances, I've always found these
gnats to be harmless, but they can be a nuisance - especially for
roommates, spouses and coworkers who are less fond of plants than you
are.

Also - if you get a sudden big outbreak, check your plants for dead
flower bulbs, rotting roots, etc. Fungus gnats can convert these
things into more fungus gnats at an amazing rate.

thank you so much! i will try your suggestions. i'll also look for the other
newsgroup. thanks again. ginger
"Beverly Erlebacher" wrote in message
...
In article ,
gingerobyn wrote:
i don't seem many current on topic posts, so i dont know if anyone is out
there to answer questions, but i hope so!

Questions like these are best posted in rec.gardens.

i dont know much about plants, but
love them so my apartment is adorned with some. in the spring and summer
time they end up having these little black insects flying around them and
around my apartment. i have ended up getting rid of some plants when i
saw
the tiny little winged bugs crawling around in the soil in numerous
amounts
but i dont want to do that. i tried spraying them with soapy water and i
also tried spraying them with a store bought spray to eliminate insects.
neither worked. i was free of them for a few months after i dumped the
ones
where they were most prolific, but now the bugs are back and i dont know
what to do about them. they don't appear to harm my plants but they are
very
annoying and they end up multiplying. if anyone has any idea what to do
about them please let me know. thanks! -ginger

They are fungus gnats. The larvae live on organic matter in the soil.
You can discourage them by letting the soil dry out between waterings,
especially the top cm or two of soil. It may help to put a layer of
sand about that thick on top. The idea here is to make the pots
unattractive to females that want to lay eggs there.

To get rid of adults, you can use the yellow sticky traps sold to
control white flies. They work even better for fungus gnats, in my
experience.

You can buy several pesticides targeted for fungus gnats, but I've
found the above measures are quite effective. Although they can cause
damage to plants under some circumstances, I've always found these
gnats to be harmless, but they can be a nuisance - especially for
roommates, spouses and coworkers who are less fond of plants than you
are.

Also - if you get a sudden big outbreak, check your plants for dead
flower bulbs, rotting roots, etc. Fungus gnats can convert these
things into more fungus gnats at an amazing rate.

yes, that sounds likely because i would see them crawling around in the very
wet soil. thanks
"Monique Reed" wrote in message
...
Most likely these are fungus gnats, which feed on organic matter in
the soil. They usually do no harm to the plants and are more annoying
than anything else. You may be overwatering your plants.

M. Reed
gingerobyn wrote:

i don't seem many current on topic posts, so i dont know if anyone is
out
there to answer questions, but i hope so! i dont know much about plants,
but
love them so my apartment is adorned with some. in the spring and summer
time they end up having these little black insects flying around them
and
around my apartment. i have ended up getting rid of some plants when i
saw
the tiny little winged bugs crawling around in the soil in numerous
amounts
but i dont want to do that. i tried spraying them with soapy water and i
also tried spraying them with a store bought spray to eliminate insects.
neither worked. i was free of them for a few months after i dumped the
ones
where they were most prolific, but now the bugs are back and i dont know
what to do about them. they don't appear to harm my plants but they are
very
annoying and they end up multiplying. if anyone has any idea what to do
about them please let me know. thanks! -ginger

Hi,
New reader here...just wanted to add that besides watering, please check
the drainage of the soil - is the pot sitting in a wet saucer, etc.?
cheers,
a houseplant enthusiast
susan

On Fri, 6 Jun 2003, gingerobyn wrote:

yes, that sounds likely because i would see them crawling around in the very
wet soil. thanks
"Monique Reed" wrote in message
...
Most likely these are fungus gnats, which feed on organic matter in
the soil. They usually do no harm to the plants and are more annoying
than anything else. You may be overwatering your plants.

M. Reed
gingerobyn wrote:

i don't seem many current on topic posts, so i dont know if anyone is
out
there to answer questions, but i hope so! i dont know much about plants,
but
love them so my apartment is adorned with some. in the spring and summer
time they end up having these little black insects flying around them
and
around my apartment. i have ended up getting rid of some plants when i
saw
the tiny little winged bugs crawling around in the soil in numerous
amounts
but i dont want to do that. i tried spraying them with soapy water and i
also tried spraying them with a store bought spray to eliminate insects.
neither worked. i was free of them for a few months after i dumped the
ones
where they were most prolific, but now the bugs are back and i dont know
what to do about them. they don't appear to harm my plants but they are
very
annoying and they end up multiplying. if anyone has any idea what to do
about them please let me know. thanks! -ginger

"is the pot sitting in a wet saucer"

well, one was. but some of my plants don't even have drainage saucers
because they dont have holes in the pot. i did put some stones in the
bottom of the pot under the soil before potting the plants. i did that at my
moms suggestion to try to let the plants drain and keep the roots from
getting to wet. is that the right thing to do?

should i assume that having the plants in wet saucers creates a conducive
environment for those gnats as well?

"S. Yantis" wrote in message
...
Hi,
New reader here...just wanted to add that besides watering, please check
the drainage of the soil - is the pot sitting in a wet saucer, etc.?
cheers,
a houseplant enthusiast
susan

On Fri, 6 Jun 2003, gingerobyn wrote:

yes, that sounds likely because i would see them crawling around in the
very
wet soil. thanks
"Monique Reed" wrote in message
...
Most likely these are fungus gnats, which feed on organic matter in
the soil. They usually do no harm to the plants and are more annoying
than anything else. You may be overwatering your plants.

M. Reed
gingerobyn wrote:

i don't seem many current on topic posts, so i dont know if anyone
is
out
there to answer questions, but i hope so! i dont know much about
plants,
but
love them so my apartment is adorned with some. in the spring and
summer
time they end up having these little black insects flying around
them
and
around my apartment. i have ended up getting rid of some plants when
i
saw
the tiny little winged bugs crawling around in the soil in numerous
amounts
but i dont want to do that. i tried spraying them with soapy water
and i
also tried spraying them with a store bought spray to eliminate
insects.
neither worked. i was free of them for a few months after i dumped
the
ones
where they were most prolific, but now the bugs are back and i dont
know
what to do about them. they don't appear to harm my plants but they
are
very
annoying and they end up multiplying. if anyone has any idea what to
do
about them please let me know. thanks! -ginger

Hi,
Just a guess on my part, based on my own plant growing experiences, but
yes, I believe soggy conditions and poor drainage attract these insects,
they may feed off rotting roots and such.
Best wishes on your horticultural endeavors!
susan

On Sat, 7 Jun 2003, gingerobyn wrote:

"is the pot sitting in a wet saucer"

well, one was. but some of my plants don't even have drainage saucers
because they dont have holes in the pot. i did put some stones in the
bottom of the pot under the soil before potting the plants. i did that at my
moms suggestion to try to let the plants drain and keep the roots from
getting to wet. is that the right thing to do?

should i assume that having the plants in wet saucers creates a conducive
environment for those gnats as well?

"S. Yantis" wrote in message
...
Hi,
New reader here...just wanted to add that besides watering, please check
the drainage of the soil - is the pot sitting in a wet saucer, etc.?
cheers,
a houseplant enthusiast
susan

On Fri, 6 Jun 2003, gingerobyn wrote:

yes, that sounds likely because i would see them crawling around in the
very
wet soil. thanks
"Monique Reed" wrote in message
...
Most likely these are fungus gnats, which feed on organic matter in
the soil. They usually do no harm to the plants and are more annoying
than anything else. You may be overwatering your plants.

M. Reed
gingerobyn wrote:

i don't seem many current on topic posts, so i dont know if anyone
is
out
there to answer questions, but i hope so! i dont know much about
plants,
but
love them so my apartment is adorned with some. in the spring and
summer
time they end up having these little black insects flying around
them
and
around my apartment. i have ended up getting rid of some plants when
i
saw
the tiny little winged bugs crawling around in the soil in numerous
amounts
but i dont want to do that. i tried spraying them with soapy water
and i
also tried spraying them with a store bought spray to eliminate
insects.
neither worked. i was free of them for a few months after i dumped
the
ones
where they were most prolific, but now the bugs are back and i dont
know
what to do about them. they don't appear to harm my plants but they
are
very
annoying and they end up multiplying. if anyone has any idea what to
do
about them please let me know. thanks! -ginger