fungus gnats on Cast Iron Plant
Quick answer
If your Cast Iron Plant has fungus gnats, the most likely cause is: Fungus gnats are small dark flies whose larvae breed in consistently damp potting soil; females lay up to 300 eggs at a time that hatch within a week, and larvae feed on roots and rotting organic matter for about 2 weeks before pupating, weakening the plant.
Start here:
- 1. Allow the soil to dry out between waterings because fungus gnats need constant moisture to complete their life cycle of roughly 2 weeks from egg to adult
- 2. Set yellow sticky traps near the soil and replace them when full to capture adult flies and break the breeding cycle
Why Cast Iron Plant gets fungus gnats
Cast Iron Plant
Fungus gnats are small dark flies whose larvae breed in consistently damp potting soil; females lay up to 300 eggs at a time that hatch within a week, and larvae feed on roots and rotting organic matter for about 2 weeks before pupating, weakening the plant.
How to reverse fungus gnats on Cast Iron Plant
- 1
Allow the soil to dry out between waterings because fungus gnats need constant moisture to complete their life cycle of roughly 2 weeks from egg to adult
- 2
Set yellow sticky traps near the soil and replace them when full to capture adult flies and break the breeding cycle
Keep fungus gnats off this Cast Iron Plant
Use a well-draining potting mix and water only when the topsoil is dry to prevent the damp conditions that fungus gnats require; empty standing water from saucers promptly.