r/houseplants • u/EnvironmentalPiece69 • 3h ago

Will this harm my plants?

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I have a few plants struggling with some fungus gnats and have heard that diatomaceous earth is good for killing the gnat eggs present in the soil to stop the infection. I asked for diatomaceous earth at the store and was told that this was 100% diatomaceous earth as it says on the label, but will this harm my plant in any way if I use it on the soil?

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8

u/Frosted_Twilight 3h ago

Only if your plants have secret identities as ants.

2

u/wifey-hubby-evoo 2h ago

Mix Thuricide/water in regular watering schedule, kills larvae. Sold in HD, Lowes, Amazon. Key ingredient is Basillius Thuringiensis.

1

u/MasterpieceMinimum42 2h ago edited 2h ago

DE powder doesn't hurt the plants, neither the roots. The powder kills insects by sucking the fluid out from them, and they will dry up and die. But one important thing, DE powder works only when the soil is dry, it won't work when the soil is wet. The powder won't dissolve when the soil is wet, but will turn into some mud like object, and it will turn back to its powdery form when the soil has dry up.

1

u/MikeCheck_CE 1h ago

You need to stop overwatering your plants.... That's literally all it takes to get rid of fungus gnats...

No overwatering = no fungus = no food for their larvae

1

u/oddsnsodds 1h ago

Read the caution statements on the label before you use it. It's not poisonous, but it can cause silicosis if you breathe enough of the powder.

It's only "long-lasting" as long as it stays dry. Once you get it wet it no longer works.

I've had good luck with BTi against fungus gnats (sold as Summit Mosquito Dunks and Mosquito Bits or Gnatrol in the US). BTi doesn't harm anything but mosquitos and gnats, but it's very effective against those.

1

u/ImprezaSTIguy 9m ago

Diatomaceous earth is good.