• Post Reply Bookmark Topic Watch Topic
  • New Topic
permaculture forums growies critters building homesteading energy monies kitchen purity ungarbage community wilderness fiber arts art permaculture artisans regional education skip experiences global resources cider press projects digital market permies.com pie forums private forums all forums
this forum made possible by our volunteer staff, including ...
master stewards:
  • Carla Burke
  • Nancy Reading
  • r ranson
  • John F Dean
  • Timothy Norton
  • paul wheaton
  • Jay Angler
stewards:
  • Pearl Sutton
  • Anne Miller
  • Tereza Okava
master gardeners:
  • Christopher Weeks
gardeners:
  • M Ljin
  • Matt McSpadden
  • Megan Palmer

Fruit Flies in my Sweets

 
Posts: 17
Location: Chicago
2
5
dog tiny house urban
  • Likes 2
  • Mark post as helpful
  • send pies
    Number of slices to send:
    Optional 'thank-you' note:
  • Quote
  • Report post to moderator
I started a couple of varieties of potatoes and sweet potatoes indoors. I have a ton of fruit flies. I have tried traps and vinegar in a bowl with a drop of soap to drown them. Nothing is working. Is there anything I can safely spray to knock down the population (of flies).

tom o.
 
steward
Posts: 17811
Location: USDA Zone 8a
4544
dog hunting food preservation cooking bee greening the desert
  • Likes 1
  • Mark post as helpful
  • send pies
    Number of slices to send:
    Optional 'thank-you' note:
  • Quote
  • Report post to moderator
Have you tried spraying the leaves of the plants with a soap solution?

Here are some clever suggestions:

Craig said, "I've also put a dish of vinegar in the microwave with the door open. Turn the lights off and go to bed. In the AM shut the door and zapp them for a minute. DONE. Serve warm to chickens



Michael said, "Has any tried using a venus fly trap to fight this fruit fly battle?



Laura said, "I had the oddest experience, they didnt like the dry red wine i left them....shrug i went back to cider vinegar. I put it in a wine glass to keep evaporation down...any of the other methods seem right to me I will save a liquor bottle.



https://permies.com/t/176/Fruit-Flies
 
pollinator
Posts: 1268
Location: Chicago
434
dog forest garden fish foraging urban cooking food preservation bike
  • Likes 2
  • Mark post as helpful
  • send pies
    Number of slices to send:
    Optional 'thank-you' note:
  • Quote
  • Report post to moderator
If they are living in a potted plant, they may be “fungus gnats” that are living off fungus in the damp soil, rather than actual fruit flies (drosophila).  I don’t have a magic solution, except that allowing the top layer of soil to dry out may reduce the population.
gift
 
Justin Rhodes 45 minute video tour of wheaton labs basecamp
will be released to subscribers in: soon!
reply
    Bookmark Topic Watch Topic
  • New Topic