Gnats!

SFG in Chicago 3/27/2010, 3:05 pm

Huge clouds of gnats! I just went out in the back yard where the sfg will be (nothing planted yet here in Z5) and I was surrounded by them. Ugh. It's not even that warm yet, just 2 days ago it was the upper 20's & today it's 50. Anybody know if there's anything I can plant that will repel them? Anything I can do other than spraying myself down with bug repellent every time I want to go work in the garden? They are going to make it very unpleasant when it's time to start planting.
Thanks!
Virginia

bpbdrummer 3/27/2010, 3:46 pm

Just be happy you dont have the kind of gnats there that we have here. They are biting midges or sandflies and the bits sting, i would rather deal with mosquitos.
The worst part is, just when the weather is perfect, spring and fall they come out in droves and they'll swarm you within a minute. We spray ourselves down with Deep Woods Off before we go outside and it may hold em off for 5 minutes, after that they just go right through it.

Someone said you mix dish detergent and water and spray it over your lawn and that will help keep them at bay for awhile.

Going in our yard in spring is like being in the food chain, you have the biting gnats all over your top half and fire ants attacking your feet and legs.

choksaw 3/29/2010, 1:26 am

i do most of my gardening in the morning befor i take a shower sad to say but my BO keeps damn near everything away including the cat Gnats! Icon_biggrin

**camprn** 3/29/2010, 6:49 am

Repellents sometimes just don't work. Maybe this will help some Gnats! Hat-net-w-250%5B1%5D

lrussell58 3/29/2010, 10:45 am

Where did you find the netting? I've got to get one. The gnats are out now in Charleston.

**camprn** 3/29/2010, 11:43 am

you may be able to get them at the garden supply place, camping or sports stores as well. There are also numerous locations on the web, here's one. http://www.trails.com/gear/outdoor-apparel/hats/bug-hats/

SFG in Chicago 3/29/2010, 6:49 pm

Thanks for the replies. You were right camprn, the repellent with deet doesn't do a thing for the gnats. I bought a eco friendly yard spray that's supposed to work on mosquitos & gnats, it didn't work either. I may need to find one of those hats. These gnats are different from the ones I'm used to in Florida, these things are bigger. Well at least they don't bite, I should be happy for that!

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