Fungus Gnats on Dracaena: Dry Out the Soil to Kill Larvae

Identification

Tiny black flies = fungus gnats. Larvae live in top inch of damp soil.

Cultural Elimination (No Chemicals Needed)

1. Scrape off and discard top 1 inch of loose soil (larvae nursery).
2. Let remaining soil dry until leaves just begin to wilt (or 1 inch deep).
3. Add a thin layer of sharp builder's sand on surface—sharp edges shred larvae.

Why Not Pesticides

Liquid pesticides keep soil wet (bad) and rarely reach larvae. Drying the soil breaks the life cycle naturally.

Timeline

Adults live ~1 week. With no new larvae, gnats disappear in 2–3 weeks.