Suddenly have an insect infestation after using potting soils? Tiny little gnats flying out of the soil in pots and your garden? Yeah, me too.
I was so ecstatic to have put together my first raised bed for a vegetable garden. It’s nearly full with mushroom compost received from a neighbor, who got a huge haul at a local mushroom farm. The final touch was to add some garden soil to the top of the bed and plant some seeds.
Tiny Fungus Gnats in New Potting Soil
A special sale at a major home improvement store meant that organic Miracle-Gro soil was just $5 a bag – a pretty good deal. I got two and immediately added it to my bed.
The next day, I went out to check on my raised bed and noticed the soil teeming with tiny little flies with white wings.
These insects were NOT in the compost before I added I the soil, yet appeared in droves within 24 hours of dumping the bag of soil into my raised bed.
I checked the mound of mushroom compost that I still had in another garden bed that was delivered the same day. Nope, the insects weren’t in there. I asked my neighbor if he had any problems with the tiny flies in his piles of compost. It was the same compost from the same delivery. That was a negative, too.
So I determined that the organic soil that I bought to complete my vegetable garden actually caused a HUGE problem that now I have to deal with.
Potting Soil Killing Plants
Maybe it was the compost, or just a coincidence, you might say?
Nope. I bought Miracle-Gro soil (the conventional kind) last year. I had three healthy houseplants that I had bought from the store and kept in pots for a few weeks that were fine. When I decided to finally repot them I bought one bag of soil. All three plants were planted in this same soil, and then placed indoors and outdoors in different locations.
ALL of the plants started developing problems and were infested with gnats. I lost $30 of plants, tons of time in taking care of them, and time spent to return the stuff to Home Depot where the cashier looked at me dubiously as to how my soil could have caused this.
Problems with Fungus Gnats and Potting Soil
Now, fast forward another year, and I’m researching gnat insect infestations online (I have SO much time in my life to do this, by the way) and finding out that this is a very common problem with Miracle-Gro, as evidenced in this stream of negative reviews on their website.
*Since the time I originally wrote this post, a string of positive reviews has flooded in. Check carefully and you’ll see that many of them are from sweepstakes entries (check in the description box). For non-sweepstakes reviews about gnat problems, filter the review search to one star reviews.
This is such an issue that the first comment for these gnat bait traps on Amazon speaks directly about using the baits to kill gnats on houseplants brought in due to Miracle Gro soil. Apparently these will work, but I haven’t tried them out.
Scotts response to past complaints is that it’s a natural product and not sterilized. True, I agree. However, this doesn’t seem to a problem with other potting soil that I have bought.
Their other solution in review comments is that there is a money back guarantee. How do I put soil back into a bag ripped in half in order to get the soil out? How do I return this nasty stuff to the store without getting it everywhere all over my car?!? Most importantly, what about MY time??? The time spent in researching this problem, in tending to plants at risk, to monitoring insect populations and in applying remedies to problems that Miracle-Gro acknowledges? Isn’t my time more valuable than the $5 that I spent on their bag of soil??
How to Kill Fungus Gnats
Scotts response to all of the fungus gnat infestation comments and complaints on the review page has been that the gnats are not a problem to humans. And they cause little damage to plants.
Notice “little.” So you still have to help your plants bounce back and take extra measures to reverse the damage. But it’s “little” which should make you feel good. (Rolling my eyes…..)
The company’s response is also that adding 1/2 inch or more of sand to the top of your pots will help control the fungus gnats.
Which is good news for those of you who were wanting the look of houseplants planted at the beach or love the feel of the Sahara desert in your garden bed.
Also great for those of you who want to spend more money on unnecessary products when all you really wanted was a simple bag of potting soil and to be done.
But hey, now you get to go back to a garden center and buy sand and plant sprays and plant amendments. YAY!!!!!!
I had tried soaking my garden bed with insecticidal soap, which apparently doesn’t work on killing fungus gnats.
Adding sand to my garden beds was not an option for me. I was not going to buy a bag of sand, nor did I want to mess with this issue any more.
I basically just lost the entire garden bed and never went back to try again.
Related Posts:
- How to Get Rid of Gnats
- How to Keep Your Plants Alive While on Vacation
- Four Colorful Carefree Plants for Your Garden
Potting Plants in Compost
After this experience, I don’t buy potting soil at all anymore.
I use straight mushroom compost to pot my plants. I buy mine at Lowe’s, where the price is comparable to a bag of potting soil, but you can buy mushroom compost online here).
Everyone says never to plant your plants directly in compost. Maybe that’s for rich compost straight from the backyard. Or only cow compost. I don’t know. But what I do know is that I’ve never had problems planting any plant in mushroom compost or worm casings. It costs a little more, but I don’t have to buy soil amendments, fertilizers, insect sprays from bringing in gnats in potting soil, etc.
If you don’t want to avoid potting soil and use compost, then I suggest you don’t try to pinch pennies like I was. Go to your local garden center and get your potting soil from them.
Sharing is Caring! Don’t let other gardeners deal with this horrible problem! Pin this post, or share on Facebook and Twitter!
Where do you get your soil? Have you ever had an insect infestation with any other brand?
Pattee Shen says
Hi–I have since set up a google alert with Miracle Gro, but I had the exact same encounter about two months ago with my houseplants. I had just bought the regular 1cu.ft of Potting Soil from Home Depot (fyi, the moment I grabbed the bag I KNEW I would regret it, but I was in a hurry and didn’t have time to hit my local garden center) I planted about 40 small seedlings of plants and the very next day…infestation started. I tried to fight it with the glue traps and even bought Gnatrol, but to no avail, I had to go through the tedious task of dumping back out all the old soil, rinsing off the roots, resit in water baths, to then wait 2 weeks for the nasty buggers to be gone out my apt. Over all, it took me about 2 months to bounce back. HORRIBLE experience. If you have the chance, go to Consumer Affairs and post a complaint. Finding others out there was a BIG HELP and have really confirmed my own suspicions that Miracle Gro is NOT the best product out there for gardeners, and IMHO now, probably the absolute worst. And also, very sorry to hear about your experience too. I hope you veggie bed bounces back too and you yield beautiful fruit without the help of Miracle Gro.
Kim says
Pattee,
I appreciate you responding with your experience, too! It’s important to note it’s not the actual cost of the soil that’s the problem, it’s the time and energy and lost plants that are killed because of the soil. All gardeners know how much time and energy and love we put into our plants. To pay our good money for a corporation’s product which destroys all that, and then they just sit and say oh, well, it’s infuriating. We do have a choice and I know that your story will help shape other people’s choice, too! Thanks so much.
Elita Mitchell says
THANK YOU, for taking the time to share all your experiences and to educate me and so many others!!!
PLEASE have a great day!
Kimberly Button says
Thank you, Elita! You, too!
mark notarangeli says
I agree, Same exact thing happened to me with miracle grow. Fungus gnats! Pain to get rid of, and to have to have paid for all the hassle was miserable. Never again will I buy miracle grow soil of any type. They obviously don’t care about repeat business, as long as they get you the first time.
Ennette says
I was wondering where all these flies were coming from. I bought like 5-6 bags between me and my mom. Great ill try the sticks
Kimberly Button says
Good luck!
Brandy Kelehear says
The same thing jus happened to me the last 2-3 wks I have fought these flying monsters all over my hse…because of a hse plant I bought with said soil already in it from the store..the plant died 3wks after I watered it, it seemed to get sick.. never happened b4… so I thru the plant away but kept the pot..I went to throw out the soil after seeing gnats swarming it only to find what looked like human hair, actually resembled pubic hair..I’m SO GROSSED OUT RIGHT NOW…I can see maybe putting my own hair in it IF I were inclined, but for some strangers hair to be loaded & I MEAN LOADED DOWN in my soil & I didn’t know it is making me wanna puke & scrubb my hands with bleach…It shud be marked if it’s in thr REALLY…. oh WOW….
Kimberly Button says
That is GROSS. Just really GROSS!!!!! I would never buy from that plant company again, whoever it was. Yuck!
Margie says
Oh my Gosh Im here thinking it was the cheap stuff I bought,then to here your problem to. But I have to be honest I didnt have that problem till the cheap stuff. But also I never thought it could be the soil . Im off to the nursery for some better stuu than what Ive been using. Thanks girls
Wes says
Yup, same problem here. bought the 55 gal moisture control Miracle Gro bag at COSTCO. Repotted about a dozen inside plants. Now I have fungus gnats all over the place – on the windows, on the counter, flying around the breakfast table. Going to take the bag back to COSTCO and get a refund. Now I have to either repot the plants with a more reliable soil or get the little powder additive to add to the Miracle Gro soil to get rid of the gnats. What a pain.
Kimberly Button says
Thanks for your story, Wes. Every single time someone else tells me the same story, I know it’s not just a one-time problem. It’s a real issue that needs to be addressed by Miracle-Gro. We gardeners are paying the price, though.
Penn says
Same issue here, thought it was bad luck with my choice of plants but realized it was the soil. Note I have amaryllis and rosemary that are infected with these little buggers. Insect soap failed for me as well. Next I tried vinegar and finally is seven if all else fails. I will not be buying miracle grow next year.
Roz says
I spent a lot of money on Miracle Gro soil. And now I am fighting bugs. I need a solution as to how to get rid of the bugs without losing my plants. I have two large bags.
ERNIE BUSCH says
I DECIDED TO GROW SOME HOUSE PLANTS AND USED MIRACLE GRO. I AGREE WITH WHAT I JUST READ ABOUT THE GNATS. I NOW HAVE GOOD OLD FLYPAPER HANGING IN MY APARTMENT AND THE AMOUNT OF CAUGHT GNATS IS DISTURBING. GOT THE STANDARD ANSWER FROM MIRACLE GRO COMPANY, PUT A LAYER OS SAND ON TOP OF THE SOIL. NONSENSE. NO MORE MIRACLE GRO, INSIDE OR OUTSIDE.
Kimberly Button says
Thank you so much, Ernie, for sharing your story, too! With every story like this that is shared, it’s becoming apparent that there are tons of people having this problem, too.
Gracie Rowland says
Wow…back in the 90’s I always had houseplants and no gnats…fast forward to 2015 when I retired and decided to go back to my old hobby.I have never in my life had a house full of gnats,they fly up nose,ears,mouth…. Give me a break..that Miracle grow and organic soil is full of gnats. I also qot the vinagar plus I got the Gnat Nix from eBay….u still see gnats crawling on the Gnat Nix in the pot. I put a couple of plastic cups full of water under the plants…woke up a lot of dead gnats in the water because they are attracted to water ,don’t leave a glass of water lying around,there will be a dead gnat in there. Miracle Grow…Shame on you..I will never buy Miracle Grow again…its not miracle grow its Gnat Grow.
Billy says
I was planning on giving gifts of plants I have grown! Used MIR GO SOIL NO GIFTS FOR NOBODY!!! Unless they are into flying bugs! Tried lots,, raw potatoe to capture larve,,vinegar to drown flyers,,now trying fly paper,,I may have to resort to sand,,I cant even type here in this forum what I would like to say to miracle grow!!
Kimberly Button says
Billy,
Thanks so much for sharing your story, too. I’m sorry that you’re having to go through that. Hopefully your gifts will turn out all right with your guiding care 🙂
Patty McAlister says
You can get rid of the gnats by using 3 % hydrogen peroxide WITH NO ADDITIVES. The formula is 1 part peroxide with 4 parts water. Water your plants as you would normally. I’ve tried it and it works, the larvae die on contact. It doesn’t kill the gnats but they will die off anyway. I watered with the mix till I saw no more flying around, dead in sills or on floors or in the pots. It is inexpensive and will not hurt your plants mixed correctly and it’s actually good for them. Beats having to re-pot and replace plants. Miracle Grow is horrible and didn’t use to be. I’ve had to do this a many times after re-potting with a number of potting soil brands even with soil at garden centers. Try it, you’ll like it. The solution will fizz up on the soil but that isn’t a problem. The larvae die on contact. Biggest thing is watering long enough with the solution to totally get rid of them. Don’t stop before the real miracle happens.
Kimberly Button says
Thanks, Patty!
Really appreciate this insight and non-toxic trick 🙂
C. Gockel says
The hydrogen peroxide solution DOES work. I tried it today and you can see the dead larvae on top of the soil after your’e done. I purchased Neem oil and hear it will kill the flies, they’re gross. The only good thing is at least it is summer and I can put my house plants outside until the infestation is killed.
(I got Miracle Grow potting soil too.)
Kimberly Button says
Thanks for sharing! It’s great to hear what works and what doesn’t work for everyone who is dealing with this problem.
DONNA Miller says
Thanks for the hydrogen peroxide and water cure!
Now, what potting soil do you recommend?
Kimberly Button says
Great! Honestly I don’t even use potting soil anymore. I use straight compost. I only use mushroom compost – so maybe it’s more gentle than others? – but I’ve had great success. Buy the bags at Lowe’s for a few dollars or so. This is a comparable brand – http://amzn.to/2npaYTh If you want to use potting soil, I’ve used EcoScraps (bought at Target). I did have a mold issue in one of the bags, but they refunded it promptly without me having to return the bag.
DonnaV says
I just realized today that my infestation inside and out is due to my Micracle Gro potting soil! I cannot believe it!! As you pointed out, Kim. It the time and frustration of trying to get rid of those irritating gnats and the heartbeat of some plants being so infested I end up throwing them away. I’m going to try the peroxide trick AND write to Miracle Gro!!!
Kimberly Button says
Please do! I know, it’s the emotional and time connection that seems to be the worst. Not the money for the soil. I’m sorry this had to happen to you, too. It really is so frustrating. Once it’s done, there’s not much you can do about it. Good luck!
Jackie Weaver says
Sadly, for me, none of the remedies worked. I have been dealing with gnats for almost a year now because of Miracle Gro Soil. The only option is to throw out the plants. I am tired of gnats flying around, ending up in my drinks, bath water and even worse, up my nose!
Kimberly Button says
Jackie,
Yep, that’s gross!!!!! So sad you have to throw out your plants. I did, too. It’s not a fun feeling!
gerry shaughnessy says
No more miracle grow for me. Transplanted 3 banana trees using it and the bats are awful. Went to garden center bought Bonide granuals and plant spray to help kill the bugs. Did not have good results. Hate to get rid of plants but family ready to throw them out. They are all over again. I will never use miracle grow again.
Ellie says
I just bought Miracle Gro potting mix today from Canadian Tire to start some of my veggies indoors. Opened the bag and a little black fly flew out. Looked in the bag and there were dozens of them 🙁 Needless to say I’m pretty ticked!
Kimberly Button says
Ellie,
You are not alone 🙂 Frustrating, isn’t it??
Jessica says
Same thing happened here! I grow wheatgrass for my cats and was storing the soil under my sink. One day I opened up the cabinet and a swarm of gnats flew up at my face. It was disgusting! I’m SO glad I found this article, because I wasn’t sure where they came from and probably would have bought Miracle Grow again. I thought they were a reputable brand.
Kimberly Button says
Jessica,
I know, it’s infuriating, right?!? So upsetting to spend money on soil and have brought more problems into your home. I’ve also found the soil must be used up immediately, regardless of what brand, because bugs do start to breed over time in any bagged soil, even compost.
Edith Thurman says
OMG YES! Wheatgrass is the worst one I think, not the grass, but using Miracle Grow to plant it in. I am still working on a few left over gnats. Ammonia down your drains at night is also a great way to get rid of a LOT of gnats, it only takes maybe 1/8 1/4 cup in each drain, lemon scented is the best. My problem started when I grew a lot of wheatgrass for my cats, and I have always used Miracle Grow and until recently never had this problem! I have two large bags I’m trying to figure out how to sterilize so I can mix it up for cactus soil. I know you can do it in the freezer, but I don’t have enough room. It can also be done in the oven, thats what I’m looking for!
Sharon says
I love the idea of the peroxide in the plant water and I will be trying that at next watering since I have tried everything else except the layer of sand. I have sworn off Miracle Grow potting mixes of any line and now will try anything that makes sense to rid these knats. I have too many plants to just throw them out and I am hesitant to try another potting soil. I also thought about putting the soil in the oven at 200 degrees and sterilizing it, but don’t have the patience for that nor do I want the smell. Thanks for the great info.
Kimberly Button says
Thanks, Sharon! I appreciate your kind words!
Jackie Weaver says
My sister use to make her own potting soil by using the dirt from her yard and heating it….but she had an outdoor oven. Potting soil use to be sterilized by heat, it appears companies have stopped doing this. I tried heating my own and had a serious allergy attack. I would not recommend heating it unless you have an outdoor oven
.
Nina says
I am in the same boat. I decided to Google to see if there were others. I only made the connection to soil when I potted plants in my office. I have sprayed the plants with pesticide but to no avail. I’ll try the peroxide.
Jane says
Same thing here. I bought miracle gro potting soil and replanted my 6 year old banana plant which was a gift from a dear friend, two money trees which my husband and I bought 5 years ago when we got married, and a big ficus lyrata. I had no gnats problem at all before and now they are all over the place.the plants and my house is infested. Miracle Gro potting soil wasted my time. At first I thought it’s only the ficus so I replanted it, but no I was wrong, gnats were and still are all over the place. I added sand on top of the plants and It’s not working. The gnats are still there. I tried to do everything, bought Fungicide 3 spray and have been spraying for almost 2 months and still nothing. miracle Growpotting soil, you destroyed my plants and made my life miserable. Please, never buy Miracle Gro ever again.
Kimberly Button says
Jane,
I agree! My one experience wasted my time so much, that I have no desire to ever try it again.
Cookie Lipschitz says
I’ve had this junk burn starter plants…I think it carries fusarium wilt as well and is mostly peat moss, which is unsustainably mined in Canada and releases a lot of methane into the atmosphere. Don’t cheap out by using this awful product.
Patty McAlister says
Done a bit of information gathering since my post in Dec. about gnats. I started a small nursery business and talked to the person that checks out new businesses. He’s from the agricultural dept. He suggested GNATROL and I found it on Amazon. It works much better than the peroxide in a shorter amount of time. Last thing I wanted was to have an infestation in the greenhouse. And sure enough, they showed up. If you use Gnatrol 3 weeks straight, once a week they are gone. Ag. Man said they just show up, can be in any potting soil because it’s not sterilized and any decomposing soil more than likely will have them especially if it sits around, but Miracle Grow is horrible. Interestingly, I bagged up moist leaves from last year to compost. I also grow worms and decided to feed them some of the leaves. Well…I opened the bag inside the house and out flew a swarm of gnats. The Ag Man said more than likely there were larvae in the leaves when I bagged them. I am using the gnatrol on the houseplants again. After the first week of using it in the greenhouse they were almost gone and was able to completely get rid of them by the third week. You can read about how it works on the internet. I found it is much better than the peroxide. Happy planting!
Kimberly Button says
Patty,
Thanks so much for this information! It’s great to share how to control this problem.
Barbara says
Let me tell you what happened to me. I had soil from last year in my garage. I bought a plant and repotted it and put it on my desk in my home office I work from. In a week I feel this odd crawling on my skin. After research I find out its mites from the potting solid and now it’s like an infestation in my house and they are in my hair and on my body. I’ve tried every bath, spray ointment for a whole week. It’s only slightly getting better. I’m researching where to get the soil tested and keeping my receipts from over $400 in products/creams I’ve had to buy and have even put organic pesticide on my legs and arms to see if it kills them. I have to change clothes 3 times a day and immediately launder them to try and get some control over this. I can’t even tell you how pissed I am and how disgusting this is. I live in a very nice house and I now have bugs on me and in my house. I can’t have people over or go anywhere because I’m scared to carry it to their house. After I solve this in my house I will be consulting a lawyer.
Kimberly Button says
Barbara,
Yikes! I hope those bugs are taken care of quickly and you find your health restored soon!
Catherine says
I had mites in my apartment a few years back. You can’t see them, but you know they’re there. They were actually biting me in my sleep, and were infested in the carpet and in the couch. After trying to fight these things to no avail, I came across Enzymedica brand Digest Gold while doing research on an unrelated topic. These enzyme capsules, found in health food stores, contain the 4 enzymes that are in a mite killing solution, Kleen Free, which had great reviews on Amazon.
I didn’t try the Kleen Free. I just went straight for the enzyme capsules, figuring that I would make myself repellent to them. It worked for me.
Please try this product! I know what it’s like to have the crawling sensation all over your skin. I now think that they are in a lot of places–stores, homes– and either most people don’t feel them, or the mites don’t bother with them.
On another note, I too have just finished a frustrating bout of gnats in my houseplants’ soil. Nature’s Care brand organic soil is also fertile with these little pests. As someone else stated, a flypaper collected an obscene amount of the critters.
sarah says
Hi.
I NEVER WRITE ANYTHING in a comment section but I must say… I am so, gosh I don’t even know how I feel right now.
Here’s My story….
I was 17. My grandfather & I sat on his front porch often for chats but hadn’t ever talked about plants before. I was close to leaving for college & I was struggling to imagine life without regularly seeing him. I decided that I could take something with me to remind me of him until I could get back home however, my grandfather “Papa” was a very financially poor man. I knew he could spare nothing and I would never had wanted him to.
As he and I sat and talked about the coming freshman orientation for me
(I did most of the talking, Papa had a 3rd grade education, & retired from being a logger, sharp as a tack though.) I mentioned to him that I knew he had never seen an ocean & I wanted to take him on my first spring break. The next words from his mouth blew me away…
He said “I think we just need to find something for you to take with you”
Than he got out of his rocking chair, asked me to come with him.
We walked two feet. That’s when he showed me what a Devil’s Ivy plant is.
He said he knew that I had no experience with plants but that this would never die.
He gave me a small, one stemmed plant with two leaves inside a pot no more than 5 inches. If that.
That fall I left.
I came home at every opportunity. I couldn’t ever seem to talk Papa into riding to the beach but I did humor him with my stories about my “flower”. He’d joke, and laugh and say “what flower “. In other words I thought he was saying it was probably a goner. After four falls of saying goodbye to my family I finally graduated. Everyone came to see me walk the stage and take my diploma.
After that it was time to pack up and move back home. My dad had a small U-haul ready for everything but, what no one knew is that I had already shipped most of it to my new apartment. When my Dad went with me to my room I surprised him and my Mom with my job offer and plans.
When they all calmed my Dad turned and said Ok well let’s head home (the room appears empty of my things.)
There was one thing left I wanted to take myself back home, my 4x repotted Devils Ivy (Pothos Plant). It sat tall, never ending, & the deepest shades of green I’d ever seen. I carried the 12 inch pot with all of its luscious green vines piled on top and wrapped over my shoulder all the way to the car.
Before I could sneak up on him, Papa turned and his crooked smile played stage to our traditional wink. So excited I had to ask him, “so what do you think now!?!” To which he replied, “Told you, what flower haha! Now, THAT is a plant!
That was what seems like a lifetime ago. I am now 29.
Two years ago I read my handwritten eulogy to my Papa at his funeral. The most tragic, unexpected, heartbreak of my life.
Recently I had slightly neglected my Devils Ivy from traveling for my work so last month when I got home with time off the first thing on my mind was breathing fresh life back into it.
I went to Lowe’s and after a $60 trip I had all I needed to revamp my Papa’s gift to me.
I used Miracle Grow Soil. Two days after I gave it all that attention I woke up to find the top of it covered in white mold and white mushrooms growing all over it.
I had no idea what was happening. I cleaned off the mold etc. Than waited.
As it kept getting worse my small dog suddenly became sick. She was having horrible breathing issues. Since I put it all together and figured out what her problem was coming from I have had my “flower” out in a room blocked off and alone. It’s dying because I used miracle grow.
I had done no other harm. I am certain of this now from Reading your post.
What should I do? Please help
Kimberly Button says
Oh, Sarah. Your story is so eloquently written and so emotional. We want you to get your plant, and your memories, back ASAP.
I’m not a horticulturist or veterinarian, so these are my guesses. You obviously know you need to get your plant into new potting soil. I would go to a nursery and ask for the appropriate kind (nothing too fancy). Pothos is pretty hardy, as you know. I’m not sure what your plant looks like, and, again, this in only a guess. Could you cut back the plant pretty heavily, taking off the affected parts, and repot in brand new soil? Perhaps that will allow it to bounce back with a new vigor. I’ve used insecticidal soaps with great success, but never on anything with mold. You might want to find an organic garden disease control spray.
Because this is a sentimental plant, I’d fight for it. Hopefully with a lot of TLC, it will be strong again soon. We’re thinking of you and praying for the best!
CJ Wright says
I had the problem with their organic care potting soil. What a mess! I think I’m taking your stance and avoiding Miracle Gro, too. Just awful!
Kimberly Button says
CJ,
Yes, I’m definitely more choosy as to what potting soil I buy nowadays!
Janet H says
This just happened to me with Miracle-Gro soil. Plants that I had for years and had recently repotted are teaming with fungus gnats. They are all sitting outside while I try to figure out what to do. May just throw them all out. Not happy!!!
Laurie says
I had one bag of their organic soil that I used and the plants got infested. We put them outside and they died. I thought it must just be the plants. Maybe a problem at the greenhouse. Yesterday I opened the second bag and got a face full of gnats. I chatted with Miracle Gro. The person was rude and told me there were definitely not bugs at the time of bagging. They must have gotten in through the “various” holes in the bag during storage. I called Miracle Gro and has told that they are fungus gnats. They recommended putting sand on the soil and putting it outside to dry “or your house will be full of them”. Definitely no more Miracle Gro. It’s in the trash.
L says
Ohhhh… I also experienced this problem. First, let me say I have always grown houseplants for years, in different apartments, never having had a problem, taking joy in growing them, re-potting as they grew. WELL, a couple of years back, I got a few new plants and soil, which were from Home Depot. I went to lot of trouble to gently separate sections from larger plants, potting in different sized pots, also re-potting others I had, as I had always done.
Not long afterward, I began noticing gnats. I would see them landing on my computer, iPad or TV screen, flying around lamps, also getting the cat pretty worked up. I did get sticky paper and though I kept trying some solutions on the plants, I think I lost my patience and felt I needed to get the plants out of here, which was upsetting. I think I even tried another plant, later – having same problem. I wondered if it was due to the soil in new plants or from the bag of soil. Unfortunately, I don’t recall if it was from M. G. or not and had even wondered if it was the fault of Home Depot’s nursery – and having gotten rid of gnats, I resigned myself to go without plants for a while.
So, what did I do? Yesterday, I walked by plants at the Home Depot and could not resist. I picked one up and saw an insert stating “This plant has been protected from problematic aphids, white flies, beetles, mealy bugs and others”, treated with Neonicotinoids. Thinking “Hmmm”… I decided to get a few, however, I don’t know how that will protect added soil, bringing me to doing research and feel relief finding resolve here. Now, I need to consider carefully what soil to buy. Just to mention, in previous years I had even purchased healthy looking plants and bags of soil from the “99 Cents store”, never having had this problem prior, no matter where I bought plants and soil. Thanks for all the info and good luck to everyone!
Kimberly Button says
Ugh, you know it’s bad when even the cat is worked up! 😉 Sorry this happened to you, too. I’m pretty concerned when soil has to start being treated with neonicotinoids just to stay bug free. When starting from a healthy base, it’s easy to stay insect-free, as you know and experienced for years. Wondering why soils are having to be treated now in big box garden centers? Good luck to you!!
L says
Thanks.. it has been over a month and so far, no gnats, so something is good. The problem I am having is trying to maintain the right indoor growing conditions, keeping the heat out yet having proper light… poor plants. (Glad to have confirmed the problem here about the potting soil).
Suzy says
Thank you for this useful post! I recently repotted a dying plant in my office with some Miracle Gro Potting Soil. A few days later, there were little gnats all over the entire office, not just my area. I went to water the plant today, and I noticed a few gnats fly off the dirt. I never thought this could be the issue until today. I did some research and ended up here. Now I wonder if I sentenced that plant to death by repotting in in Miracle Gro!
Vicki says
I have 4 raised vegetable garden beds in my yard and 15-20 potted basil plant that I had kept in my house under lights to avoid getting basil powder mildew.. My raised beds were started last year with Bumper Crop, vermiculite, peat moss, and several types of organic good quality compost. I needed to supplement my raised beds this year with dirt and compost so I chose Miracle Gro organic compost and raised bed soil, that was all I added to the raised beds. I used Miracle Gro orgainc potting mix for the inside basil plants. The raised beds this year have been infested with gnats, squash bugs and cucumber beetles – NONE OF WHICH I have ever had before adding the Miracle Gro soil to the beds. The basil plants were INFESTED with fungus gnats – so badly that the pot I had given to my mom for Mother’s Day had infested her apartment and she had to return it to me. I wanted to be sure it was the dirt I had used, so I bought more Miracle Gro organic potting mix, sterilized all the basil pots and repotted each plant using ONLY Miracle Gro potting mix. 3 days later the plants were swarming with gnats and eventually a few plants actually died because the larvae had eaten the plant’s roots – I could see the larvae in the pot – there were SO MANY!! I immediately moved them outside and was swarmed by the gnats in the process. Because of this I have spent countless hours and dollars – mostly trying to salvage my raised beds. The cucumber beetles killed my cucmber plants and have wreaked havoc on my squash and zucchini plants. I have tried Nematodes, Captain Jacks spray, hand picking the pests and their offspring….and am really concerned about next year and what the larvae they have left in my beds will do then. I can not afford to start all over again – hundreds of dollars for the vermiculite, peat moss and organic compost for four 4x4x18″ beds. Miracle Gro is – OR WAS – a trusted name – shame on you Miracle Gro – SHAME ON YOU!! What recorse do I have??
Florence says
I’m in the same boat with big bags from Costco. I am livid and feel I need to dump all the soil before planting anything in the fall. Someone needs to refund the purchase cost….
Vicki says
I posted a review on the Miracle Gro potting soil website with my story and their answer was such B..S…they didnt even reply with the facts I presented – it was like they did not even read what I wrote. The plants that died due to the gnat larvae eating the roots Miracle Gro said something about ‘root rot’ which was totally irrelevant. They also said something about insects getting into the bag of soil after it sits open which I clearly said their bag did not and that the plants and dirt were in my house – indoors!!!
I wonder how many customers out there truly have found issues with their soils and if there is anything as a group that can be done??
Bettylou says
This soil is horrible I will never use miracle grow again!!! I had a brand new raised bed I filled it with 8 bags of their soil. The gnats were everywhere I also had several pots with the soil. I had never encountered this before and had my kids helping so by the time the gnats were noticed it was too late. I tried to spray with soap and wait a few days but couldn’t lick the problem and within 2 weeks mushrooms were everywhere. This was a huge amount of money and time and I could not afford to start all over again at this time. I can not believe they continue to sell this product! I now realize there are negative comments all over the internet. Apparently MG doesn’t care about satisfied customers just making profits!!!
Kimberly Button says
Bettylou,
I agree. It’s amazing how many people have had this problem – and that’s just the few who have left comments on this blog. I wish more people would leave their comments on having a problem, too, so that we can make sure to tell everyone that this is a REAL problem and it causes you so much grief when all you want to do is grow healthy plants.
Vicki says
It’s not a big help, but after I posted my complaint on their website they answered me and asked me to contact their customer service. I spoke to someone and was able to at least get a refund for the soil I purchased. over $100. It didn’t do much for the cost of the initial soil their soil ruined (far more than $100) but at least I got something back. I suggest anyone seeing the problem review the product on their website – maybe if enough people complain they will have to change their ways!?
Kimberly Button says
Agreed, thanks Vicki!
I’m glad you got the money back. We all know your time and effort were worth more, but at least you got something back. Hoping more people will call and get their refunds, too!
Unhappy 1 says
I needed to repot all my house plants since it had been years and they were root bound. Now I also have a problem with fungus gnats and mold because I tried miracle grow potting soil. Very frustrated because of all the time it took to repot and the cost of the bags of miracle grow soil.
Thanks for the tip on hydrogen peroxide I have a website here with more information on it and an article from that website.
http://hubpages.com/living/Hydrogen-Peroxide-for-Plants
Application –
Soil Pest and Root Rot Treatment –
Mix one part of additive-free 35% Hydrogen Peroxide with ten parts water.
Water infected plants thoroughly. The soil will bubble as the oxygen is released.
For Pests – Water with the mixture twice a week, allowing the top 2 inches of soil to dry between watering. Root pests should reside within a week.
For Root Rot – Water plants very thoroughly, then allow the soil to dry. The top 2-3 inches of soil should be completely dry before returning to a regular water regimen. If the process is done correctly, root rot can easily be treated with only one watering of peroxide.
Foliage Pesticide Spray –
Mix equal parts 3% Hydrogen Peroxide and distilled water.
Use a spray bottle to thoroughly soak the infected plants. Make sure to get the undersides of the leaves.
Spray once a week or after it rains. Hydrogen peroxide both treats and further prevents pest infestation.
This weaker solution will prevent damage to the leaves but is effective as a general insecticide. I’ve found that the hydrogen peroxide is effective against a variety of mites and aphids. Because hydrogen peroxide also has fungicidal properties, one may find it as a possible solution to mildew and fungus outbreaks.
Water Treatment –
For a general water treatment and dechlorinator, mix one tablespoon hydrogen peroxide for every gallon of water used. The hydrogen peroxide acts instantly to drive out chlorine, excess iron and sulfates.
Missy says
Kimberly, can you share any brand names that you have found to be more reliable? I’ve had this problem many times, and not just with Miracle Gro, unfortunately.
Kimberly Button says
Missy,
I know your frustration. I’ve tried EcoScraps from Target and had mold issues in some bags. What I’ve done from this experience, and also trying other brands, is to just use straight mushroom compost. For me, cow manure compost always has issues and is to hard and cakey. I buy Lowes’ brand of mushroom compost ~ about $3 a bag ~ and use that as potting soil. My plants have never looked healthier! I’ve done flowers, as well as veggies, and haven’t had a problem. I don’t mix it with any soil whatsoever! Hope this helps!
~Kim
Sibrina Kidd says
It is not just the gnats for a year and a half 5 antibiotics the sore on his face will not go away. We have always used MG , he had his gloves on and just wiped the sweat off his face and soon blusters came up, we called MG same BS . Now the doctors want to cut his face open !!! And the gnats are driving our dogs and us crazy ! So fed up !!
helenkosings says
Just always remember and NEVER forget that any company can print that their products are “organic” or “natural” but that does NOT mean that they are. If you are looking for “organic” products – look for products with the OMRI designation. I find it useful because OMRI is an independent, non-for-profit organization (and no, they didn’t pay me to say this!) You can learn more about them here- http://www.omri.org/
Personally, I would NEVER expect Miracle-Gro or Scott’s to put out any product that I could safely use in my garden. Just my $.02
Kimberly Button says
Agreed!!!!!!! There is no certification for the words organic or natural, except for USDA Certified Organic foods. Good points made!
Jackie Weaver says
At Costco, I saw some of the Miracle Gro state that the dirt came from landfills, like that is a good thing. I did not buy that dirt, because all sorts of toxic items go into landfills, I can’t imagine the dirt being safe, However, the Miracle Gro I purchased was organic, but did not have any mention about it being harvest from a landfill. I don’t think dirt should come from a landfill….it’s my understanding that a landfill must sit 100 years after it is c
osed before one can build on the land, so this being said, how can their dirt be safe???
Kimberly Button says
Yeah, how can landfill dirt be something that you want to grow plants in? A place where people throw toxic substances that won’t decompose isn’t the kind of basis I want for my dirt!
Jackie Weaver says
I bought some organic Miracle Gro indoor soil and I am deal with small flies, I think are gnats. There are tiny worms in my soil. Years ago potting soil companies use to heat the soil at high temperatures to kill such. I guess they don’t do this anymore. I would have been better off using the soil from my yard. We use potting soil to avoid bugs, but looks like Miracle Gro is selling nasty infected dirt.
Kimberly Button says
Jackie,
I agree. It would be easier – and cheaper – to just use the stuff in your yard. Though it wouldn’t have as much nutrition. That’s why I just plant in straight compost now. I could always add in some dirt from my yard to the mix. Then I don’t have to pay or worry about buying bagged dirt which only brings on more headaches, I feel.
Jackie Weaver says
I just tried the peroxide solution that was suggested in the thread….lol, what a mess. I did it in my kitchen sink and the dirt bubbled over like a volcano. I suggest that this sterilization method is done outside. Two weeks ago I did a solution of neem oil and Dawn Dishwashing liquid. they went away and came back this week. I am guessing that the neem oil and Dawn does not kill the eggs, but will kill the maggots and gnats. This is such a headache. I left a post on Miracle Gro’s wall….will be interesting to see their response.
Kimberly Button says
Oh, boy. What a hassle! All for dirt. Seriously. Wishing you the very best of luck in getting control of these gnats. I just left them be and walked away. I don’t have as much resolve as you do!
Jackie Weaver says
I will not buy that brand again. One reason why I purchased indoor potting soil was to avoid insects and such. They are supposed to heat it to kill any insects and eggs. Well, that is how they use to treat packaged dirt. I had a lot of big pots with plants, so it was a job treating all of them. Thankfully, I had several bottles of peroxide being I stockpile from Costco sales. Will do it again next week and then the next. I hope by then they will all be dead bugs! The gnats were all over our house before we realized they were coming from the freshly repotted plants. I don’t know if all of the treatments are good for the plants.
Kimberly Button says
Ugh! Yes, I don’t know if the treatments are good for the plants either!
ramin says
I don’t have a yard. I have a small balcony and I grow tomatoes. I actually grew 120 plants and game all but 6 of them away. I watched my plants one by one die after adding a bit of miracle grow soil to already growing plants. The sticky traps would could not catch them all. Shame on you miracle grow.
Kimberly Button says
Oh, that’s so sad when you’re trying to give homegrown food away. So sorry to hear this. Would love to see how you grow that many plants on a balcony 🙂
Peggy Corley says
I have just tried chatting with a “Live” Miracle Gro rep from the Help Center – tried twice as a matter of fact. No info given from either except to say “I will be glad to answer your question”, “Give me a minute”, and both times my chat was ended by MG rep. Tried calling the 1-888-295-6902 and was told a rep would be with me shortly. That never happened. I had no idea until I read all the complaints about Miracle Gro potting soil mix this morning that my black gnat problems could be attributed to the “higher priced and preferred” potting soil mix. Needless to say I will not support them any longer. However, would love for Miracle Gro vendor to step up and tell us what scientific test show about their mix after sitting in their warehouse for 6 months or so, how do they treat the soil to prevent infestations of these insects from entering our homes, how can we rid our homes of them once we have them. I have tried the sticky things, I have repotted the plants 3 times, I have had a professional exterminator treat our house, I have used numerous home treatments along with the purchased bowls which contain apple cider vinegar which are to lure the bugs in there and they drown…nothing has worked well. I am sure we have eaten some of them in our food as well. UGH – No help, no concern, no service from Miracle Gro.
Kimberly Button says
I am so sorry to hear about this experience. It is horrible. Especially when you’re treated horribly by customer service. There are so many complaints out there about gnats and the soil. Thank you for sharing your story, too.
Adrienne says
Hi, I normally use pro-mix for all my plants indoor and outdoor but silly me thought organic soils should be fine since it’s organic. I tried every brand and they all yield the same results…fungus gnats. Having the little bugger’s in your house is just irritating not to mention gross. Definitely going back to using pro-mix! Also, if you’re in the habit of taking your indoor plants outdoors when the weather is nice, you may want to try a systemic bug killer before bringing your plants back in. Love your post BTW.
Kimberly Button says
Adrienne, thank you so much! I appreciate it! And, yes, those fungus gnats are SOO annoying!
brnidgirl115 says
UGH!!! Wish i would have seen this sooner!! Purchased 5 Scarlet Trumpet Vines for about $100 along with 5 bags of you guessed it, Miracle Grow Potting Soil. The morning after I spent hours carefully planting my vines the are was infested with gnat type bugs. I have tried several organic pesticides as I purchased the vines for my hummingbirds. The plants look horrible and I am still battling the bugs. I will try the peroxide since digging the plants and returning them at this point will take more time then I have. So angry!!
Kimberly Button says
I’ve been there, too! SO frustrating! Your time and energy is worth so much. It’s not the money spent on the soil (though, it is…) but it’s the effort and emotion put into planting the plants, and then having to do all of this research to find an answer. Good luck! We love hummingbirds and understand your desire to use organic pesticides to not hurt the hummers!
Bruce Spencer says
There are two products, bacterial that will eradicate fungus gnats overnight. Met 52 and bio war. Is them both with excellent results
Bruce Spencer
Spencer Farm
Deane Alban says
I’m having a gnat infestation problem only I had bough Black Gold which I was told is top of the line. So… it’s not just Miracle Gro. I’m going to sterilize any potting soil before I use it inside going forward.
Kimberly Button says
True, that! It’s not just Miracle Gro. It’s definitely a lot of bagged soils and potting mediums. You just never know how long a bag has been sitting around and in what conditions it has been stored in.
Michelle Clark says
I am also in the same boat but have a question… I had purchased the large bag from Costco… Thinking the miracle gro organic potting soil would help my plants. I repotted some herb plants for indoors and a bunch of herbs in window boxes and clay pots outdoors. I noticed my plants were not growing very well in either location and then saw the gnats indoors. I tried vinegar traps and raw potato but when it did not help I moved them outside and noticed some more gnats by the bag of soil and some by my basil plants in the same soil. The next morning there were hundreds of gnats… Soooo glad I moved it outside but I had to trash most of the plants. My question is can the fungus the gnats feed and breed off of also cause fusiliam wilt and kill my basil and parsley? The plants were gorgeous and healthy before repotting with the miracle grow soil. They stopped growing and then showed signs of the wilt. My other herbs and plants using the other raised bed mix or potting soil seemed to have faired better.
Kimberly Button says
Michelle, Yikes! That sounds horrible! I don’t know about the fusiliam wilt. I do know that I, too, had perfectly healthy plants until I repotted them, then it was downhill from there. So who knows?
Kathleen Markle says
So I started my garden with miracle gro soil and experienced the same thing. What a mess! did not realize it was the soil (my garden is on a balcony in containers), till about a month later I had to add more soil. Now, I had already done my research but did not see this about miracle gro because i did not suspect the soil..From my research I knew what the gnatt eggs looked like and had been picking them out relentlessly. So I poured the extra soil I needed to top off what I originally had planted my plants in and guess what…….eggs everywhere. And I know it was in the soil as i had it in a protected tub. I had to go through the plants I topped off and collect the eggs and it was at least 25-30 of them. They weren’t there before as I had just looked through them before i added the soil. I am furious. I trusted them and this has made my growing season just miserable
Kimberly Button says
Kathleen,
That’s horrible! When you can specifically pinpoint the problem (as in a balcony container garden), it is so much easier to figure out what the problem was. Hoping you get some relief from all of those gnats!
Cathy says
i have the same problem with Miracle Gro in my raised garden. I tried hydrogen peroxide but it isn’t supposed to be used on zucchini and brussels sprouts. They yellowed and some leaves died. Does the sand work? I have an vegetable garden so I can’t use pesticides like the ones that are used on houseplants or outdoor plants. I sprayed with Earthtone organic insecticidal soap today to see if that works. Suggestions for organic vegetable garden?
Kimberly Button says
Cathy, I use organic farming methods, too. I honestly don’t know the best solution. I didn’t try the sand because my plants were already dying. You might want to look at my post on how to get rid of gnats: https://www.getgreenbewell.com/how-to-get-rid-of-gnats/ I simply had to start over, unfortunately. I like insecticidal soap the best out of all of the natural solutions that I tried.
Jennifer says
It’s not just Miracle-Gro — it’s all brands of potting soil. They all get infested with fungus gnats. I am starting to wonder if the gnats have evolved to be a lot stronger and survive better….I never had problems with gnats back in the 80s and 90s. It’s only been the last decade or so that I just can’t get rid of them. I have even found that sterilizing the soil at the recommended temperature might not kill them. I have to turn the heat up to 300 for 90 minutes. I live in Arizona and maybe the gnats here have adapted to the hot temps. I don’t know. In the 80s and 90s I lived in NY and CA. I have only had gnat infestations in AZ. So, it’s either due to the conditions in AZ, or maybe it’s worldwide/countrywide in last decade or so. The gnats just seem invincible now.
I was about to throw out several beloved plants just now, but I am considering the peroxide solution and seeing if that works. I don’t know. I’m so fed up at this point. I already repotted all the plants with sterilized soil a few weeks ago (for the second time!), but I didn’t remove the old soil from the root ball because the plants are too big and wouldn’t be able to be anchored in the soil properly if I did that. I just replaced the loose soil from the 1st repotting. So, I don’t know if the gnats were in the root ball soil or if the sterilized soil still had viable gnats in it. Extremely frustrating.
I can’t use chemicals/pesticides because I’m chemically sensitive and I have pets.
Fingers crossed for the peroxide to work….
Kimberly Button says
I’m finding the gnats in potting soils, too. I’ve just given up using potting soil and use straight compost instead. I use mushroom compost with no soil and find it works great!
KK says
Well – this has just happened to us too with the organic Mirical Grow soil. Hundreds of gnats swarming!!! I feel the same frustation as all of you do. I made a flower bed about 3 hours ago. I didn’t notice anything until i went out again to continue to work on the bed … then a swarm of these things hovered all around the bed. I had not planted my lantana yet so I shoveled up the soil, put it in my wheel barrel and sprayed it with bleach and wasp spray. I did however use a small portion of this soil to make 2 pots of seeded flowers. I have not checked those yet, i will check tomorrow. What a totally frustrating situation. I will probably put the infested soil in a big garbage bag and return it and the 2 opened bags of soil and get our money back. I’m worried that the gnats might have landed around the bed where I shoveled it all up….. . I will use the peroxide around the bed tomorrow. Ugh!!!!!
Kimberly Button says
Ugh! How frustrating! I know the feeling! All of that work. And so many times the plants and seeds that you started can’t be easily replaced. I hope you find success in returning the soil and not having any more gnats swarming your garden.
Rose says
I had the same problem with fungus gnats. I bought organic miracle grow potting soil for some new indoor plants. I researched the growing infestation and learned about fungus gnats. I spent money on pots, soil and plants, only to have to move everything outside, spend countless dollars on food safe pesticides for my herbs and cat grass. Miracle Grow Organic Potting soil…..now trying to figure out a way to decontaminate my soil…..high heat?
Kimberly Button says
Rose, I totally understand! I don’t know if high heat would help. How would you get the soil a higher temperature than the ambient air? It’s frustrating, right?
Anjana says
How I wish I had read this post before I got really excited about planting my decade old indoor curry plant in Miracle gro organic soil which I purchased from Costco😡 Now after puzzling over a swarm of gnats in the soil for a couple of days and wondering about how that happened I came upon this post. I have to now repot this large plant once again and keep my fingers crossed hoping it survives. I’m going to be heartbroken if this plant dies, a plant which has been a crowning glory of my collection of indoor plants.
Kimberly Button says
Anjana, Oh, no! I’m so sorry! I’m glad you found this post, though, and are able to repot as quickly as possible. Hoping you have success!!!