Fabric Softener Sheets Repel Fungus Gnats

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Knnn
Clumping Palm
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Location: Central Kansas , USA ~ Zone 5

Fabric Softener Sheets Repel Fungus Gnats

Post by Knnn » Thu Jan 27, 2011 9:51 am

Going to have to try this :D



http://www.ashs.org/pressrelease/index. ... e&Itemid=3

MANHATTAN, KS – For years, gardeners have claimed that putting Bounce® fabric softener sheets in their pockets is an effective way to repel pests like mosquitoes and gnats. Any Internet search will uncover countless articles about the bug-repelling properties of Bounce®. Are these claims valid or simply folklore? The authors of a new study say that until now, no quantitative data has existed to substantiate these claims, but their latest research has revealed a definitive answer: Bounce® sheets do indeed repel adult gnats.

In a report just published in HortScience, Kansas State University Department of Entomology professor Raymond Cloyd and colleagues discussed a series of five replicated experiments they conducted to ascertain whether Bounce® dryer sheets (Outdoor Fresh Scent™, Procter and Gamble) repel fungus gnat adults under laboratory conditions. “In all five experiments, the mean proportion of fungus gnat adults collected in the sample compartments containing the dryer sheets were significantly fewer, ranging from 12% to 18% ,whereas the compartments without dryer sheets contained 33% to 48% of the fungus gnats released in the arena”, said Cloyd. “This study is the first to demonstrate that Bounce® original brand fabric softener dryer sheets repel fungus gnat adults under laboratory conditions.”

The research team also analyzed the volatile compounds in the dryer sheets using gas chromatography–mass spectrometry. One of the major volatile compounds detected in Bounce® was linalool, a colorless monoterpene alcohol used by cosmetic and perfume companies for its flower-like odor. Linalool—present naturally in plants such as lavender, marjoram, and basil—has been shown to be toxic to a number of different mites and insects. The experiments also indicated high levels of the volatile compound beta-citronellol, found in plants including rose geranium, citronella, and lemon balm, and known for its ability to repel mosquitoes


Steve


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TimMAz6
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Post by TimMAz6 » Thu Jan 27, 2011 10:08 am

nice find......never knew.
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lucky1
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Post by lucky1 » Thu Jan 27, 2011 11:20 am

Oh man, Steve, a solution finally.

I presume Bounce sheet just gets put onto the container soil?

Wonder if hanging one in top branch would get rid of spider mites too.
I'm gonna try doing both...

Sheesh ... it'll look like I'm hanging Buddhist flags. :laughing5:

Thanks a bunch!
Barb
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lucky1
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Post by lucky1 » Thu Jan 27, 2011 11:57 am

Place looks like a Plant Triage ward... :crybaby:

<img src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5138/539 ... 1eef18.jpg" width="375" height="500" alt="DSC04383" />

Hope the empty box of Bounce works on the Bottle Palm...

Barb
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hardyjim
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Post by hardyjim » Thu Jan 27, 2011 1:11 pm

I have them taped all over my head and I don't see any,so I guess it works :wink:
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BILL MA
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Post by BILL MA » Thu Jan 27, 2011 1:21 pm

Good find Steve for sure, they are a pain in the ass. They always want to land in my dinner too :x

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oppalm
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Post by oppalm » Thu Jan 27, 2011 4:55 pm

whats a fungus gnat? :wav:

good stuff. I am going to buy all the bounce in town tomorrow.
Kent in Kansas
where it's cold in winter (always)
and hot in summer (usually)
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lucky1
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Post by lucky1 » Thu Jan 27, 2011 5:05 pm

whats a fungus gnat
Really, Kent? :lol:

Canada link, showing life cycle and soil.

http://www.pfc.cfs.nrcan.gc.ca/diseases ... sgn_e.html

And they fly up your nose when you're eating dinner. :fucyc:
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lucky1
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Not hurting the resident ladybugs

Post by lucky1 » Sun Feb 06, 2011 11:29 am

So far have seen a few fungus gnats, much less than last year.
Lady beetles seem unaffected, which is good.
On any sunny day, I can count up to 20 ladybeetles all over my south windows.
And the transport begins...to the basement where the seedlings are. :geek:

<img src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5300/542 ... 050603.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="DSC04421" />

<img src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5259/542 ... 54d50e.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="DSC04420" />

<img src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5177/542 ... 6f9feb.jpg" width="375" height="500" alt="DSC04424" />

<img src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5100/542 ... 2a0ba2.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="DSC04422" />

Bounce sheets used in tandem with yellow sticky boards may work faster.
Barb
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canadianplant
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Post by canadianplant » Mon Feb 07, 2011 6:08 am

Any results on the spidermites??
"The definition of insanity, is doing the same thing over and over, and expecting different results" - einstien

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lucky1
Arctic Palm Plantation
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Post by lucky1 » Mon Feb 07, 2011 7:49 am

Bounce sheets, no.
a heavy misting drench in the bathtub showed the best results against spidermites.

Because of fertilizer toxicity (my label's instructions are wrong!), we had to haul, drag, carry the big palms up 8 stairs to the nearest bathtub.
What a job that was :cussing:

Each palm got about 5 gallons water to flush excess fert.
While pots were draining, it was a good time to "shower" them.

The Bounce sheets and maybe the garlic planted in each pot seem to be keeping fungus gnats to a minimum this winter.
Plus the house smells nice.

<img src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5019/540 ... 42bede.jpg" width="375" height="500" alt="DSC04413" />

Will be good to get all these plants outdoors again.


FYI, K deficiency from high N:
The high N:K ratio and lack of any Mg in most turf fertilizers forces rapid growth in palms, but without sufficient K or Mg to support that growth, this growth dilutes the existing K and Mg reserves within the palm and induces or exacerbates K and/or Mg deficiencies in the palms. High N fertilizers applied to turfgrass even 30 feet away from a palm on one side only have been known to kill palms from induced K deficiency.
From here: http://www.windmillpalm.info/fertilizing-palm-trees

Barb
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lucky1
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Garlic growing in containers

Post by lucky1 » Sat Feb 26, 2011 9:01 am

:lol: :lol:
<img src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5097/547 ... 5390b7.jpg" width="375" height="500" alt="DSC04510" />

Bounce sheets seem to be doing a job of keeping fungus gnats to a minimum.
Thanks for the tip Steve!

Wrapped a Bounce sheet around Bottle Palm emerging spear (removed for pic) to keep the nasties away from tender new growth:

<img src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5057/547 ... eceaed.jpg" width="375" height="500" alt="DSC04511" />

Barb
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