How to fight fungus gnats in a swimming pool?
Q: We get fungus gnats in our swimming pool. The pool companies don’t know how to get rid of them. We thought the freeze might eliminate them, but they were back yesterday, clustering in groups that look like small oil slicks, but under a magnifying glass, we can see them jump around. We have sprayed the yard as recommended, used several pool chemicals and used clean mulch to no avail. Do you hae any suggestions? — K.M., Missouri City A: I’ve never heard of fungus gnats in a swimming pool. Could they be laying their eggs in moist soil in nearby pots or beds? If so, avoid overwatering, treat with Bt and use sticky traps (attached to small stakes driven into the ground) to snag adult gnats. When there’s a problem with gnats in containers, replace the top half-inch of soil with a sterilized mix and cut back on the water. I welcome any suggestions from readers who’ve had this problem.
