Both are almost always a result of keeping the soil too wet. So letting it dry out more between watering will make the fungi die off and at least some of the fungus gnats leave. If it is all from rain then try covering the containers in some fashion so the rain doesn't hit them - even cardboard boxes work well.

But if you want to eliminate the gnats completely you need Bt - in the form of the Mosquito Dunks - dissolve part of one in water and use it to water the plants a couple of times. it kills both the gnats and the larvae.

The little "mushrooms" won't hurt anything. They are common with organic soil mixes because of the compost it contains and are a sign of healthy soil. You can just scratch them back into the soil or just ignore them for the most part.

Dave

Thank you! I had been watering pretty frequently, and have cut back on my watering, to let the top of the soil dry out a little more. I have noticed there are less of the gnats, and the mushrooms aren't as bad. I would prefer to not use any insecticides, so I will just water less. I'm also glad to know the mushrooms are harmless.
Thank you!!

Bt (Bacillus thuringiensis) and BtK (kurstki variant) aren't insecticides or even pesticides per se. They are naturally occurring soil-dwelling bacteria whose secondary effect is the death of the particular pests that ingests them. It is approved for organic gardening and commonly used.

If your weather has been especially wet lately as you mentioned and you still have been watering and if you are using the soil surface condition to determine when to water then you have most definitely been over-watering. Soil surface condition is never a valid indicator for the need to water. Cut your watering in 1/2 or more.

Dave

It's more complicated than simple over watering. It your container medium is too dense and mucky, it will always be a problem. A porous, fast draining medium will not support a population of fungus gnats and their larvae. Oxygen is an extremely important component in a potting mix.

The mushrooms aren't a sign of healthy container mix. It's not necessarily bad but could mean that the medium is too dense and moist. The negative aspect is that the real fungal body of mycelium and hyphae are constantly decomposing your potting mix....makiing it finer and muckier. That's a benefit in the garden or forest....not your container.

I have cut down my waterings, which seems to have helped. The fungus are basically gone, and there are way fewer flies. I hate to start over, and waste the time I have already had these seedlings going, I guess I could transplant the seedlings, if I want to improve my soil. So, would you suggest mixing my current soil with a different, more porous one? Like I said, I have no experience with gardening. I used the Miracle Gro Organic Choice, simply because I wanted to grow an organic garden, and this soil was made specifically for growing organic vegetables in containers, and was available at the garden center I went to. What would you suggest I do, in order to prevent this problem from happening....other than cutting down my watering?

I used the Miracle Gro Organic Choice, simply because I wanted to grow an organic garden, and this soil was made specifically for growing organic vegetables in containers, and was available at the garden center I went to. What would you suggest I do, in order to prevent this problem from happening....other than cutting down my watering?

First I'd suggest some reading about the various container mixes recommended over on the Container Gardening forum here. Container Gardening is very unique and has very different requirements than regular gardening.

Then I would suggest some reading over on the Organic Gardening forum about the unique problems associated with trying to grow "organic" in a container when there is no soil micro herd, no beneficial soil bacteria present (as there is in the ground) to convert the materials to useable nutrients for the plants. While there you can learn about the the vital differences between organic insect and pest controls and synthetic chemical pest controls.

and this soil was made specifically for growing organic vegetables in containers

So the advertiser hype would have you believe. But it isn't true. All soil-less potting mixes are "organic" because they all have the same basic ingredients - peat, perlite or vermiculite, and some lime to balance the pH. Adding other "organic" ingredients such as bark fines, sand, and compost makes them even better.

Unfortunately one of the side effects of using that particular mix is, as you have discovered, less than ideal drainage and lots of fungus.

The way to prevent it from happening again is to use a proper mix that drains well in containers and use much more care in watering. Learn to water properly by sticking your fingers deep into the soil to determine moisture level at the roots, not the surface. And when in doubt, do NOT water because the odds are that 9 times out of 10 it isn't needed.

Dave

Thank you for the quick and thorough response!! Do you think it would be worth the trouble of getting a different mix, and transplanting these plants, or should I just leave them be for this season, and water less often, and use something different next year? They seem to be growing well, and I just noticed small buds on them yesterday.

BTW, I didn't realize there is a specific container gardening forum, I will go check things out over there. Thanks!