Flies in Christmas bulb gift bowl

[Primrose]

The compost in a Christmas flowering bulb arrangement I've been given has started breeding tiny flies by the hundred. How can I get rid of them quickly please? Don't want to rush out and brave the shops to buy something special.

[taralastair]

I was just about to put a posting up about this. We have been infested for about a month now and it is driving us potty! I believe they like to breed on damp soil, so I have tried putting sand on the surface and watering from underneath, but they are still everywhere. I binned the most infected plants (mostly herbs), but I really don't want to chuck every house plant I have. Someone help please.
Tara

[Chantal]

I have them on a Bird of Paradise Plan tthat I grew from seed so I can't bring myself to bin it. Every few months I stir up the soil and spray with Raid fly killer. It never gets rid of them completely but knocks them back for a while. They're not much of a bother at this time of year, usually.

[taralastair]

Maybe it's a very bad year for them as I seem to see them everywhere (maybe they're following me). The only plants that were new to me this year were the herbs I potted up with fresh store bought compost, and they were the worst affected. So I assume the flies came from the compost. I suppose they are harmless, but also a big nuisance.
Tara

[John]

I do the same as Chantal - give them a whiff of household fly killer. Not enough to wet the foliage though as this can scorch some plants. I always do this at night as I seem to remember reading that the active stuff in these knock-down insecticides is broken down in the light. It doesn't eliminate them but it does give good control.

John