Diatomaceous Earth and Fungus Gnats

Indoor Growing Organics
#21

I’m sure it’s in that thread or maybe one of the earlier threads that they had going either in GS or in ICmag I can’t remember and for sure I’m not about to look through thousands of pages to find it. it’s there thats for sure.

When you grind up malted barley really finley and top dress it, it forms a hard crust over the top of the soil so it prohibits the gnats from getting back in and the larve from getting out. Not watering the top dress for a few days lets it get hard as it uses the moisture from the soil.

I’m guessing that it forms a blocking layer just like say the sand would or DE or whatever others use. It stops the adults from being able to lay eggs to breed and stops the larve from being able to turn into an adult and fly out the soil.

The above two paragraphs are my own theory as to why it works but it definately breaks up the breeding cycle.

I don’t know the science behind it or if there is any science behind it.

All I know is that it works cause I’ve done it. :peace:

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#22

Iv used malted barley as well but can’t think of any reason off the top of my head why it would be a pest deterrent in its self , worms love it I know that for sure especially when it’s been mashed the only thing I can possible imagine is that if they eat it and can’T digest it properly that maybe the possible mode of action to get rid of them.

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#23

I was just at the hardware store to see if they had any spring gardening stuff out yet and took a stroll down the isle with the DE. Right beside the DE was Suplhur Powder…says it’s good for mites, pm, etc, etc…
Has anyone heard of or used Sulphur Powder?
https://www.canadiantire.ca/en/pdp/safer-s-sulphur-dust-300-g-0591130p.html

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#24

It’ll stop those flies in your soil

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Environment here changed
#25

See i didnt know that about the flies

#26

Really? I’m having a go with FGnats. However I just went nuclear and drop some beneficial nematodes so hopefully that problem is over.

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#27

I got some oil yesterday it wasn’t what I wanted. I see a lot of new products out there now. The kind that I got is very strong smelling so I hope it works great.

#28

Thats what im fighting is those nats

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#29

The molasses will cake your soil.
I call it honey. It traps them. Plus they can’t get in or out.

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#30

That’s one thing I can tell you how to do kill those flies believe that I’m a pro at it. Anything with garlic wintergreen oil cinnamon oil. Any of these hot oils will fry their butt. Dr Earth final stop will run them out of the house. I would be careful it’s a little spicy. It will warm you up a little bit

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#31

Hydrogen peroxide. They can’t stand it mix it with a little neem oil. Spray the outside of your leaves and your plant not only will they love it you will see that they love it

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#32

Thanks for that info on the knats

#33

There is also a bath that you can do with hydrogen peroxide but I would be very careful there are shows on it. peroxide kills everything in your soil. I had them so bad last year. I didn’t realize what they were. I’ve never seen any out west. It bubbled my plants out of the buckets surprised I didn’t lose them. The next morning they look like they were on steroids

#34

I could take my plant and stir it in the bucket like you I was whisking flour and milk

#35

This is how I got rid of fungus gnats.
I dust the surface of the soil with Diatomaceous Earth. Just dust it, not load it down. The DE is supposed to act as microscopic razor blades, slicing at the soft bodied insects abdomen. Effectively dehydrating and killing the bug.
The trick is to keep it dry. The way I do it is I water this morning. Tomorrow morning I will dust the soil with DE. Then after I water again, I wait till the next morning and redust. It will not hurt the plant. The DE is basically Silica which the plant uses to produce strong stems. But if it is kept dry it works on bugs. Just one man’s opinion.

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#36

You need to experiment with stuff don’t try anything without testing it.

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#37

Thanks @BigMike55 ill have to try that see you all later

#38

@Automatik told me of mosquito nets. I was thinking pantyhose would work for you guys doing hydroponics

#39

DE is good for so many things lol it has many many beneficial minerals and vitamins I use it on the plants and soil also, but you can put a teaspoon in your coffee also!

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#40

I wont and thanks everyone