I’ve never had to do anything other than put some yellow sticky gnat traps down. I put strips on top of the soil in the container and just agitate the surface to get them to fly around and after a few days they’re gone. Just gotta be vigilant.
4 Likes
Cool I got some of those i hadn’t put out yet cuz I had lady bugs as a preventative for my tent flowering and the ladybugs go at em to lol but I’ll put these traps up today. I’m used to running coco perlite and the one last tent that is just coco perlite and bottled nutrients doesn’t seem to be where the fungus gnats want to go. My other tents all have soil so I’m seeing them but really only when I water and a few fly around but that’s in. None in my coco tent.
2 Likes
For me the holy trinity is: the sticky yellow cards, DE (diatomaceous earth) & anything with BTi in it (Bacillus Thuringiensis subspecies israelensis).
DE only works if dry, once wet, nada. Although it is a nice slow release source for silica.
Other things that work… I have a small fan I keep on the floor of the tent. That sucker nails probably half the adults.
Aging the bags over winter in the garage really works. Anything that hatches after that is incredibly weak and frail.
Cheers
G
8 Likes
Thank you for all that information!!! I use a few things with a bunch of bacillus somethin in them lol I have to check if any have that on particularly. I just started the soil and it’s summer So probably even tougher on the shops storing it now. And I was also gonna ask on overgrow soon about an organic silica to use! I chopped my soil flowering plants that got pollinated by a hermi but they looked Beauitiful, the only issue I had was the branches seemed weaker. And I didn’t wanna ruin the whole “organic soil” attempt and use The silica I usually use for my hydro stuff so nice to know with the DE. Also it gets so cold here in the winter good to know I’ll probably not have to worry as much about things like this for most of the year
2 Likes
Around here (europe) they come free with almost every soil purchase regardless of brand. I use the mosquito bits but a european version of it. Works great. Every now and then, usually when I have used fresh soil, they’ll pop up again and then I’ll water with the mosquito bits again. Well, tablets called Culinex Tab Plus.
6 Likes
I dry my soil before storing it (dry bone), but i don’t care to have a living soil.
3 Likes
Ok cool I have mosquito bits but I’ve never actually used them, with all the advice maybe I won’t just save this one for outside
3 Likes
If you aren’t using it immediately then it is no problem. Put the whole bag of soil in a black plastic garbage bag and tie a knot at the top. Leave it in the summer sun. Those gnats will roast like a chicken. As long as you keep it in a tied up bag the gnats can’t find their way in again. Once they all die you can take the bag back inside.
10 Likes
I like that method.
3 Likes
Neem seed meal, neem oil spray, sticky traps, letting plants dry out more, cheese cloth, sand, rice hulls…I hate fungus gnats and hopfully will never have to deal with them again…oh yea last tip, avoid black gold products IMO
5 Likes
I don’t think my stuff is considered living soil i use some organic stuff to mix with the soil at first but then I’m running roots organic full series with Buddha grow Buddha bloom and all the extras. I brew it for a day and the focus on trying this was because I have septic here on my property so the longtime runoff of hydro into the back where there is a creek, and I farm food , has me feelin bad about the amount of hydro runoff.
2 Likes
Oh Beauitiful love that idea that’s forsure what I’m gonna do with this soil
3 Likes
Thank you for those. I had neem oil I wanted to spray but I sprayed sulfur recently as a safety so I have to wait at least 2 weeks. Is neem seed meal basically a solid version you mix in on top?
2 Likes
I have never dealt with the little buggers but I have read in several places that steel wool is a great defense. You cover the medium with it, and it shreds gnats trying to get to the soil and those trying to emerg. Might be worth a shot.
6 Likes
Lol. You got me. My initial infestation came from trying a new brand of soil. That soil? Black Gold!
3 Likes
Yea its ground up neem seed. It stinks a little though…I always mix it into my soil as fertilizer, but also to avoid pests in the first place. I did use it mixed with worm castings as a top dressing which definitely helped against the gnats. It kills the eggs and they cannot reproduce. But it will have some surface mold after a few days. So a nice inch thick mulch layer of rice hulls or sand is easier depending on how bad the gnats are.
2 Likes
Haha yea I really hate their stuff now…they even have a write up online where they say its all the users fault if they overwater…well…then where do those eggs come from in the Black gold soil and WC?? And why are so many people complaining that Blavk Gold feels like they have to explain themselves?? I never buy any of their stuff anymore and have not had gnats since
4 Likes
I like that idea thank you, I’ve seen pictures in some soil grows where people cover their soil with leaves or hay I was wonder after this, if combating fungus gnats was a reason why.
2 Likes
If I was outside I wouldn’t care. Inside it became a nightmare. Why do those bastards think your nostrils are so appealing? They want to colonize my nose for some reason!
On a separate note, Whitney farms raised bed mix ($10-$12) is awesome and cheap. Per gallon add two cups of ACE compost ($5 a sack!) and two cups of perlite and you are ready to rock and roll. Any other amendments you want too of course, but as a base mix I have been loving it. So have my plants.
4 Likes
I can’t say but the theory seems sound. Just make sure you get super fine steel wool 0000 grade. Covering the soil completely should make this issue go away and over time as eggs hatch and try to emerg it will get them too. Seems like a cheap and easy way to me. Being sble to just water through it is great.
3 Likes