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OrganicOzarks
Perlite on the top of the soil was the first thing that I tried. It didn't do shit but make a mess. I would never suggest to anyone to ever try that method. It was a complete nightmare.
what do I do about fungus gnats!! HELP
- Thread starter reeperp
- Start date
Perlite on the top of the soil was the first thing that I tried. It didn't do shit but make a mess. I would never suggest to anyone to ever try that method. It was a complete nightmare.
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OrganicOzarks
Quite messing around and just use the nematodes. They work hands down better than anything out there. My infestation got really, really bad. I mean really bad. The reason being is I kept trying all of this other shit. while you are fucking around they are reproducing. Nematode those fuckers, and you will be done.
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BlazingSaddles
Lol. Yeah if your working in a small space or with large plant numbers then perlite on top can be a mess / hastle for sure. When i did it i only had 12 plants to treat.
I dont know about it not doing shit though.. It does work as it stops the larvae leaving the soil when it hatches.. hence stops the breeding cycle. Its also important to use yellow sticky traps with this method to catch the flying adults or else when you take the perlite off they will just fly straight back in there.
Nematodes do sound easy though, i wonder if OP has fixed his problem yet?
peace out
BlazingSaddles
Before I started using bleach and running a dead res I got them in coco all the time, the best cure I found was 2ml/gallon SM-90 mixed with 2ml/gallon 35% Peroxide. Do a soil drench from top to bottom. Now the bleach won't allow the fungus to grow in the roots, so I have ~600 gallons of coco and zero gnats.
i am going to repeat myself again... IMID will systematically kill all of them. it saved my mothers, clones and garden. make sure you water ALL of the plants in all your rooms. if you have house plants... water them as well. 1 treatment will cure it all.
azamax, azatrol, gognats, gnatrol, bleach, h202, etc will work and i have tried them all. IMID will eliminate them for a better price and one application. i have yet to see adverse affects on plants, flavor, smell, or potency.
just try to hit all of your plants at least 45 days before harvest.
azamax, azatrol, gognats, gnatrol, bleach, h202, etc will work and i have tried them all. IMID will eliminate them for a better price and one application. i have yet to see adverse affects on plants, flavor, smell, or potency.
just try to hit all of your plants at least 45 days before harvest.
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HerbToker
or you can go the ole fassioned route and keep it clean and dry.
or try this take a couple of 1/2 eaten apples and bannana peels put them in a bucket near your room they will swarm there.,cover remove. then clean and dry.
or try this take a couple of 1/2 eaten apples and bannana peels put them in a bucket near your room they will swarm there.,cover remove. then clean and dry.
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BlazingSaddles
Mg75 u keep repeating using IMID wtf is IMID? I have no idea what the product is your even referring to. A bit of explanation here wouldnt go astray..
Its so funny that we all think our method is the best..
IMO this thread should be closed if a mod sees this. Its another stupid fungas gnat thread theres already about 100 of these in soil section.
Peace out
Blazing
Its so funny that we all think our method is the best..
IMO this thread should be closed if a mod sees this. Its another stupid fungas gnat thread theres already about 100 of these in soil section.
Peace out
Blazing
Since when do fungus gnats kill plants? 
They must be some sickly plants because I can never seem to get rid of fungus gnats completely but my plants always just laugh at them they are more of an annoyance than a real plant threat in my eyes. You can vacuum them up when they move around after you water that gets most of them and is an easy readily available solution just dont vacuum too close to the soil or you will suck some up. There are a few things you can do that don't involve putting anything chemical or biological in/on plants. They definitely don't like 25 drops of lavender essential oil mixed in 1 gallon of water in spray form with a teaspoon of Castille soap in it, it knocks the little fuckers right down dead. That seems to repel them pretty well for the most part. 
Best solution I have found is the sticky pest paper strips just put one on top of like every other container down by the surface level and it catches like 90% of them without having to treat the plants with anything. They really are part of the natural ecosystem in nature, the only annoying part is they get in your lights and shit & seem to end up dead everywhere plus I always get the random one flying around the house that I think is a mosquito but it's not but still drives me bonkers lol.
They must be some sickly plants because I can never seem to get rid of fungus gnats completely but my plants always just laugh at them they are more of an annoyance than a real plant threat in my eyes. You can vacuum them up when they move around after you water that gets most of them and is an easy readily available solution just dont vacuum too close to the soil or you will suck some up. There are a few things you can do that don't involve putting anything chemical or biological in/on plants. They definitely don't like 25 drops of lavender essential oil mixed in 1 gallon of water in spray form with a teaspoon of Castille soap in it, it knocks the little fuckers right down dead. That seems to repel them pretty well for the most part. Best solution I have found is the sticky pest paper strips just put one on top of like every other container down by the surface level and it catches like 90% of them without having to treat the plants with anything. They really are part of the natural ecosystem in nature, the only annoying part is they get in your lights and shit & seem to end up dead everywhere plus I always get the random one flying around the house that I think is a mosquito but it's not but still drives me bonkers lol.
Imidacloprid is a strong systemic pesticide, sold as Bayer Tree and Shrub at most hardware stores. It works well for thrips, but lasts in the plant for several weeks so cant be used past mid-flower. It's also more expensive than bleach, everything is! 
Killing the winged adults does nothing to kill the larvae in the root balls, which do eat roots and can kill plants. Yellow sticky traps are best to keep track of populations, and little else. They are just an indicator of how bad a problem you have, not to control the problem.
Killing the winged adults does nothing to kill the larvae in the root balls, which do eat roots and can kill plants. Yellow sticky traps are best to keep track of populations, and little else. They are just an indicator of how bad a problem you have, not to control the problem.
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BlazingSaddles
Imidacloprid is a strong systemic pesticide, sold as Bayer Tree and Shrub at most hardware stores. It works well for thrips, but lasts in the plant for several weeks so cant be used past mid-flower. It's also more expensive than bleach, everything is!
Killing the winged adults does nothing to kill the larvae in the root balls, which do eat roots and can kill plants. Yellow sticky traps are best to keep track of populations, and little else. They are just an indicator of how bad a problem you have, not to control the problem.
Thanks Lazyman for the explanation as to what IMID is.. You make a good point about the yellow sticky traps it lets you see where your at. Adult fungas gnats are also weak flyers so the sticky traps are particularly effective against them. Like i said i used the sticky traps in combination with perlite on top of the soil and it worked 100%. No nasty chemicals.. sure a bit of a mess with the perlite but not really if you take care.
On one hand, nasty chemical solutions being offered. On the other hand, the natural and organic way to delete fungas gnats.
If your like me you dont want to spray your girls with anything chemical UNLESS you absolutely have to. IMO fuck chemicals for pest control most of the time its just lazy.. especially when you can mix simple pest control solutions at home, and use sticky traps. So many noobs recommend this chemical and that chemical and what they don't even realise is these sprays do ZERO to defeat the larvae already in the soil. Until you destroy the breeding cycle of gnats your never going to get rid of them. Lol anyone who doesnt know this i would propose they actually have never dealt with fungas gnats before they just want to spread false information in forums to massage their own ego's and secondly i would propose most of them probably dont even grow.. LOL
Just my 2 cents.. although i do feel qualified to offer opinions on this seeing as ive crushed any fungas gnat infestation ive ever had using nothing more than sticky traps and perlite.
Ok rant over
Blazing
Hey Blazing, I'm of the opinion that spraying the plants with effective chemicals a couple times is more effective and less labor-intensive than spraying organic pesticides every 3-4 days, particularly on larger gardens. I would shoot myself if I had to spray my garden twice a week, and it would certainly cost a lot more. My chems protect the plants from funguses and bugs for 3-4 weeks at a shot, and they are healthy and happy. Lazy? Perhaps, but if you're running 6 plants you have time to do anything you want. When it's 400 you just gotta look at things differently.
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BlazingSaddles
Hey Blazing, I'm of the opinion that spraying the plants with effective chemicals a couple times is more effective and less labor-intensive than spraying organic pesticides every 3-4 days, particularly on larger gardens. I would shoot myself if I had to spray my garden twice a week, and it would certainly cost a lot more. My chems protect the plants from funguses and bugs for 3-4 weeks at a shot, and they are healthy and happy. Lazy? Perhaps, but if you're running 6 plants you have time to do anything you want. When it's 400 you just gotta look at things differently.
Hey Lazy,
Firstly i would not doubt you have more knowledge than me in the art of growing
Mr rant about chemicals etc was more aimed at the noobs who recommend this chemical and that when they truly do not know what they are saying. You Sir do not fit in this category lol.For sure some people use chems relatively regularly as part of an overall prevention and maintenance program, thats something completely different imo than tackling an isolated infestation.
But yeah lol sometimes i just get a bit annoyed with some people spreading bullshit information on here.. clearly not you as your rep precedes you!
take care man
Blazing
EDIT: Oh yeah and numbers of 400+ clearly require a different approach.. Something im not qualified to comment on whatsoever seeing my biggest numbers were closer to 60!
SKAGITMAGIC
Member
Fungus knats
Fungus knats
I had powdery mildew and these knats, I got the dunks and some graters and grated the dunks and sprinkled about a 1/2 a teaspoon evenly across the soils surface, then my mrs. got me a crank grater and I walk thru like a waiter at the olive garden, I break a couple of dunks drop them in and grate away, do this when the fans are off, No sniffin the dunks!! I at least wear a cloth mask to avoid dust, The great thing is I did this once 3 grows ago and they've never been back,
Fungus knats
I had powdery mildew and these knats, I got the dunks and some graters and grated the dunks and sprinkled about a 1/2 a teaspoon evenly across the soils surface, then my mrs. got me a crank grater and I walk thru like a waiter at the olive garden, I break a couple of dunks drop them in and grate away, do this when the fans are off, No sniffin the dunks!! I at least wear a cloth mask to avoid dust, The great thing is I did this once 3 grows ago and they've never been back,
Attachments
i quit buying new dirt because every bag had gnats.
the dunks work well but takes time.
put the dunk in a baggie, pound with hammer to break up, sprinkle on surface.
in 2 weeks they'll be history.
now every time i start a plant it is treated with the dunks...
stay fly.
the dunks work well but takes time.
put the dunk in a baggie, pound with hammer to break up, sprinkle on surface.
in 2 weeks they'll be history.
now every time i start a plant it is treated with the dunks...
stay fly.
When I first got them I had no idea what they were. Lots of tiny flies flying around. Went to my "garden" shop and they knew what they were right away. I tried the sticky strips but that only got a small percentage. I needed something that would work fast. So I gave AquaBac a try. For mosquito larvae actually. Mixed in a small amount in the top few centimeters into the soil and watered in. Worked like a charm.
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My first indoor grow was back in 1999-2000, using FFOF. For years I had no problems with fungus gnats, but now it seems that every bag of soil I buy, no matter what brand (Ive used FFOF, Happy Frog, and now Roots Organics), is full of fungus gnats. What the hecks going on?
junkyarddog
New member
I totally agree with Blazing Saddles about Perlite. I use it routinely and water from the bottom. I have not had fungus gnats in over 4 years.
Im with some of the folks in here. I do things all organically, my soil is real rich and I have these little gnats flying around too. It isnt a terrible problem and my plants do not seem to be effected by them what so ever. In soil it almost seems impossible to not have them present.
I blend my own soil and when I do I add food grade Diatomaceous earth, which also is a great source is silica. When looked at thru at through a microscope it resembles millions of tiny razorblades.
Like I said, I have them too...but it is not a infestation. It more or less just seems like a natural part of growing in soil. They are an announce and I fucking hate them though.
I blend my own soil and when I do I add food grade Diatomaceous earth, which also is a great source is silica. When looked at thru at through a microscope it resembles millions of tiny razorblades.
Like I said, I have them too...but it is not a infestation. It more or less just seems like a natural part of growing in soil. They are an announce and I fucking hate them though.
