fungas knats

[shuswap]

okay so I bought some predatory bugs and some nematodes and added both a few days ago,now im using 10 gallon pots with about 1 to 1 1/2 of landscape rock then soil in pot,i have noticed a lot of adults flying into the lower holes of the pots,what should be done for these bastards?

 

[meadowman]

bt drench!

 

[BatmanX]

Fungus Gnats are little bastards. You need to disinfect your grow. From there putting earth ontop of the plants will also kill most of there spawn. (only works when dry) but it dries back up after being wet. Sticky traps are also a must and a shop vac. Be vigilant - should be in there 2-3x a day sucking up bugs. Another great technique i've used in the past is putting steel wool ontop of my plants after i water, and removing before water. No idea what kind of stuff would leach into my organic goodies. But steal wool kinda rapes and pillages them on reentry and exit. Best of luck!

 

[Pangea]

Agreed,

BTi and DE at heavy rates ftw. If they can live anywhere else besides your growing medium, they will, keep your place spotless.

 

[shuswap]

problem with de is it doesn't work once wet,i had a 1/2 "layer on top of pots and let them dry out good,but its the bastards getting into the lower holes of the pots,will bt kill my nematodes?

 

[BatmanX]

No idea about BT killing nematodes.

Bump for someone who knows!

 

[razor ridge]

I used the nematodes, they work for a while...try getting some neem cake, mixing it with your soil, I have not had a gnat since I started using it.

 

[bigshrimp]

Yeah neem meal and predators finally got rid of them for me. It took some time but they stopped showing up. Keep up with the BT and yellow stickies in the meantime.

 

[TimeKeeper]

problem with de is it doesn't work once wet,i had a 1/2 "layer on top of pots and let them dry out good,but its the bastards getting into the lower holes of the pots,will bt kill my nematodes?

Nope, Bt will not kill nematodes.

 

[JediMasterVon]

Neem meal mixed with crab shell meal.

Also spray around the containers with neem oil mixed with lavender oil.

Will be gone in no time.

 

[Chevy cHaze]

Get rid of the adult ones with yellow sticky traps and destroy the larvae in the medium with a good BTI watering.
BTI is ingested by the larvae and then dissolves the cell walls in their gastro tract and they die.
It seems pretty rough and cruel to do that but it works. One good watering ( 10 drops of BTI on one liter of water) and after a few days there are no more new ones coming out of the ground.
The adults may be going on your nerve, but the larvae munch on the roots which can be a problem especially with smaller, younger plants.
After the treatment I add a layer of perlite on top to prevent future infestiations.

BTI ( Bacillus Thuringiensis Israelensis if I remember correctly)) is avaliable in many forms and from many manufacturers. It's basically bacteria in a liquid solutoin and normally used to control mosquitos breeding in still standing water, like rainwater barrels& small ponds.

take care and all the best!

cc

 

[DrPimpNugs]

Using an airy soil mixture will always help to reduce moisture which the larvae enjoy. I mean has anyone actually bothered to find out WHAT they eat? maybe we are feeding what the gnats eat with molasses. obviously they eat the mosquito dunk bacteria so maybe they feed off bad bacteria we don't want in our soil and by helping benes we can ward off gnats. I dont know but it seems like something SOMEONE at some point should look into to try to get rid of these fuckers.

 

[JohnQQ]

They eat fine root hairs, no?

 

[DrPimpNugs]

They eat fine root hairs, no?

I believe fungus aphids eat root hairs. It looks like the larvae probably can eat root hairs, but they also feed off fungus in the dirt. The same fungus we are feeding with carbohydrates. LOL. Ten years ago spider mites were an epidemic no one could get rid of, now it's fungus gnats and aphids! obviously there is something else here that needs to be looked at!

 

[fishwater]

mosquito dunks

mosquito dunks

Look at the sticky in the infirmiry. Mosquito dunks,(buy them at any hardware store) crush them up, mix a few tablespoons with soil while planting.

Afterwards, you can take some of the powder and shove into the holes around the bottoms of your pots.

For cases when this isnt feasible, put a tablespoon in every gallon of water you use, the gnats will be gone in a week or two.

I use it religiously, and also on the old ladies houseplants. Havent seen a fungus gnat in a couple years now.

Its a good feeling!!! The bastards used to be so thick they were attacking the coffe pot!!!

 

[JohnQQ]

I found the greatest satisfaction in using BTi dunks and the ol' shop vac.

Sacrificed a beer though to lure them to the "hose of death though" :/

(seriously though, mosquito dunks are great)

 

[DrPimpNugs]

Sacrificed a beer though to lure them to the "hose of death though" :/

an eye for an eye!