Avoiding Root Aphids in recycled organic soil!

[moses wellfleet]

If you are not careful Recycled soil can be colonized by root aphids. What can we do to keep them away?

I will be inoculating my medium with the entomopathogenic nematode steinerama feltiae I have never used these before, but I have seen them mentioned in the many root aphid threads here on icmag. Failing that I intend to try the parasitic fungus beauvaria bassiana, which I have used before to control fungus gnats, with some success.

Depending on the results I will update the biological control index and the IPM thread! Any suggestions from other organic mechanics, please post?

 

[moses wellfleet]

Here is a good article on root aphids: http://www.thenorthwestleaf.com/pages/articles/post/preventing-grow-pests-like-phylloxera

 

[Granger2]

Beauvaria works. You could also amend your soil as it goes into storage with Met 52. Mfgr claims good at least for a year if in always moist medium. OGBioWar contains both of these fungi. Good luck. Keep us informed. -granger
Get Met 52: Green Mountain Harvest [email protected]
Fresh Product, good service

Don't buy it from Rogue Farmer. Much higher price, told me they were getting fresh product, sent product with expiration date 1 month away.

 

[moses wellfleet]

Beauvaria works. You could also amend your soil as it goes into storage with Met 52. Mfgr claims good at least for a year if in always moist medium. OGBioWar contains both of these fungi. Good luck. Keep us informed. -granger
Get Met 52: Green Mountain Harvest [email protected]
Fresh Product, good service

Don't buy it from Rogue Farmer. Much higher price, told me they were getting fresh product, sent product with expiration date 1 month away.

Ok. Thanx Granger. I heard mostly good things about OG bio war.

 

[VerdantGreen]

would neem meal kill them?. i find it a great fertilizer and i never get any gnats these days.

never had root aphids on cannabis roots, but then i tend not to add other plant matter like dandelions to my pots because root aphids love those fleshy roots and its easy to infect your soil.

VG

 

[moses wellfleet]

Yes there is talk of neem oil killing them, and while I was using neem as a soil drench they never multiplied out of control. But then I became worried about the neem oil harming the microbial life in the soil. I have seen MM mention this as a concern too!

 

[Morcheeba*]

fresh worm casting tea

 

[moses wellfleet]

fresh worm casting tea

Can you give us more info please?

 

[VerdantGreen]

Yes there is talk of neem oil killing them, and while I was using neem as a soil drench they never multiplied out of control. But then I became worried about the neem oil harming the microbial life in the soil. I have seen MM mention this as a concern too!

im talking more about neem seed meal, very worthwhile to try an get hold of some!

 

[Photosynthesis]

Beauvaria works. You could also amend your soil as it goes into storage with Met 52. Mfgr claims good at least for a year if in always moist medium. OGBioWar contains both of these fungi. Good luck. Keep us informed. -granger
Get Met 52: Green Mountain Harvest [email protected]
Fresh Product, good service

Don't buy it from Rogue Farmer. Much higher price, told me they were getting fresh product, sent product with expiration date 1 month away.

Is Met 52 Organic? The liquid says it has petroleum distillates.

Were you talking about the met 52 product on rice?

 

[Weird]

Yes there is talk of neem oil killing them, and while I was using neem as a soil drench they never multiplied out of control. But then I became worried about the neem oil harming the microbial life in the soil. I have seen MM mention this as a concern too!

he did not suggest neem oil he suggested neem meal

CC suggested neem mead. It has more benefits and is used as an amendment

If I amend with it I do not ha issues with majority of pest. Some pests like whiteflys it has no effect

 

[moses wellfleet]

he did not suggest neem oil he suggested neem meal

CC suggested neem mead. It has more benefits and is used as an amendment

If I amend with it I do not ha issues with majority of pest. Some pests like whiteflys it has no effect

ATM I don't have a source of neem meal. So you think it will be safer for the microbes, than the oil?

 

[Granger2]

Photo,
Yes the Met 52 on rice. It's labeled for food crops in the U.S. and U.K. and elsewhere. Not systemic. I consider it safe, but use goggles, gloves, mask, sleeves, then wash clothes and shower. I mix it with a small amount of MOIST coco outdoors, standing upwind. The moisture tames the dust [spores]. Then I can mix the concentrate with the rest of the [moist] medium.

IOW don't breath the dust. Just good practice. Good luck. -granger

 

[Morcheeba*]

Can you give us more info please?

here are a few links to some info.


http://www.jpbsonline.org/article.a...lume=5;issue=1;spage=21;epage=29;aulast=Hamid

http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=...JfOfCzK-mZyBTexu5EIOZVQ&bvm=bv.71667212,d.aWw

http://outoftheboxconstruction.com/...hitinase-Enzyme-Nature’s-Insect-Repellent.pdf

http://www.google.com/patents/US20020090669

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9501415

 

[Granger2]

Moses,
Here's one source for Neem Meal. There are others.
http://www.kisorganics.com/?s=neem&post_type=product

If ordering other products, call them to discuss combining to get best shipping price.

Neem Meal or Cake is more of a preventive. If you are infested you'll need to kill them way back, then use Neem Cake to repel them. Keep in mind that you'll probably want to compensate for the N in the Neem Meal. The N-P-K varies, it's about 5-2-1. Good luck. -granger

 

[Scrappy4]

I would think gnatrol would work, as it's a larva-cide. It is a powdered bacteria (bti) that you add to water and drench feed.

 

[Granger2]

BTi has no effect on RA's. Possibly on larvae, but the primary way RA's multiply is thru adults giving live birth to adults who are already pregnant with live adults who will be pregnant when born. Crazy, right? -granger

 

[EclipseFour20]

If your in Europe, investigate the entomopathogen fungi Verticillium lecanii--my buddy Ray Cloyd told me it can be more affordable (cheaper) than the fungi Beauveria bassiana (think Botanigard...or the organic version--Mycotrol O). I could not find a source in USA when I had root aphids many, many years ago--so I went with the pricey Botanigard.

Sterilizing the soil (not chemical sterilant--heat), which I tried and it will kill all soil critters and eggs, but the microherd will also be dead too. So for organic solution, I sterilized my aggregates and went with the pricy entomopathogen fungi Botanigard for soil drenches. Botanigard worked like a champ...but required multiple application$. Eventually, I went to the dark side and selected a synthetic that caused little to no harm to the microherd--and got rid of the bastards, once and for all...and to this day I remain Root Aphid free.

Unfortunately to remain 100% organic with recycled soil could mean...the cost to eradicate root aphids might outweigh the cost of starting fresh. Something to pencil out.

Good luck!

BTW--link to a Verticillium lecanii info sheet http://www.entomology.wisc.edu/mbcn/kyf612.html

 

[moses wellfleet]

If your in Europe, investigate the entomopathogen fungi Verticillium lecanii--my buddy Ray Cloyd told me it can be more affordable (cheaper) than the fungi Beauveria bassiana (think Botanigard...or the organic version--Mycotrol O). I could not find a source in USA when I had root aphids many, many years ago--so I went with the pricey Botanigard.

Sterilizing the soil (not chemical sterilant--heat), which I tried and it will kill all soil critters and eggs, but the microherd will also be dead too. So for organic solution, I sterilized my aggregates and went with the pricy entomopathogen fungi Botanigard for soil drenches. Botanigard worked like a champ...but required multiple application$. Eventually, I went to the dark side and selected a synthetic that caused little to no harm to the microherd--and got rid of the bastards, once and for all...and to this day I remain Root Aphid free.

Unfortunately to remain 100% organic with recycled soil could mean...the cost to eradicate root aphids might outweigh the cost of starting fresh. Something to pencil out.

Good luck!

BTW--link to a Verticillium lecanii info sheet http://www.entomology.wisc.edu/mbcn/kyf612.html

Yes thank you for the reminder re verticillium lecanii

I have heard of it but never used it before!

My go to bio control lady tells me that all these different critters work best as team players!

 

[Granger2]

After baking, why not just re-inoculate with EWC ACT and something like Great White? And use the Botanigard. Good luck. -granger