Think I got Root Aphids from FF, need new soil...

[Norkali]

I think IT is coming from the soil companies I have never seen or even heard of these on the east coast until recently ,and a few other people I have spoken with also found them in ff products that were brought in different states .

Between two dudes who will probably never meet, watch, I bet you will eventually see that I am right. I've gone through a good amount of Fox Farms soil over the past year...throughout this epidemic....I have checked the soil just about every-time and have yet to find these things in the soil, the only plants that ever got infested could be traced back to a neighboring plant or incomplete cleaning procedures. Remember too, that I am at (for the most part) the source of this soil, so if it doesn't have it while it's here, logic stand to follow that the root aphids got in somewhere along the way. This goes back to the description of my hydro shop...would I buy soil from there? Hell no, I don't want root aphids or fungus gnats again. The problem is that the storage point for the soil is the problem, not the soil itself.

Besides, can you imagine how many people have already probably sat by a new bag of Fox Farms with a camera ready, hoping to document these things coming in the bag? I would imagine there have been a number of people who have done that already - trying to track this source down. If there is indeed root aphids coming in bags of Fox Farms, I can pretty much assure you that we would have seen pictures/video by now....

Tried to find some on Youtube, none yet...but I did find this....Root Aphid crawlers going to town

 

[guest2012y]

Quote: "The problem is that the storage point for the soil is the problem, not the soil itself."
Highly probable infestations due lame ass storage techniques......this is a big problem in various bagged "stuffs". (Composts,peat,soil mixes) Not that I'm in love with fox farm...just saying there's validation in that statement.

 

[Big Country]

You can have a much better soil with LC,s recipe it is way better than Fox farm and you control the consistency,just make the adjustments that work for you. The possibilities are many

 

[staff11]

i've seen good results from ROOTs and sunshine mix, promix has a non organic wetting agent I dont even know why its recommended in the organic forum.

The infestation could have been caused by the way it was stored at the hydro shop. I ran thru like 30 bags of FF soil just over the last year and many more in years prior and I have never had any bugs. The only time I've ever had bugs was when I switched soil once and that was it went right back to FF.

I have searched long and hard for something better than FF and so far I have come up with nothing.

\

I think it's soap. Pro mix also has an organic line of soil with I believe yucca extract as the wetting agent. Works fine. Benn using it for quite awhile now. You have to amend it with lime though otherwise you WILL have mag/cal and lock out problems.....

 

[Microbeman]

Soil is a living thing. If you have to buy it in a bag, keep it and nurture it and let it grow for years, rather than tossing it and buy another batch for next harvest. If you treat it like it is alive it will treat you better. Good bugs will balance bad.

 

[Dorje113]

Soil is a living thing. If you have to buy it in a bag, keep it and nurture it and let it grow for years, rather than tossing it and buy another batch for next harvest. If you treat it like it is alive it will treat you better. Good bugs will balance bad.

I agree... soil lasts for years, even then you only need to add more peat/perlite/ewc... I've seen soil used for 10 years no problem.

 

[Rednick]

Roots Organic Soiless Coco is what gave me RA, I believe it was eggs or one rouge Winged RA. I have only spotted one winged ra, killed it, and now just see a bunch of larve and the phantom def. Time to get midevil on those bitches.
Could see the phantom def within one week of repotting, then it spread to the Hydroton buckets (phuck!).
When the hydro store called them, they denied that they had any issues or reports of issues from this state. Like I was the first one to complain. Fat fucking chance.

Could definately be an issue with the supply chain and storage. All I know is I won't be going back to that Hydro store (not b/c their storage is suspect, but b/c they didn't comp anything), or buying anything with the Roots name on it again. Bought FFOF with the Roots and through process of elimination and timing differences, can definately say it came in on the coco.

Been using FFOF for years and never had an issue. Except nute burn when I was dosing them with high levels of ferts b/c I didn't know what I was doing. Took awhile to learn that it comes with some nutes in it to begin with.

 

[Sam the Caveman]

try mixing diatomaceous earth in with the soil, its like sharp schrapnel to crawling insects so it cuts them to pieces. It also provides silica, Ca and many micros.

 

[Yes4Prop215]

i dont kno man...i use FF soil and never have a problem with root aphids or fungas knats. shit i saw a few buzzing around but after a neem spray they havent been around in ages....the key is LETTING YOUR SOIL GET NICE AND DRY. i water vegroom every 4 days so my soil gets nice and desert dry and anythin living in there dies...

 

[DARC MIND]

Soil is a living thing. If you have to buy it in a bag, keep it and nurture it and let it grow for years, rather than tossing it and buy another batch for next harvest. If you treat it like it is alive it will treat you better. Good bugs will balance bad.

word
amending living composted soil with chitin will also help build soils biodiversity & natural predators;who in return outcompete problem pest in soil life cycles.

"The crabshell chitin that get's broken down in the soil is the same stuff insect exoskeletons are made of. So by adding chitin and recycling the soil a build up of organisms that use the chitin as a substrate is occuring. Some of the microbes that break down the chitin will also break down the chitin on living insects exoskeletons in your soil. Gnats and root aphids cannot complete their life cycles.

You can also use insect molt - locust cicada etc collected from trees. Lobstershell as well, crabs, insects, shrimp - all arthropods. All have exoskeletons made of the same stuff - chitin."_Mr.Fista

* i bet amending or using neem seed meal &or karanja seed meal as insecticide mulch & or prevention drenches will help keep problem critters @ bay.

 

[Clackamas Coot]

DARC MIND

Concentrates carries a shrimp & crap meal that's processed over on the Oregon Coast from the shrimp and dungeness crab industries. I picked-up a bag on Monday and the price has dropped to $26.00 for 50 lbs.

Add between 3/4 - 1 cup to 1 c.f. of potting soil along with neem seed meal and gnats, aphids, et al. are gone - bye-bye!

CC

 

[Madrus Rose]

word
amending living composted soil with chitin will also help build soils biodiversity & natural predators;who in return outcompete problem pest in soil life cycles.

"The crabshell chitin that get's broken down in the soil is the same stuff insect exoskeletons are made of. So by adding chitin and recycling the soil a build up of organisms that use the chitin as a substrate is occuring. Some of the microbes that break down the chitin will also break down the chitin on living insects exoskeletons in your soil. Gnats and root aphids cannot complete their life cycles. Lobstershell as well, crabs, insects, shrimp - all arthropods. All have exoskeletons made of the same stuff - chitin."_Mr.Fista

* i bet amending or using neem seed meal &or karanja seed meal as insecticide mulch & or prevention drenches will help keep problem critters @ bay.

Coot & DarcMind ,

thats a new tidbit of info to know for me ...

always something new

 

[humble1]

this is not the nicest thing to say but there is another possibility that has not yet surfaced: you! people are their own worst pest vectors. maybe you didn't seal your grow area tight enough or use a filter on your intake. maybe one of the little buggers hitched a ride on your clothes when you came in from the outside. here are lots of unpleasant possibilities. it only takes one to start a colony, assuming it is a root aphid, as they are frequently born pregnant (disturbing thought, i know). people are quick to blame other sources, and i'm not discounting that as an option, i just think you should keep your mind and your eyes open in your grow. ever seen ants in there? they can bring them in to farm them for their "honeydew" secretions. I've seen it myself. good luck getting rid of them!

 

[DARC MIND]

images

images

aphids

root aphids

the soil is the foundation of true organic grows,pest dont mess with heathly balanced plants & wont complete life cycles in properly cultured soils, outdoor or indoor