Thanks boss.
This morning was horrifying. I had one 3gal bag of FF Happy Frog and the other using Miracle Grow Organics. During this morning’s check I spot these tiny insects in the soil of the MG. Whaaaat???
WTF, never again. Dug her up immediatly and tossed that crap in the woods !!
I’ve never used MG before …should have stayed that way
Could be fungus gnats, winged? You made the right call if you think it’s contaminated bag from the get go. It sucks when you get contaminated from bringing crap into your garden area. It’s a continuous challenge for me with a clean area since it’s my shed w my lawn equipment. That alone makes it so hard and why I have to use DE and Azamax 24/7. It’s absolutely frustrating BUT I have to make it work or I don’t get to grow. The only option the warden has given me. I’ll take it!! LoL
@LoCoRock
I’m really brewing over here. I have to make a decision to kill one off now because technically she sitting in that soil. If I transplant her into another pot…they might infest that. GDamit
@LoCoRock
BTW I know what you’re going threw with places to grow…out of sight and smell in this crib…lol
You know what that means right - Hydro! Plain n simple… go hydro. I will need a pretty decent chiller for me to make it happen. OH.btw.lol I’m pretty much talking to myself . not you
I am also a beginner grower, this is my first indoor operation ever. I got some really nice Super Bud Autos, and some Beast Mode Autos, all from Seedsman, but so far I think everything is turning out ok. Here’s some pics from my current set up.
Welcome to the community @Mikey420!
Very nice @Mikey420 !!! Super advanced beginner !!
@LoCoRock can you elaborate on the use of DE and azamax? (I have some DE from the summer for the pool, is this the same stuff ??)
Thanks @Newolhead yeah I was told that by someone else I just do a lot of reading, and research before I do something, especially something like this, cause everyone knows when it comes to cannabis that if your gonna do it, do it right.
Pool grade de is NOT food grade and isn’t used on the plants. However mostly what I do is just around the base and soil even though I still use food grade. Many will dillute de with water and spray plants. It’s a common practice but not one to be done consistently as maintenance, stomata are pretty important and like to breath… literally as far as Azamax is just a popular pestecide… pesticide < uses like jacks. Bt
Thanks buddy…got some thinking to do. I’m leaning towards dumping the whole grow and starting over…wow…
@LoCoRock
Just checked and they’re in FF soil too now. They are little winged bugs though. Out $90 bucks in seeds and soil my first indoor shot?
Say it ain’t so
This stuff works awesome for gnats… since I started making a tea somewhat with my rain water I haven’t even had to do a soil topping with it. Just using it as my water source for feeding.
@RBucey
I just took a spin to a new Hydroponics store near me and they had everthing there. Picked up more HF and these. The guy swear by them, no fuss, no mixing etc. I like that idea but well see how these work. You ever try something like this? You cut it in half and lay it right on the soil, face up
Oh yeah, those sticky traps are the best. They are what I use.
@RBucey
Yeah! One right decision!!
Thanks!!
Yes absolutely… I haven’t had to lay any down in the pots since using the mosquito bite but I keep some hanging always…
Fungus gnats. Let me tell you about fungus gnats. I’ve lost many plants due to fungus gnats. First, Don’t panic! Second, take those domes off your plants, please.
Fungus gnats are little gnats that lay eggs in the soil. The larva like to eat the small hairs on the roots which will kill a young plant. Don’t throw your dirt out. It’s not your dirt’s fault. They get in everything year round no matter what you do.
Here’s how I solved my fungu gnat problem. First, I made a small cabinet with a compact florescent for starting plants. Then I put this cabinet in a different house, far far away from my big grow.
Then I make my own starting soil. For starting soil, I use left over potting soil that I used for the big plants. But here’s what I do with it first. I put my left over dirt in a big black trash bag and set it on the back porch in the sun for a couple months. This kills the fungus gnats and any other nasty things that might be lurking in the dirt.
When the dirt is ready I put it in small coffee cup size pots and put the pots in the cabinet. I water them for a couple days until the dirt has acclimated to the cabinet, then I plant my seeds in the pots.
When the plants get about 3 inches tall and the roots are starting to poke out the bottom, I transplant them into 3 gallon bags and put them in the big room where they grow into big happy plants.
I also hang a sticky trap in the small cabinet just incase one of them little buggers manages to sneak in. Like I said, they are every where.
Once the roots of the plants are a few inches deep you don’t have to worry about the gnats anymore. Fungus gnats’ larva only live in the top inch of the soil. But you’ll still see them buzzing around so put up a couple sticky traps in your grow anyway.
So you can’t wait a couple months for your starting soil to cook in the sun? No problem. Put your starting soil in a baking sheet, and put it in the oven at 200° F for ten minutes. (100° C)
But your plants are falling over and you need to get rid of the gnats right now, ASAP? Neem oil. The stuff is awesome. Not only does it kill fungus gnats, it kills mold and mildew. Neem oil is also 100% organic. Follow the directions on the bottle. I think it’s about a teaspoon or two per gallon of water. Spray it on everything. Then pour some of the water on your plants too. Do this every other day for a few days.
This is why I advise against direct seeding seeds in your final pot. Yup. I learned the hard way.
