So i dealt with these last grow. Im pretty sure they have came in with the fox farm happy frog. Small gnat like flies. They stay on the soil, i dont ever see them up on the plant and they dont seem to cause harm really but i dont want them. Ive tried spraying just the soil with organicide and its not killing them off. Maybe puts a dent in population but now it seems like it doesnt. I have these sticky traps helping but reslly need to exterminate. I am 3 weeks into flower so dont really want to spray the plant. Can i spray something more potent on the soil? Or will it be brought up into the plant? Thanks for the help!!
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Fungus gnats
They reproduce in the soil and then become the fliers which you see.
The cards will give you an idea how many there are.
Get some mosquitoe bits and either soak them in water and water in or sprinkle on top and when you water they will activate little critters in the bits that go into soil and feed on the fungus gnat larvae.
You can also get some beneficial nematodes that you mix with water and water in they too will eat the larvae.
The fungus gnat larvae can feed on the roots of the plants.
The fliers eat the green stuff on the soil surface
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Hey, fruit flies/gnats are a common issue but not one that you should be too worried about. Get some neem oil and put it in a spray bottle. If your plants are in veg then you can lightly spray them and floor/ground around the plants…if they are in flower just spray the floor around the plants. Doing that and using the sticky yellow traps should kill them and get it under control. You can also order lady bugs and add them to your grow/tent/room. Lady bugs are a predator bug that will kill gnats and fruit flies. Hope this helps!
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Ive been fighting this exact same issue. Ive put mosquito bits as a top dressing, even as a tea. I add the bits to my drip tray under the pot also to get the ones that think they are getting a free drink.
Ordered a 40pk of those butterflys like you have there yesterday and 30oz of bits lol. Imma get em!
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Fruit flies don’t hang around cannabis plants unless you leave rotting fruit around them. They are fungus gnats.
Neem oil isn’t needed to be sprayed on the plants.
They reproduce in the soil via larvae.
The mosquitoe bits contain a little critter that activates when wet and goes into soil and feeds on the larvae which will control them and if applied regularly will eradicate them or at minimum keep them in check.
Nematodes same
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Most of us use Mosquito bit to get rid of fungus gnats it kills the larvae by infecting their digestive system so they starve to death. Also use sticky traps to catch the flying adults
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I had the same problem my first grow started using sns 209 and t drops, fixed the problem, i get t drops from miles hydro, worked miracles for me but not easy to find.
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Do you have to turn off when lights out?
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I leave mine on until flower. Once they get flipped to flower I move it outside the tent.
I’d add 1 inch of inert washed sand to your pots. The bugs need organic material to lay the eggs in. Additionally you can dust the top of the pot with DE after each watering. It will rip them bugs and kill them.
Fungus gnats are almost always due to overwatering.
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When i had that problem i added an inch of diatomacious earth and bottom fed for 2 or three feeds, then started adding sns 209 to nutrients and t drops, went from hundreds of gnats to pretty near 0
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Mosquito bits soaked in water then applied always works for me in the soil. Break the life cycle and they are gone.
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No, I have several timers and controls to somewhat automate lights, fans, humidifier, and bug zapper. I will move the zapper outside the tent during flower. My only manual chore is watering. I haven’t went to a main water supply yet. I’m just afraid I’ll have a leak and since my tent is upstairs it’ll cause major damage. It’s still a chore toting 10 gallons of water upstairs with my back issues. But I’d have to do that anyway. Luckily I got a minion to do that most of the time. Been thinking about adding a reverse osmosis line upstairs but since I grow in the late fall through early spring it’s the rainy season and I favor using mostly rain water.from a 30 gallon cistern.
Got this environmental control from a friend along with a 4x4 tent and various other gear when he decided to stop growing. Found him taking his stuff to the curb one day 10 years ago. I added a 9x4 tent and various LED lights about about 6 years ago.
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Fungas gnats like it when the soil is always damp. You need to let the soil dry out between waterings for MJ to thrive. This will also help with the gnat problem
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Do ladybugs go after Fungus nats?
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Not mentioned, specifically.
I got some coming for my Aphid Hunting season.
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Ladybugs are good for spider mites and aphids. Doubt they’d be any good at getting rid of fungus gnats
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This was in my queue this morning on YouTube. Just in time diagnostic.
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Giving my 4 plants 4 gallons ( 1 gallon each ) every 2 days is a pain in the neck, i probably dislike the watering part the most, plus because water at my home is so hard, i buy all my water but i get it for 50 cents a gallon so thats no biggie.
I just collect mine from rain. You can get some 5 gallon buckets with tops what you can harvest for use later. I use an aquarium 5 stage carbon filter to clean and store from a cistern.
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