Gnats

Agonixx

Agonixx

Well-Known Member
Hello All!

Just germinated my seeds and popped them into the pots to find little winged insects running around in my soil.

So far to start I would not call it an infestation but none the less we don’t want any!

If someone could leave some advice on handling these little buggers or a recommended product to just kill them and be done with it, I would really appreciate it !
 
laddyd

laddyd

Well-Known Member
Mosquito bits or gnatrol, same ingredient. 3 treatments. Sticky traps to catch some of the flyers.
Cover the top soil with a layer of Garden pumice screened to 1/8. You can water through it and they can't crawl through it. This really works!
Water from the bottom. I would avoid air pots, too many holes for them to crawl into.
If you have any gnats you have an infestation. The larvae feed on roots, they will damage your plants.
 
LewberDewber852

LewberDewber852

Well-Known Member
Get some of them yellow sticky traps and they sit press directly into ur soil. Soil can have sorts of critters and a healthy soil should have many different varieties of critters. Some good some bad.
Could also sprinkle the DE I’d imagine. Not sure if that’s bad for the beneficial bugs tho.
 
Fallguy111

Fallguy111

Well-Known Member
Proper identification is step one. I typically have a gnat or two on the sticky traps, when I notice any flying around is when I get aggressive. Top dressing with (good) worm castings will work also. Since I started a worm bin I now ended up with worms in my soil and it seems like the whole soil biology is happy and healthy. Proper watering is also important and a break out of gnats suggests overwatering.
 
Agonixx

Agonixx

Well-Known Member
laddyd said:
Mosquito bits or gnatrol, same ingredient. 3 treatments. Sticky traps to catch some of the flyers.
Cover the top soil with a layer of Garden pumice screened to 1/8. You can water through it and they can't crawl through it. This really works!
Water from the bottom. I would avoid air pots, too many holes for them to crawl into.
If you have any gnats you have an infestation. The larvae feed on roots, they will damage your plants.
Click to expand...
Mosquito bits or gnatro not harmful for my plants ? Should I wait until they are a older, unfortunately this all happened at the worst time !

Little guys haven't even popped out of the soil yet !
 
Agonixx

Agonixx

Well-Known Member
LewberDewber852 said:
Get some of them yellow sticky traps and they sit press directly into ur soil. Soil can have sorts of critters and a healthy soil should have many different varieties of critters. Some good some bad.
Could also sprinkle the DE I’d imagine. Not sure if that’s bad for the beneficial bugs tho.
Click to expand...
From my knowledge these little guys don't necessarily hurt the plants ?
 
Fallguy111

Fallguy111

Well-Known Member
formularacer said:
I did a nematode treatment, but some containers of water with soap. I see one every few days, but no swarms of them
Click to expand...
I think of bti as my aggressive approach. If you only have a few spray been on top and or spread decent castings and let it dry between waterings.
 
Agonixx

Agonixx

Well-Known Member
Fallguy111 said:
Proper identification is step one. I typically have a gnat or two on the sticky traps, when I notice any flying around is when I get aggressive. Top dressing with (good) worm castings will work also. Since I started a worm bin I now ended up with worms in my soil and it seems like the whole soil biology is happy and healthy. Proper watering is also important and a break out of gnats suggests overwatering.
Click to expand...

Craziest part is, I haven't even watered yet, just wetting the solid a little until these girls come out of the soil.

I noticed these gnats right on my first spray of water when I was misting the soil !
 
B

Bullmark

Well-Known Member
Fallguy111 said:
Proper identification is step one. I typically have a gnat or two on the sticky traps, when I notice any flying around is when I get aggressive. Top dressing with (good) worm castings will work also. Since I started a worm bin I now ended up with worms in my soil and it seems like the whole soil biology is happy and healthy. Proper watering is also important and a break out of gnats suggests overwatering.
Click to expand...
What brand or type of worm castings would U consider to be good??
 
DeadHeadX

DeadHeadX

Well-Known Member
Too many can do real damage to a seedling that’s trying to establish roots. I’d soak the soil with Bt/water mix (two drops to a gallon), put out some yellow traps (the Bt only kills the larvae), and keep a close eye out. Must have come in your soil. What kind are you using?
 
laddyd

laddyd

Well-Known Member
Agonixx said:
Seeing great stuff on the Mosquito Bits for reviews elsewhere !

How exactly do you apply the product ?
Click to expand...
You make a tea and water it in. It is not toxic, it is a bacterium that attacks the larvae. 3 treatments a week apart I believe is the protocol.
Sounds like you got some soil that is already infested, quite common.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top