diatomaceous earth

so i think i have either root aphids or some other root/soil dwellers and id rather not have them so i got some diatomaceous earth and recived it today i pobly should have lookd it up a little more but from what i rememberd i put about 2 inchs ontop of the soil and watherd to get it to go down thru the soil as if i left it just ontop it wouldnt be as effective because i am using airpots so long story short between three plants in i used just under a pound of it and i was wondering would flushing it thru the soil be as effective as i really dont see another way of getting it down into the soil so it gets them beforre they crawl out the holes on the side of the pots?

what i found to work well was a half inch layer of sand on top of the soil. that will suffocate anything in your soil...

DE works badass to, but once you wet it, it does not work...

DE is small crystallized fossilized shells ground down to the finest... it works like a layer of jagged glass that insects cant move across cause it will cut them up nice and proper and these insects take it to feed it in their colony so it will eventually destroy the colony if enough is applied.

but this is my experience only

but they are in airrpots they can crawl out the holes in the sides

some had recommended me to use some dish soap dawn, i cant remember what sub recommended when i had some baby root aphids in my super soil tote... he recommended a soil drench or dip...

sorry , that is where my experience ends... i cant recommend something i am not familiar with... i hope someone with more experience can chime in

You don't need to use nearly so much DE, just sprinkle a bit on the top of the soil every day. I would also make a spray with essential oils (nettle works wonders, I'm use peppermint, nettle, and thyme right now) water it down, and foliar spray your pot and the plants lightly. You don't need much, the spray should keep them off of the pot and the plant, and then they go to the soil, and Boom dead insects from the DE.

Cheers.

Since the airpots have holes on the sides and bottom of the pot I would use DE with your medium.

Coffee is a wonderful they do not like the acidity and it is nitrogene for the plants. Place it on top and do regular watering when it drains away add more so there is always a cover of coffee grounds.

I put a layer of perlite on top of the soil and sprinkle D.E. on top of the perlite and mix it up. Then get some yellow sticky traps for any adults that escape. Then get some Azamax and do a soil drench, or if in veg you can foliar spray with it as well. This is my 3prong attack that always works for me, but if your infestation is really bad you can use GoGnats. I myself would only use gognats as a worst case its the same stuff thats in the mesg dunks and it with kill of your micro herd. Happy New Year and gardening..