Gnats - From colony to high kingdom.. -.-

I've been at it for a year now, growing and learning day by day. But theres something that never change no matter how hard I try, and that is keeping the gnats under control. So far I've been trying;

- Sand couple of inches on the top of the soil - seems my gnats know all about this and laugh in my face for trying -.-
- Glass traps w/various kinds of liquid
- Various sticky paper of diffrent sizes and shapes.
- Microwaving soil before use (lol)

At least now i can spot a gnat at 5 meters distance and charge like an angry bull. Although that don't help much either. I like to grow organic and are pondering on getting some predators a free haven in my indoor grow area. Although beeing from a cold cold country, im probably most likely to get some new small friends before the summer.

I grow organic, or try to atleast. I mix my various soils from a local provider. Hard to get it from anywhere else around here, wich is a bit of a pain, I suspect a good chunk of the gnats come with the soil types I mix.

- What kills and eats gnats and doesnt hurt my crop? Do ladybugs eat them? How many would a ladybug eat during a day?
- What other non fancy methods others than the mentioned further up can be used to herd the flock of gnats?
- Do gnat larva do anything else than eat precious roots?

-G11-

(just to mock me , a gnat came and sat on my nose while writing this)

I think most people would sprinkle a crushed mosquito dunk on the top of the soil and just wait for the adults to die.

My local grow store sells a product called Microbe Lift BMC that uses bacteria to kill gnats and flies. I've used it in hydro and it worked well. Not sure about soil though.

Rod: What is a crushed moscito dunk?

Bellcore: That sounds interesting, I'll take a trip down to my local store and ask. Have to check as you said if it can be used for soil. At least its a bacteria, and not chems..

Mosquito dunks contain BTI which is harmless to plants but kills larvae including fungus gnats.

garden11 said:

Rod: What is a crushed moscito dunk?

Bellcore: That sounds interesting, I'll take a trip down to my local store and ask. Have to check as you said if it can be used for soil. At least its a bacteria, and not chems..

Click to expand...

I used this barrier and it works applied twice along with yellow strips onto the soil. This will get rid of them and when you notice a couple in new plant just a light spray onto soil gets rid of them with no harm or stress to plant. You must have a problem there if they are flying around the room. Get it off ebay.

you tried using nematodes? normally that always work for me

much appriciated, keep em comming! Any insects that loves to eat gnats?

MONTERAY GARDEN INSECT SPRAY

CONSERVE NATURALYTE

GNATOFF

GNATROL

DIATEMACIOUS EARTH




Google each one to see if you can get them.

I highly recommend CONSERVE NATURALYTE and DIATOMACIOUS EARTH.



J

Organic control of almost any soil borne insect pest can be accomplished by liberally sprinkling diatomaceous earth on the top of the soil. I use it in the soil mix i make and never have pests.

I would point out that to the best of my knowledge all items I mentioned are organic based products using bacterium a to control pests.

The DIATOMACIOUS earth is made from diatoms which are also organic. DE is like razor blades to pests.


J

I have used ladybugs, they have to want to eat the gnats. Lady bugs like aphids. I had spider mites and unleashed 2000 lady bugs on ther ass and all they did was die. Only cost $5. As Ladybugs dont move well I would say not a good option.

Nematodes, yellow sticky paper, mosquito dunks

I haven't tried this:
Put raw potato slices in top of your soil. remove and replace each day. The theory being that they lay eggs in the potatoes.

urgod said:

you tried using nematodes? normally that always work for me

Click to expand...

Predatory Nematodes work for me too. Just a microscopic ring worm that feeds on the gnat larvae making the adults not want to fuck on your soil. Organic too.. Fight nature with nature..

Ohh yeah I have used everything mentioned in this thread. Azamax, Gnatrol, Mosiquito Dunks ( which basically are Gnatrol ), Diatomacious Earth " DE Earth", Sand , Fox Farm bug be gone..etc Preadatory Nematodes and yellow sticky traps seem to work for me.

whats up with you guys not addressing the source of the issue. Where are the knats coming from? The soil from a retailer that leaves it outside. Bring it up or find another source. Review your watering schedule. YOu may be festering the issue keeping plants moist. The best time to water is just before the leaves start to drop. The plant likes it on the drier side. I notice when watered after letting them dry an extra day they explode in growth next 48 hrs.

hey garden y not buy a clean bag of soil if you have hydro store near ya, make it easy, nd the plants will b better off both growing, and away from chemicals or stressin wit so many things.....???.....????

Rosemary works. I didn't believe it when I was first told this but I'll be damn it did work. I put a rosemary scrub in my grow. I haven't had a bug since (6months). I give the plant a little shake when I'm in the grow which distributes the aroma throughout the room. The bugs hate it! Plus you can use it when cooking. It's a win win. No bullshit on your plants and its totally ediable, not to forget organic as it gets.

Has anyone tried cinnamon? It worked on a volunteer portraying a fungus gnat ... cn

[video=youtube;Cyk7utV_D2I]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cyk7utV_D2I[/video]

^^Oh i have tears in my eyes.....Thanks!

Now that was some funny shit lol..

Dookz: Your rigth, the soil is the source of the gnat problem. My issue here is that i only have one local dealer, and he just dont care since he got monopoly on selling soil and other gardening stuff. Im guessing he dont use the soil indoors at his own home lol.

Love all the tips thats been given. You lot have given me some great new input on how to get back in the battle. Cheers!