Roots Organic Soil (Free Gnat Larva Included!!)

303

Well-Known Member
Yeah so the guy at the local grow store asked me why I've been back and forth with chemicals to rid of gnats. Told him the soil I used, he said that he believes Fungus Gnat Larva was in the soil this summer. Does anyone use this soil and have gnats or have heard anything to this nature? I want to choke those mother fuckers, this is some nasty shit, he said they found worms in the soil too. I don't know why I diverted from Fox Farm just to save a couple bucks. Fuck my life. :wall:
 

Unnk

Well-Known Member
.... my RO 707 mix was fine the only bag of FFOF i ever bought this year WAS INFESTED with gnat larva and tiny crawlers
 

kevin

Well-Known Member
i've dealt with gnats in every soil i've ever bought including ff. one of the easiest ways to get rid of them is to get some sand and cover the soil with a 1/4 inch of it and let the soil get a little dryer between waterings. don't be scared of breaking out a can of raid house and garden spray to help kill the little bastards, unless your deep in flowering. they're a pain but nothing that you can't get rid of. good luck.
 

303

Well-Known Member
i've dealt with gnats in every soil i've ever bought including ff. one of the easiest ways to get rid of them is to get some sand and cover the soil with a 1/4 inch of it and let the soil get a little dryer between waterings. don't be scared of breaking out a can of raid house and garden spray to help kill the little bastards, unless your deep in flowering. they're a pain but nothing that you can't get rid of. good luck.
This makes less oxygen for roots.
 
I think it's more of how they store it once recieved, check the bags before you buy for rips and holes. If it's stored outside or near a door.
gnats also like warm places. so a store that keeps it's soil indoors in a cool place and bags aren't broke, less likely to have gnats.
 

Unnk

Well-Known Member
yah when i was talkin at the dude at the hydro shop he said that alot of the soils he would get from time to time had gnats or some other bugs and in all cases it was how they were shipoped to them acouple of bags had small holes some were stored outside in the sun specially the bails of promix were
 

303

Well-Known Member
I think it's more of how they store it once recieved, check the bags before you buy for rips and holes. If it's stored outside or near a door.
gnats also like warm places. so a store that keeps it's soil indoors in a cool place and bags aren't broke, less likely to have gnats.
Yeah no doubt, I am going to transplant my plants from 1 gal to 3 gal, I have a new bag of the soil, can I flush it with mite rid or something before I use it? Is there a way to treat soil before you use it? Thanks for input everyone!
 

Stalwart

Well-Known Member
I always get my pro-mix from a local garden shop. They keep the bails under the eve of a building next to their greenhouse no probs but I know gnats! Keep them away from me! I'll kill em I will!
 

303

Well-Known Member
I always get my pro-mix from a local garden shop. They keep the bails under the eve of a building next to their greenhouse no probs but I know gnats! Keep them away from me! I'll kill em I will!
Yeah those rat bastards have got me looking at hydro equipment right now.. Fucking soil pests!
 

Unnk

Well-Known Member
do you have a way to talk to the owner about checking on the bags for infestations then sending the supply back? the guy at my shop said he sends em right back if their infested ( at least i think he does i havent had a problem yet only wiht 1 bag of the FFOF and that was in my dirt mixing room so i had no infests
 

cpc

Member
I learned to never buy soil when i bought a bag of black gold that was stored outside. gnats like crazy. now i only buy soil from the hydro store that stores it inside from they moment they get the shippment (good selection too) . Some pretty cool guys work there, i got my bubba and jillybean clones from them they asked to see my paperwork first of course.
 

Spanishfly

Well-Known Member
Yeah no doubt, I am going to transplant my plants from 1 gal to 3 gal, I have a new bag of the soil, can I flush it with mite rid or something before I use it? Is there a way to treat soil before you use it? Thanks for input everyone!
Bake it in an oven at 80C for an hour. That will get rid of any eggs and grubs. Also kill any weed seeds.

I haven´t tried this one, but have also read to moisten it and microwave until it steams.
 

Spanishfly

Well-Known Member
Trouble with cannabis grow rooms is they are filled with young kids who have never grown anything else.

Sterilising soil is done by gardeners all over - YES SERIOUSLY, 303 - it works well. Good luck.
 

kevin

Well-Known Member
Bake it in an oven at 80C for an hour. That will get rid of any eggs and grubs. Also kill any weed seeds.

I haven´t tried this one, but have also read to moisten it and microwave until it steams.
never tried the microwave. the oven is the way to go, make sure the windows are open and the fans are blowing.

i just read about mixing some alfalfa hay in with your soil about a month before you use it, the nitrogen that the hay puts off is soppose to be hot enough to kill the bugs, i'm trying this right now but can't tell you if it works or not yet. just 2 days in and the soil is still infested. i'm trying this in some of my home mix that i have for my vegtable garden that got contaminated by some fried meat getting mixed in.
 
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