Lavender, Gnats and Neem Oil?

[Babalonian]

You don't need neem or any other oils, nematodes or anything else. I do recommend covering the top of the soil, but not with sand, they can go right thru it, and not with DE, it doesn't work when wet. I am using the fabric from old smart pots cut to fit the top of the pot. This also helps to keep the pot from drying out too quickly.

My gnats came from a bag of Ocean Forest, I am absolutely sure about that. Also, pasteurizing the soil with boiling water works, but you have to get the temperature of the soil up to at least 140-160 degrees F for 15 - 30 minutes, and be sure to stir and mix thoroughly. It is a giant pain in the ass, but it works.

I am looking for a used pressure cooker to make this process easier and fool proof in the future. I also tried cooking the soil in the oven, it takes about 15 minutes at 350 degrees F for 15 minutes, then another 45 minutes at 250 degrees to really get the soil up to 160 F in the center (this was a roasting pan filled with soil). I like the boiling water method better, it makes the soil perfectly moist for transplanting.

I am using Xtreme Gardening HGC721205 Mykos Pure Mycorrhizal Inoculant Organic Root Enhancer, from Amazon, to help the soil:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003STB5N6/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

View attachment 5094629

Be sure to cover any drain holes if you are not using fabric smart pots - the gnats love drain holes, and unless you dunk the pot into the BTi treated water you cannot be sure all the holes will be saturated. I would recommend dunking at least once, I cannot do that because I am disabled and cannot lift a pot that heavy.

Lastly, my experience was by the time I saw a gnat flying around there was a full blown infestation, I just couldn't see it. Once I started putting the yellow sticky traps out, I was catching 15-25 gnats in my traps EVERY SINGLE DAY for 8 weeks in flower (20 gnats x 56 days = 1140 gnats). However, despite catching so many every day, I never actually saw any flying around when I looked in the tent. So, I would bet that you have far more gnats than you realize, something that will become obvious when you put out the traps.

Thank you for the information. If I lived within an hour of you I’d volunteer to lift your pots a couple times a month for some of this… sorry if it’s simple… information.

I’ll scratch my chin on that Mycor product. I may end up doing it since the other one I been looking at seems a bit overpriced (a.f.) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00AU8JKR6/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glt_i_E5NQ4EYKDPS4P8R4NRMF

I am willing to pay a little more for quality, but dude… hate to waste money or get a bad first time result from bad product.

 

[ShawnSunshine]

I wouldn't want any other plants in my tent, but that's me. Regarding the cotton liner, why? Unless it is black, it could grow mold. Just use the smart pots, the drain holes are a pain in the ass and the smart pots do way better for your plants than the air pots. I've tried both, will never use air pots again.

I don't have smart pots.

I have 3 gallon plastic pots.

Well I have other liners I'm considering.

I have a black sheet that I can use.

 

[Driver733]

I don't have smart pots.

I have 3 gallon plastic pots.

Well I have other liners I'm considering.

I have a black sheet that I can use.

Why reinvent the wheel? They are $1.50 each on Amazon for 3 gallon smart pots.

You will never get the drainage and air flow from a plastic pot that you will from a fabric pot.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07RY3FVG6/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

[ShawnSunshine]

I don't have smart pots.

I have 3 gallon plastic pots.

Well I have other liners I'm considering.

I have a black sheet that I can use.

The fabric is too keep the soil from coming out and anything getting in.

I have seen people do this with old jeans

And laundry baskets. DIY air and fabric pot.

 

[Driver733]

The fabric is too keep the soil from coming out and anything getting in.

I have seen people do this with old jeans

And laundry baskets. DIY air and fabric pot.

Yes, but you won't get the air flow or drainage, which is the reason to use the smart pot. My two cents. Cheers!

 

[ShawnSunshine]

Why reinvent the wheel? They are $1.50 each on Amazon for 3 gallon smart pots.

You will never get the drainage and air flow from a plastic pot that you will from a fabric pot.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07RY3FVG6/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Because plastic pots last longer and are more reusable.

I spent the same $1.50 on these pots.


I thought about fabric pots but I'm sticking with my own conception.

Just because I like to Tinker.

 

[ShawnSunshine]

Yes, but you won't get the air flow or drainage, which is the reason to use the smart pot. My two cents. Cheers!

I respect your two cents.

 

[Driver733]

I respect your two cents.

Haha, thank you. Maybe I should send you my air pots, I'm not going to use them.

 

[ShawnSunshine]

Why reinvent the wheel? They are $1.50 each on Amazon for 3 gallon smart pots.

You will never get the drainage and air flow from a plastic pot that you will from a fabric pot.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07RY3FVG6/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Yeah, but think of the FUN!

 

[ShawnSunshine]

Haha, thank you. Maybe I should send you my air pots, I'm not going to use them.

What size are they?

 

[Driver733]

What size are they?

These here: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B017DM42FG/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

They say 2.2 gallon, they are about the same size and weight as the 3 gallon smart pots. I foolishly bought the real name brand air pots because I wanted decent quality, thinking I would be using them for years. The biggest disappointment was the roots do not grow as well in air pots as they do in fabric pots, and on this I was misinformed and thought the opposite. Oh well, live and learn.

 

[ShawnSunshine]

Ahh, well I do need 2 gallon pots eventually for some Auto grows on top of the cupboards.

Was trying to get 6 up there.

Have my self 9 plants in total for now.



Still need grow lights for the autos on the ceiling, but that's probably a good two months or so from now.

 

[Babalonian]

Since it’s not a proper RIU forum thread without multiple conversations going at once…

my big stepping up plan. Trying some 7gal fabric pots side by side with my first crack at a hempy bucket.


I’ve realized I have three choices with this FFOF. One is I save it for later and buy a newer batch of FFOF or a replacement (taking suggestions).

Second, I airdry it in the sun for a week or so, and go with the helpful nematodes and mycroh combo for soil prep before planting.

Third, is I steam or cook the soil to pasteurize it and then try my hand to restore it. This is my last option but we will call it the “my local garden/hydro shops are out of nematodes” plan.

I think it’s counterproductive to try and kill these bastards to an extreme and then try to have a food source to support the nematodes, so if that is plausible to be ready in a couple weeks, I will go that route.

 

[ShawnSunshine]

What's a hempy bucket?

 

[the native]

Beauveria bassiana is what I’m using, it’s starting to take care of knats in veg
Also I used it in my flower tent, taken out thrips also.

Beauveria bassiana - Wikipedia

en.m.wikipedia.org

 

[Babalonian]

Hempy buckets will be a huge read for you to enjoy, I did. In a nutshell. Hydroponics 101.

First picture illustrates the simple design. The simpler the better. I will not have a wick or submerged center. I will use lava rocks to fill above my drain hole. Soil on top. When the roots reach the bottom you can elect to top feed to control moisture of the soil or bottom feed with no risk of overwatering.

Maybe in the near future, go coco+Perlite when I’m feeling masochistic enough to take on hydro (see pic 2). It can get advanced, but from what I’ve read; simple good.

 

[ShawnSunshine]

Hempy buckets will be a huge read for you to enjoy, I did. In a nutshell. Hydroponics 101.

First picture illustrates the simple design. The simpler the better. I will not have a wick or submerged center. I will use lava rocks to fill above my drain hole. Soil on top. When the roots reach the bottom you can elect to top feed to control moisture of the soil or bottom feed with no risk of overwatering.

Maybe in the near future, go coco+Perlite when I’m feeling masochistic enough to take on hydro (see pic 2). It can get advanced, but from what I’ve read; simple good.

View attachment 5094702
View attachment 5094705

That's kind a hybrid soil/air grow

 

[Babalonian]

I also saw you considering price of pots. Personally as a tinkerer who can’t sit still, the Hempy design opens up a world to someone with a drill or good hole cutter. There are people on here with beautiful Hempy grows out of 2-litter bottles that are awesome, or my route with the classic “beware-it-can-get-big” $5 bucket.

I’ve personally been eyeing this bad boy as a contender, every time I make a drink with it the last month.

 

[ShawnSunshine]

More accurately lollipopping is a method of pruning, in which lower sucker-type branches are selectively removed, in effort to keep the energy of the plant focused toward the highest producing areas.

As far as clover and cover crops, I'm not sure that I would include them in container grows, unless it is a very large container. In a living soil indoor-bed type of situation, I would consider it. Keep in mind that while it's true that clover and other legumes can "fix" or pull nitrogen out of the air and into the soil, it's also true that the cover crop will compete for root space in the grow medium along with the cannabis plant. Typically in agriculture, cover crops are planted between harvest crops, not alongside. Again, if you have a lot of soil to work with, clover could be ok, but if it's just a 5 or 10 gallon pot, I'd keep the clover in the field.

Yeah it's just three (3 gallon) pots for now.

 

[Babalonian]

That's kind a hybrid soil/air grow

kinda, the last one is to show only how complicated it can be (and how “easy” you can convert one settup for rocks on the bottom with soil on top in a few years, kinda my plan).

A true Hempy is a bucket with a hole a short distance from the bottom. That’s it.

Size of buckets were talking 1-3” from the bottom. Allowing a reservoir that can be replenished, and never risk overwatering. One benefit for soil growers is that once the roots stop at the bottom, you can water the bottom and not oversaturate the soil.