Mites?

[phobos915]

Hey guys, I have what looks like mites crawling in my soil, there not on the plants but all through my soil, im using miracle gro organic choice potting mix.. yeah, it is the worst soil to grow in, nothing but problems.. Anyway, what should I do?

P.S. I can't take a pic of them cause there way to small.

Thanks in advance.

 

[wiseguy316]

are you sure they aren't nats? the best way to handle this will determine where your grow room is and you ventilation. if it is in the house, prolly need some neem oil, if it is a well ventilated area or garage get a no pest strip and they will all be gone in 2 days, put it in a ziplock bag and save it for future use.

 

[thexception]

yep, mg soil=fungas gnats. get some potatoes & lay cut slices on the top of the soil, check in about 12 hours. The larvae should come up & attach themselves to the slices, throw them out & repeat. Let ur plants get as dry as u can (gnats thrive in moist soil) & then ur next watering, use household peroxide, 10% to water ratio; repeat this for ur next 2 waterings. This solved my problem, & is harmless to ur plants/soil, hopefully this will help u.

 

[Leothwyn]

Fungus gnat adults are little black flies (you'd see them flying around), and their larvae look like tiny white maggots with black spots on their heads. To me your description sounds more like soil lice: little white bugs (with legs, not like maggots) that will tend to be more active (come to the surface more) after a watering. If this is what you have, then you don't need to worry. They're actually good. They eat decaying matter in the soil, and don't hurt plants at all. BTW, they might not look exactly like the ones below. There are different types. But, look for something similar: white (could have a yellow or tan tint), six legs, antennae, crawl fairly fast (a lot faster than mites, at least).

 

[wiseguy316]

yep, mg soil=fungas gnats. get some potatoes & lay cut slices on the top of the soil, check in about 12 hours. The larvae should come up & attach themselves to the slices, throw them out & repeat. Let ur plants get as dry as u can (gnats thrive in moist soil) & then ur next watering, use household peroxide, 10% to water ratio; repeat this for ur next 2 waterings. This solved my problem, & is harmless to ur plants/soil, hopefully this will help u.

he is using organic, the peroxide will kill the beneficial microbs in the soil. never heard of potato slices but i will sure try it.

 

[thexception]

Nature the best gardener of all-hence-ORGANIC FERTILIZERS

I guess that is open to debate (peroxide)

 

[wiseguy316]

H2O2 will kill all living organisms, good or bad, this might be beneficial in a sick plant. But, IMO it should not be used for insect control in an organic garden. Doesn't make it right or wrong just my opinion.

 

[wiseguy316]

Nature the best gardener of all-hence-ORGANIC FERTILIZERS

I guess that is open to debate (peroxide)

From the same website if you click on pest control it does not say anything about using H202. Here is the pest control section. It actually recommends citrus oil for fungus gnats.

http://www.basic-info-4-organic-fertilizers.com/organic-pest-remedies.html

 

[bunnyface]

hey,, I think I know the bugs you talk of,,when the MG soil has been wet for a prolonged period these bugs appear,, what I did was put a small trough or tray(I used the fat tray off a G.Forman) with water in it,,and place it inbetween the pots and then allowed the pots to dry out ,almost too much, and the bugs launch themsleves into the water. Then or before drop one drop of bleach or anything like that in the water trough/tray and that kills the wee bugs,,that way you dont have to add somthing that going to kill the good stuff in that MG(there stuffs okay as long as you know how to use it). I grow in it and know the white bugs you talk of,,
So if your letting the soil dry out every moring give your plants a good misting/shower to keep them hydrated and as the soil drys out the bugs will die back.
Yeah also whats your watering routine????? as I found it was me that was watering to much and the worms seem to 'activate' in the soil,,so yeah let the soil dry up and they should start to die back.

Anyhow good luck and take it easy....

 

[phobos915]

hey,, I think I know the bugs you talk of,,when the MG soil has been wet for a prolonged period these bugs appear,, what I did was put a small trough or tray(I used the fat tray off a G.Forman) with water in it,,and place it inbetween the pots and then allowed the pots to dry out ,almost too much, and the bugs launch themsleves into the water. Then or before drop one drop of bleach or anything like that in the water trough/tray and that kills the wee bugs,,that way you dont have to add somthing that going to kill the good stuff in that MG(there stuffs okay as long as you know how to use it). I grow in it and know the white bugs you talk of,,
So if your letting the soil dry out every moring give your plants a good misting/shower to keep them hydrated and as the soil drys out the bugs will die back.
Yeah also whats your watering routine????? as I found it was me that was watering to much and the worms seem to 'activate' in the soil,,so yeah let the soil dry up and they should start to die back.

Anyhow good luck and take it easy....

Hey Bunnyface. Its been a few days now without watering, about 4 days now. Their still around, an they seem not to bug the plant any bit at all. Plants are still growing and everything, I think ill just give em another water an see what happens. I did try to take a picture but my camera isn't good enough. There just really tiny things, white, size of a grain of sand, haha. Im sure if they were harmful, id see it in the plants by now. BTW, I water about every 4-5 days. If you know what bug im talking about and do know how to get rid of them, please let me know, I would like to get them outta there. Thanks, later guys.

 

[Leothwyn]

Did you see my post on soil lice? Still sounds like that's it to me.

 

[IVIars]

Does it have 6 legs and look like a tick?

 

[phobos915]

Does it have 6 legs and look like a tick?

Yeah, they do kinda look like mini ticks.

 

[IVIars]

They could be aphids. Google a pic of them to be sure

 

[Oldman13]

Hey guys, I have what looks like mites crawling in my soil, there not on the plants but all through my soil, im using miracle gro organic choice potting mix.. yeah, it is the worst soil to grow in, nothing but problems.. Anyway, what should I do?

P.S. I can't take a pic of them cause there way to small.

Thanks in advance.

Jesus crisis 2011 what the fuck I so don't be such a take your freaking stuff down

 

[Oldman13]

Jesus crisis 2011 what the fuck I so don't be such a take your freaking stuff down

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[PadawanWarrior]

Fungus gnat adults are little black flies (you'd see them flying around), and their larvae look like tiny white maggots with black spots on their heads. To me your description sounds more like soil lice: little white bugs (with legs, not like maggots) that will tend to be more active (come to the surface more) after a watering. If this is what you have, then you don't need to worry. They're actually good. They eat decaying matter in the soil, and don't hurt plants at all. BTW, they might not look exactly like the ones below. There are different types. But, look for something similar: white (could have a yellow or tan tint), six legs, antennae, crawl fairly fast (a lot faster than mites, at least).

Those look like springtails to me. And springtails are mostly beneficial.

 

[Burton79]

Fungus gnat adults are little black flies (you'd see them flying around), and their larvae look like tiny white maggots with black spots on their heads. To me your description sounds more like soil lice: little white bugs (with legs, not like maggots) that will tend to be more active (come to the surface more) after a watering. If this is what you have, then you don't need to worry. They're actually good. They eat decaying matter in the soil, and don't hurt plants at all. BTW, they might not look exactly like the ones below. There are different types. But, look for something similar: white (could have a yellow or tan tint), six legs, antennae, crawl fairly fast (a lot faster than mites, at least).

Over a decade later this post is still very helpful and showed up from a Google search. Gotta love the internet. Thank you.