Help - i got funguts gnats!

[jonnynobody]

Just noticed these vile little fuckers bouncing around the top layer of my soil. I've done a bit of reading and have many solutions to try but I thought I'd see if some of you more experienced growers know which methods actually work.

3-4 inch layer of play sand on top of the soil.
50/50 water / 3% hydrogen preroxide
fly traps
neem oil


Getting a bit worried that my grow may be on it's way to being fucked...

 

[Motorbuds]

When i used to grow in soil i had pretty good luck with diatomaceous earth, I've heard a layer of sphagnum moss on top works well too. I'd try the DE and put up a few gnat traps to try and keep them out of the air. The DE is lethal to them and will cut their guts out as well as larvae lol

 

[ltecato]

All those methods (DE, peroxide etc.) will work. You can also put out a couple of shallow dishes or cups of soapy water. Just has to be deep enough for a gnat to drown in. That will get rid of a bunch of the adults. No adults, no larvae.

 

[FatMarty]

You probably can't get rid of them until you change out all your growing medium; but until harvest you can knock them down.
Try watering from the bottom with saucers.
Put DRY soil on top of pots after watering, and/or every couple days to fuck up their routes into your roots.

Switch out everything to soilless mix like Pro Mix BX, and start using Jack's Classic or similar.
Haul all used and unused soil far away from home.
Hang a Hot Shot if area is enclosed.

 

[FatMarty]

Whatever you do - do not ignore them.
Not only will they cost you yield: they can go systemic if given enough time with harsh conditions.

 

[delvite]

Just noticed these vile little fuckers bouncing around the top layer of my soil. I've done a bit of reading and have many solutions to try but I thought I'd see if some of you more experienced growers know which methods actually work.

3-4 inch layer of play sand on top of the soil.
50/50 water / 3% hydrogen preroxide
fly traps
neem oil


Getting a bit worried that my grow may be on it's way to being fucked...

​info...........................


Fungus Gnats




Fungus gnats like to feed on roots of the plants and organic matter. Adults and larvae live in moist, shady areas. The adults lay there eggs on top of the soil, near the base of the stem and takes about 4 days to hatch. The larvae will start by eating the root hairs of the plant then working their way up the plant, Fungus gnats like to eat organic matter so they will be stealing away nutrients from your plants, so its best to get rid of them completely. Plants growing in rock wool are more prone to getting a more severe infestation than plants growing in soil. If your plants are affected during late flowering or close to harvest, please try to use the safest means of control to be safe to your health.




Prevent and Control




Prevent indoor entry of gnats by making sure there is no open windows open without screens on. Aug is a bad time for them as they are worst that time of the year.




Put sticky traps on the soil surface to trap the gnats




Put potato slices on the surface of the soil. The larvae like it and will be drawn to it.. After about 4 to 5 days, remove the potato slices with the larvae. To get rid of them you can do a lot of things like either use a NO pest strip, neem oil or putting sand on the surface of the soil will suffocate the eggs and get rid of them as well. Tobacco juice kills them, and works well for re-occurrences!




They can be in or on the soil and can fly. In order to get rid of them you can use neem oil, sand or perlite on the surface again kills them, and no pest strips catch the ones that fly. A chemical product called Zone works very well and is very powerful and works well in Hydroponics/Aeroponics!
Other Products which can be used in Hydroponics/Aeroponics and soil are:








Safer Yard & Garden Insecticide




GNATROL( used in Hydroponics/Aeroponics in the water as well as soil),
Safer Sticky Stakes,
TR-11000 Pyrethrum.
PERMETHRIN dust
Mosquito Dunks




Organic Control




Natrasoap
Pest Oil
Neem Oil
Hot Pepper Wax
Doc's Neem Pest Soap
Sticky traps
Safer's Insecticidal Soap
Neem Oil
Neem 2


...................................hope this helps Delvite
​

 

[Clonex]

There are plenty of organic products available that will kick their butt
Let your soil dry out , the love soggy soil
The sand on top does not work as they use the drainage holes instead. .
They are very clever little tykes, they can even hide when they see you coming
Buy an organic drench or change your medium not forgetting to sterilise your pots etc
The adults actually cause no harm to your plants and they do not bite its the larvae that feed on your roots.
They are also attracted to sweet things like molasses and if you have a home made Co2 generator with sugar in that will attract them also.
Keep your area clean also helps.
Think about changing to soilless mediums is a sure way to avoid them.
Act now either way.
They breed quickly.

 

[Kite High]

stop watering...,diatomaceous earth

 

[Huel Perkins]

I've defeated fungus gnats plenty of times in soil and in hydro. Buy some AzaMax and follow the directions for a soil drench. Also get some yellow sticky traps, put a couple right on top of the soil at the base of you plants as well as hang a few throughout your room. You should always have some sticky traps in your room even when there are no bugs present, they will show up on the traps and warn you of their presence before they become a problem.

 

[Cory and trevor]

was it gnats that you use a top layer of perlite so they can't lay eggs on your surface? I use a light layer and always on top and add more if I get the gnats.

 

[Clonex]

Perlite on top just blows away. It does not work. They go through drainage holes also.

 

[delvite]

was it gnats that you use a top layer of perlite so they can't lay eggs on your surface? I use a light layer and always on top and add more if I get the gnats.

perlite lol i think your thinking of sand

 

[FatMarty]

Just don't do what I did that one time...

 

[ltecato]

I've also heard mosquito dunks work.

 

[jonnynobody]

Thanks for all your responses fellas...I'm heading up to lowes and the hydro shop shortly to arm myself against these little root nazi motherfuckers. Will probably grow in soiless medium from here on out. I am no fan of bugs.

Will report back tomorrow morning.

 

[Rrog]

Next time consider starting the soil with crab shell meal. Let that cook for a few weeks. This will establish a literal army of bacteria that eat Chitin. The jaws of the fungus gnat larvae are made from Chitin...

 

[gladstoned]

I got some stuff from the hydro store before had gnat right in the name. Can't remember exactly, but it was just cedar oil I believe.
I will do some checking, so let me verify that.

 

[Bigtacofarmer]

Dude...... leave the neem amd shit alone. Clean up all standing water, let everything dry out more often and get some bacteria thungrisilis (bad speller). It can be found in mosquito dunks and gnatrol and wont is actually good for your plants. The little buggers wont last long. Stay clean too. They thrive in messy moist spaces.

 

[st0wandgrow]

I've defeated fungus gnats plenty of times in soil and in hydro. Buy some AzaMax and follow the directions for a soil drench. Also get some yellow sticky traps, put a couple right on top of the soil at the base of you plants as well as hang a few throughout your room. You should always have some sticky traps in your room even when there are no bugs present, they will show up on the traps and warn you of their presence before they become a problem.

I've done exactly what Huel is suggesting, with great results. The azamax is a little pricey, but it works. I also put some potato slices on the surface to attract the larvae. Putting sand on the surface does not work.

 

[jonnynobody]

The little fuckers came with the soil I'm certain b/c I'm a clean freak and the only thing from the outside that's in that tent is the soil. Will never use an organic soil like ocean forest again. Sticking with promix or sunshine from here on out.

I got mosquito dunks to put in some water bowls for the big fuckers, playbox sand for the top soil, and a nice chemical concentrate for the roots. All in all, I'm about $40 lighter in the wallet but the bug juice concentrate makes like 60 gallons so it will go the distance.

The diacmaceous earth (shitty spelling) was like $17 at the dro shop so I decided to pass on that and stick with my sand ($3). Hopefully the sand is just as effective otherwise I'll be heading back down for the DE in a week. Also got fly traps to put on top the sand to catch as many of these little fuckers as I can.