Fungus Gnats!!

petert

petert

Well-Known Member
Bought two very healthy looking mother plants and put them in a brand new veg tent that's never had any plants in them.
10 days later I have the little buggers everywhere.
I was thinking of doing a soak in Nukem.. But now maybe I'm thinking of just repotting both mothers on new pots and soil and washing the roots.
They are big bushy plants. Ones an Afghani the other a G-13. Both beautiful plants if I can save em..
Lesson learned about bringing in outside plants!!
What do you think about the root wash and repotting idea??
 
rob333

rob333

Well-Known Member
petert said:
Bought two very healthy looking mother plants and put them in a brand new veg tent that's never had any plants in them.
10 days later I have the little buggers everywhere.
I was thinking of doing a soak in Nukem.. But now maybe I'm thinking of just repotting both mothers on new pots and soil and washing the roots.
They are big bushy plants. Ones an Afghani the other a G-13. Both beautiful plants if I can save em..
Lesson learned about bringing in outside plants!!
What do you think about the root wash and repotting idea??
Click to expand...
peroxcide or let ya pots dry right out for about a week they cant live in dry spells eggs will die off aswell
 
petert

petert

Well-Known Member
rob333 said:
peroxcide or let ya pots dry right out for about a week they cant live in dry spells eggs will die off aswell
Click to expand...
You talking watering with regular or food grade peroxide? Have never had fungus gnats before. I use Nukem as a preventative.
 
jim0202

jim0202

Member
Gnats are said to only hatch on the surface, so there should be no need to mess with the underlying soil and roots. Try letting the soil dry and watering infrequently.
I use an automatic watering system that uses a 12 hour interval, so I can't take my own advise on this one. The top of the soil doesn't dry long enough to prevent a few from hatching. Running the water lines about an inch under the surface of the soil made a big difference, but I still see a couple. I found this discussion because I'm looking for something to cover the soil with that will breath but stop the hatching, maybe straw, rock, fabric, or some type of air filter material. I'd love to hear from anyone who has tried something like this. Or I may just run a fan down across the soil, that would keep the top pretty dry.
 
thegreensurfer

thegreensurfer

Well-Known Member
Please do not use peroxide it's going to kill the beneficial microbes in your soil.
Gnats are not a big deal. Problem solved easily......Use azamax soil drench or diatomaceous earth as Justin said.
 
thegreensurfer

thegreensurfer

Well-Known Member
jim0202 said:
Gnats are said to only hatch on the surface, so there should be no need to mess with the underlying soil and roots. Try letting the soil dry and watering infrequently.
I use an automatic watering system that uses a 12 hour interval, so I can't take my own advise on this one. The top of the soil doesn't dry long enough to prevent a few from hatching. Running the water lines about an inch under the surface of the soil made a big difference, but I still see a couple. I found this discussion because I'm looking for something to cover the soil with that will breath but stop the hatching, maybe straw, rock, fabric, or some type of air filter material. I'd love to hear from anyone who has tried something like this. Or I may just run a fan down across the soil, that would keep the top pretty dry.
Click to expand...
Sprinkle diatomaceous earth on it. It has no effect on the plant.
 
jim0202

jim0202

Member
Wet dead roots almost certainly equal fungus gnats, but the opposite isn't necessarily true. I recently removed two plans (with gnats) and the roots were fine (as were the plants, there just wasn't room for them). Even in 2 gallon pots there were no roots in the top few inches of soil, so at least in that case the roots and gnats were occupying different subterranean homes. But I agree that gnats can be a sign of over-watering, and we've all seen what that leads to.
 
rob333

rob333

Well-Known Member
Justinsbudzzz said:
I use it my plants are healthy as can be if get food grade.. what does it matter ? Is there something I should no about it that u do ?
Click to expand...
look at close up images of the product u said now i wouldent want that stuff no were near my roots for 2nd layering the pots will stop them from relaying but if its still moist under say sand or earth u say soon as the water soaks in or washes away boom ya gnates are back why u let them dry right out beyond finger deep dry then once its nice and dry hit with a low dose of peroxcide which will burn and kill eggs and larva
 
plantsinpants

plantsinpants

Well-Known Member
petert said:
Bought two very healthy looking mother plants and put them in a brand new veg tent that's never had any plants in them.
10 days later I have the little buggers everywhere.
I was thinking of doing a soak in Nukem.. But now maybe I'm thinking of just repotting both mothers on new pots and soil and washing the roots.
They are big bushy plants. Ones an Afghani the other a G-13. Both beautiful plants if I can save em..
Lesson learned about bringing in outside plants!!
What do you think about the root wash and repotting idea??
Click to expand...
I got the same deal off two clones in solo cups ,, so i transplanted in biger pots with dry soil to spped up the. Rootball drying process, ( fungus gnats appear when there is too much moisture in your soil) i will wait until they are ready to wilt from thirst before next watering,,,,, i though of root washing but fear it will stunt the plant, but maybe not,, i pruned the roots a litle before re planting,,( they where a tadd root bound) ,, maybe your on to something,, ? Keep us posted
 
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petert

petert

Well-Known Member
Yeah. The repotting and root washing will be a bit of a chore since that are in 5 gallon pots. I haven't done it yet.. But it seems like the most thorough solution.
I'm going to pick up some DE and sand and apply those after I scrape off the top inch of soil... Then let her dry out.
If that doesn't take care of the problem I'll do the replace everything and wash the roots.
 
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