gnats!

carokann

carokann

Active Member
ok my gnat problem is minor with just a few every couple hours, but i got them. i need to get rid of them before they get outta control. i heard sand over soil works, but if i cover my pots with greensand will that be too much pottasium? i dont want gnats fuking shit up below the soil, i dont want to use chemicals
 
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buraka415

Active Member
you can use insecticidal soaps. i have heard greensand works, but I dont know abt the pottasium part. another guy on here told me to get playground sand from hardware store - i have them too bro. BADD!! but they are kinda more a nuisance than anything else, more so for people vs plants. they will and can feed off matter in the medium. But I've been told usually organic matter that is breaking down first, before the larvae hit the roots. I have also read here on RIU, that you can put potatoe slices out for the adults to lay eggs into, and then you can toss the slice after a few days? You're going to have to kill the larvae to really get rid of them. Some say neem oil is a good fighter, but I havent used it.

do you have a local store you can go into?
 
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Jakenbake

Active Member
I used regular sand I bought at lowe's which was made for landscaping with stones. It worked just fine and got rid of all the gnats in a couple days. Just make sure you wash the sand incredibly well before using it.
 
Christiandome

Christiandome

Member
Hey CarolCann,
Used perlite and it stop them in thier tracks. Although it took about a good week or so, they just became less and less and poof havent seen a one since.

Wish you well !
 
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buraka415

Active Member
@jakenbake - so when you wash the sand, what do you let it dry on? or are you putting it all in a bucket, hosing down, and seeping out the water? I got like 40 containers that need a sand application if so, and I'm trying to figure out the best way to wash (and dry too I guess?) that much sand. Plus there is a beach in town I could go to I suppose.
 
carokann

carokann

Active Member
im gonna spray neem on the soil and try greensand. the thing is i can see the whit eggs on the soil
 
greenpeace31

greenpeace31

Well-Known Member
ok guys i am a molasses man and it brings in the GNATS BAD i have tride all kinds of things to get rid of them they will fuck up your shit if they get to bad!! they hatch and then munch on roots THAT MAKES PLANTS HERMIE OUT FROM STRESS.best thing i found to use is HOT SHOT no stick pest strips they cost some cash but they ARE worth it!! i have some spray with neemoil in it gnats think it funny.sticky fly paper helps a lot too and i put a cap filled with molasses in each pot sitting on top of the soil they get in and never get out.
 
TwooDeff425

TwooDeff425

Well-Known Member
nah man,n just like the good man up above said (except google spelled me right, lol)... use diatomaceous earth...........http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diatomaceous_earth


it penetrates their exoskelton, then dries out n kills the little bastards....in the pnw in the spring i deal w/ these.......apply d.e. 1tablesppon/1gallon of warmer water.......apply every other watering for 1 week n watch them go bye bye.........they only live for 1 week (adults) n if u kill the eggs in the soil, no more adults :).....also it takes a lot to really impact your plants.......

hope that helps
 
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Jakenbake

Active Member
You don't need to let it dry out, it'll dry by itself once you put it on top after a couple hours. That's the beauty of it. It dries out so fast those little fuckers don't know what to do and have no where to lay their eggs.

To wash it, since it sounds like you're doing a big batch, I'd take a 5 gallon bucket and fill it 1/4 to 1/2 full with sand, stick a hose in it and turn it on as high as you can without sand coming out of the top, and just let it run. Let the water pour over the top of the bucket until it starts to run pretty clear. You should be able to see the difference between dirt coming out of the top and sand coming out. If it's sand, turn your hose down a little. You'll see how much crap is in there when it starts to run over and you'll be able to tell the difference between washed sand and unwashed pretty easily.
 
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Jakenbake

Active Member
I've washed more sand and aquarium rocks than I wish to remember, that's why I know the easiest way to get it done :) But hey, it came in handy when it was time to grow my herb, so in the end I guess you never know when random crap like that will come in handy!
 
Desertfish

Desertfish

Member
Nice. I have a few right now and I want to get a head start on them also. So, I'm going to try the sand method too. Informative thread...Thanks
 
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