Fungus gnat experiment #569

Greengrouch said:

Same.

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Do hydro and you won't have gnats they say - Oh Sure!!!

Star Dog said:

After re potting that plant and seeing gnats it made me think there's probably gnats in the medium...there's deffo not, tbh I think it's too dry but that aside I'm testing it?

On that day last week I put some of the new coco into a clear bag and nothing has hatched yet?

At the same time I opened up this one and put in a bag with space around it no fresh coco.
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Holy fk 2/3 days later frickin gnats...it confirms to me gnats can last 5/6 weeks without hatching?

To be sure and avoid doubt I sealed these wks back they've not been opened at all.
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It's physically impossible to get in/out there and gnats were still hatching up to last week.

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I had a half bag of FFOF last run that was sealed with a twist tie in my closet. It was sealed for a couple months. FFOF is moist in the bag. There were baby gnats crawling out within a few days of opening the bag and I had it folded over, just not completely airtight. It's happened multiple times with new bags during winter when there were no flyers in the neighborhood. I firmly believe that media can and often is contaminated with gnat eggs. I'm fairly certain the eggs can stay viable for at least several months in a somewhat moist substrate. I plan on going Coco soon as I can afford to but I figure after seeing this that ill have to heat it like the FFOF, just to be sure. This year has had fkn Kryptonian fungus gnats lol.

Can anyone say 100% sure they've had gnats in coco?

Getting pests in soil/compost makes sense to me that's logical i've never doubted that but tbf i've never had gnats in coco (canna) before now I mean.
That's assuming I didn't kill them with it just sitting or whatever but I'm 100% certain i've not dealt with gnats before now, I've dealt with spider mite twice and thrips once but no gnats I'm 100% sure.

I won't rule out anything living in it but it's dry enough in the bag to be flowing it's not bone dry but not damp sticky either I'd guess it's unattractive to gnats if wet is their preference?

I snapped a pic so you all know what I'm on about.

That's the plant from above basically I just gave them space to fly into if they're alive.

Im in dtw coco dry brick self washed and buffered and had them like crazy. I didnt know coco could get infested lots of people doubt it can but it did. They didnt come in it though I dont think if thats what you meant, if certain they werent there to begin with..

I grew for like a year on and off first few grows unprotected and had no issue. Idk what made them suddenly go crazy. I used to always use fabric pots which I switched back to, the floraflex one gallon pot and cap made super root bound balls that maybe they love as my veg plants down stairs are always white shiney healhty roots no gnats.

As they age they did, the mom plants I had and in flower they just went crazy. I was skeptical the panty hose would work but then I realized dabbing the tied area with some jell trap for bugs solves that. Elastic plant tie so the stem can expand. Its a little tedious but worth it my tents have zero gnats all the sudden.

Panty hose expensive but gnats were ruining the whole grow anyway. Il pay the fees, I bought so many traps and plug in traps could of bought me years worth of my new way. I dont need any traps anymore, nothing, just this jell stuff, elastic plant tie and panty hose each run.

I guess not just the rootbound as I last second had a bad blow up of gnats with small mini clones that weremt rootbound. Somethings turning my roots rotten looking usually heavy gnattage when I see that.

I will say though they for sure love the way in from above and below plastic pot so maybe the fabric being closed off helped. I read a lot they dont like to go that deep in the media but idk lol. This thread is awesome the idea of them never getting in was great.

Star Dog said:

It's physically impossible to get in/out there and gnats were still hatching up to last week.

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Are fungus gnats inter dimensional beings?

This morning I seen another gnat, according to the date on a post that bag was sealed 2 Oct

That's 6 going 7 weeks and they're still hatching.

The upside is I've not spent any money or used poison and the numbers are down to a few gnats, I wouldn't call it a result but its good progress.

Mustard seed meal is said to be a great deterrent. Only use it sparingly, it can jack your soils pH. It's included in BAS BuildAFlower. Haven't seen one gnat since it's use.

I use FFOF, Roots Organic etc. Many times, they seem to come with built-in gnats. It's pretty common, I think.

I have been top dressing my containers with rice hulls to keep the top layer of soil from drying out and also as a preventative to gnats. The rice hulls allow water to pass over them quickly and then they dry out right away and that dry layer on top seems to deter gnats from emerging. And, the upper soil layer stays more in equilibrium with the rest of the soil in the container.

tstick said:

I use FFOF, Roots Organic etc. Many times, they seem to come with built-in gnats. It's pretty common, I think.

I have been top dressing my containers with rice hulls to keep the top layer of soil from drying out and also as a preventative to gnats. The rice hulls allow water to pass over them quickly and then they dry out right away and that dry layer on top seems to deter gnats from emerging. And, the upper soil layer stays more in equilibrium with the rest of the soil in the container.

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By the way, the cheapest place I’ve found rice hulls, was from online beer-brewery-supply stores.

Lol yea they kinda teleported in there, I think its from veg area as there are traps there showing gnats are present but some how not going out of control until I move them to flower room. Used to be a veg cabinet that has tons of gnats its all gone now. I just killed a few gnats from within the pot probably eggs that hatched.

I have a 25 gallon tub I mix my coco pearlite that I leave out for months at a time no gnats only some tiny mold spots. I take those out by hand and spray h202 on top and then again while mixing the coco to kill the mold. Its in cool basement kinda humid though 60rh. 45rh winter if its dry winter.

So I know there infesting the pots from the start in veg room now just not out of control. Something about the flower room I thought but probably coincidence. They spend the rest of their lives there idk because I had veg plants in there before too used to also veg in there and just nothing like the flower plants and then the mom plants that used to be there.

The mom things throws me off or just adds that it can get out of control if the plants stay there long enough. I know tossing plants or moving them to another tent drastically removes visible flyers. Shit anyway I do see one gnat that tried to escape the panty but got stuck between the fabric pot and panty. Idk if it wedged itself there to death trying find way out.

One gnat on the jell trap that didnt make it far trying to find a way in through there. Paint strain bag 200 or 220u but from what I read 120u panty hose roughly. I dont think they got in or out so yea sad to see them but good to see they cant get out or in so maybe next run wont have any gnats at all.

I thought I saw a white colored moth like flyer crawling in there idk. I think I just trapped them as mentioned so its only good if you do it from planting. Goodluck seedlings maybe have a quarentene box or cabinet etc until it thickens and can handle the next steps. I got cuts should be rooted by now that will start fresh.

I guess I will have to be back to confirm it works or they indeed are interdimentional. I guess consensus is here tell us how you got rid of the damn things lol.

Is anyone aware these things can stay dormant in dry soil and maybe drybrick coco for a “long” time? Shoot. Anyone know how long exactly? Best way to kill them before using it? Im in dtw coco I dont think I can bake it but willing to, probably wont smell bad its just coco. Could get some athena or captain somethin Il have to look back.

Most of what I've read says larvae hatch in 5/7 days but I know that's not really accurate based on 1st hand experience.
I also read they can last 4/5 wks in cooler conditions...that's relatable only it's nearer 6/7 weeks but hey were moving in the right direction with info, all I can be absolutely sure off is they can last up to 6/7 weeks after eggs get laid.

Damn that sucks I thought for a sec maybe yall would say it probably dont get into coco like that or maybe it can which would suck to hear. Maybe rockwool is better? I wonder if the roots poking out will be a issue if they can some how lay eggs on it and the larva still do theyre thing or craw up into root zone.

Ive been rubbing those off but reading about pythium damn its not good to have root wounds or gnats crawling on just the tips. Maybe if theres no gnats hatching in the prepared coco then Im good but at least Im thinkin lol.

I mean thats good to hear you dont think they stay dormant that long but yea I wonder if they can get in the coco manufacturing process. Wouldnt doubt it. I wonder if rinsing the coco helps.

medidedicated said:

Is anyone aware these things can stay dormant in dry soil and maybe drybrick coco for a “long” time? Shoot. Anyone know how long exactly? Best way to kill them before using it? Im in dtw coco I dont think I can bake it but willing to, probably wont smell bad its just coco. Could get some athena or captain somethin Il have to look back.

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I explained in a previous post what to do before using your medium to kill larvae and eggs. Athena IPM or Lost Coast Plant Therapy (very expensive) are the handful of insecticides that you can use to do a soil soak.

Yea thats it, lost coast. I think Il get some to be safe it sucks how just one can mess the method up. Was just busy wondering if my stash is even safe to use and figuring out buying from people again. Pythium probably from the gnats. I didnt realize it until now good thing I got good notes.

I recall you saying the lost coast is better Il probably get some of that. Gnats are a bigger problem than I thought. It explains the root rot and sudden death and theres not much info on if you can salvage any of the good parts more so not to.

I remember one time when I had a bad case of root rot in a monster DWC plant, and many of the branches kept wilting and dying off. Figured I could save it anyway, and up the hydroguard doses. I went to cut off one of the big dead branches, and it was all hollowed out with a long tunnel running up the inner xylem, like a vein or something. All dark and rotten looking too. As I'm sitting there looking at it (all like WTF?), I thought I seen movement inside. Then.. a couple of plump fungus gnat larva wriggled out of the hole!

I never thought about it but gnats eat mould and stuff they carry whatever they've eating and walking in, insects are known to spread problems.

Dangerous stuff can be trapped in those hairs and insects are covered in them even the feet lol