How to combat fungus gnats during cook?

VincenzioVonHook

VincenzioVonHook

Well-Known Member
Hey all, I'm trying to cook an organic mix. It's your usual peat/compost with Neem, kelp, alfalfa, coconut, soybean and alfalfa meal. Dolomite lime, ground phosphate and volcanic rock as mineral.

Within three days of cook in a bin there is hundreds of fungus gnats.

Is there anything I can mix in that will deter gnats while keeping the medium safe for use?

This is the second time I've tried to cook an organic mix, and within a week it's a swarm in my back yard.
 
VincenzioVonHook

VincenzioVonHook

Well-Known Member
PadawanWarrior said:
So you're making it outside?

Hypoaspis miles and nematodes is what solved my problem. I just added EWC, since it had both.
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Cheers for the heads up. Nematodes slipped my mind. Can't believe I didn't think of that. I've been a cheap bastard lately and worm casting were super pricey at my local so I skipped out and used basic compost but it was loaded with gnat larvae from what iv seen.
 
VincenzioVonHook

VincenzioVonHook

Well-Known Member
ComfortCreator said:
DM. Put on a mask and gloves and sprinkle over the pile or top of the barrel. It has always worked for me.
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I'm one of those super nerds that wears a mask when working with organic matter.

I had a mate that come close to passing after histoplasmosis from soil. Have also seen nasty chest infections that caused inflammatory issues. I have lupus and RA so I'm ultra careful.
 
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Boatguy

Boatguy

Well-Known Member
VincenzioVonHook said:
Hey all, I'm trying to cook an organic mix. It's your usual peat/compost with Neem, kelp, alfalfa, coconut, soybean and alfalfa meal. Dolomite lime, ground phosphate and volcanic rock as mineral.

Within three days of cook in a bin there is hundreds of fungus gnats.

Is there anything I can mix in that will deter gnats while keeping the medium safe for use?

This is the second time I've tried to cook an organic mix, and within a week it's a swarm in my back yard.
Click to expand...
Gnatrol.. Use it
Can be found on ebay in smaller quantities
 
PadawanWarrior

PadawanWarrior

Well-Known Member
VincenzioVonHook said:
I'm one of those super nerds that wears a mask when working with organic matter.

I had a mate that come close to passing after histoplasmosis from soil. Have also seen nasty chest infections that caused inflammatory issues. I have lupus and RA so I'm ultra careful.
Click to expand...
Same here man. Breathing that shit isn't good. I wonder if SubCool ever wore one. He should have been, especially with his condition.
 
Richard Drysift

Richard Drysift

Well-Known Member
DE will help but wear a dust mask; also a good form of silica once broken down. I used to get a ton of gnats coming from my worm bin. Solved this problem by simply draping a piece of mesh over the top and secure w/ a bungee cord or clothespins. It is the same type of mesh I use to build sifting screens; 90 microns….same kind used for silk screening. Very cheap.
 
VincenzioVonHook

VincenzioVonHook

Well-Known Member
Richard Drysift said:
DE will help but wear a dust mask; also a good form of silica once broken down. I used to get a ton of gnats coming from my worm bin. Solved this problem by simply draping a piece of mesh over the top and secure w/ a bungee cord or clothespins. It is the same type of mesh I use to build sifting screens; 90 microns….same kind used for silk screening. Very cheap.
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The mesh is a great idea. I'm going to give it a go. Cheers.
 
J

JimmyJackCorn

Well-Known Member
Richard Drysift said:
DE will help but wear a dust mask; also a good form of silica once broken down. I used to get a ton of gnats coming from my worm bin. Solved this problem by simply draping a piece of mesh over the top and secure w/ a bungee cord or clothespins. It is the same type of mesh I use to build sifting screens; 90 microns….same kind used for silk screening. Very cheap.
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Did you install the mesh over the top of the container, leaving open space between the mesh and the bin? Or did you press the mesh down to the surface of the bin's contents? I ask because I get gnats in my sealed soil containers, but there is air space between the lid and the soil so I'm kinda wondering about details.
 
Richard Drysift

Richard Drysift

Well-Known Member
JimmyJackCorn said:
Did you install the mesh over the top of the container, leaving open space between the mesh and the bin? Or did you press the mesh down to the surface of the bin's contents? I ask because I get gnats in my sealed soil containers, but there is air space between the lid and the soil so I'm kinda wondering about details.
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Yes I just drape mesh over top of the bin; over the lid. There is some space (3-5 cm) between where the vermicompost lays and the lip of the bin. Under the lip mesh is secured with a bungee. I would guess many hundreds of fungus gnats born of the bin tried finding their way out only to die of exhaustion…their rotting carcasses consumed by worms..the poor little bastards.
 
VincenzioVonHook

VincenzioVonHook

Well-Known Member
In another note, how hot is too hot? I've heard people say to leave it in the sun to kill pests, but I'm worried that it'll kill the biological activity as well.
 
N

Northwood

Well-Known Member
VincenzioVonHook said:
Cheers for the heads up. Nematodes slipped my mind. Can't believe I didn't think of that. I've been a cheap bastard lately and worm casting were super pricey at my local so I skipped out and used basic compost but it was loaded with gnat larvae from what iv seen.
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I don't think bagged sifted worm castings have a lot of nematodes or predatory mites in it, and I bet not even many live worms either. For the real benefit of worm castings, you pretty much have to use fresh castings straight from your own worm bin.
 
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