Neem Oil or Nematode?

So i got Roots Organics soil and ive heard about the huge fungus gnat issues people been having and i wanna trying everything i can to stop it before it even gets close to happen so my question is.

Should i use Neem Oil or Nematodes?
Im wanting to do preventive care before my plants even get near it!
How much should i use of each?
Should i just dump it into a trash can and water it and let some nematodes loose or add neem oil or what?? Please help!

I'm not familiar with nematodes or fungus gnats, but I do know that if you use neem oil that you should use pure cold-pressed neem oil. The hydrophobic neem oil does not work nearly as good and cold-pressed neem oil is systemic. I had some leaf miners about a month ago and a soil drench with some cold-pressed neem oil and they were gone/dead within three days, though I've read the systemic properties of neem oil can take 7-10 days. Dyna-gro's neem oil is cold-pressed and here's another place with some neem oil that is held in high regards by the folks on the ROLS thread on this forum: http://www.neemresource.com/Neem&KaranjaOil.html

Thanks bro!

You're welcome

I forgot to mention that you could ask the guys in the ROLS thread https://www.rollitup.org/organics/636057-recycled-organic-living-soil-rols.html

or the Soil Food Web thread
https://www.rollitup.org/organics/427826-soil-food-web-gardening-compost.html

I think some guys were just talking about nematodes in the Soil Food Web thread. Either one has people with lots of organic knowledge.

bti is pretty good for fungus gnats. letting the top of the coco dry out a bit, and picking up dead leaves helps alot too.

I had a hard time with root aphids outdoor this year. A whole kiddie pool full of expensive amended soil has them in it too. I'm gonna test out the Nematodes on them, Im on the fence if they will work on root aphids but any thing else they will kick but on. With my studying on Nematodes The H culture is the best one as the more aggressive hunters.https://www.buglogical.com/index.php?p=home

For fungus gnats, check out mosquito dunks. They are natural and cheap. They will not help with other pests, though. The chips are a great preventative.

Hohoho fungus gnats. I deal with them every day in the greenhouse.

Preventive wise, let your media's dry out very well. They lay eggs in the soil which turn to larvae which will munch the hell out of your roots. No Bueno

If you caught them, best solution is early detection. When watering, add a few drops of castile or any animal fat soap to your solution. This will dry out the exoskeleton of any living critter in there. Works great for White flies as well. Also add half a tbsp and Neem oil tbsp per gal for foliar spraying. Make sure you get under the foliage. Could even wash leaves by hand.

I use dynagro cold pressed Neem. Runs cheaper than some other brands. Great natural fungicide as well.

Keep us updated.


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They don't seem to like ground cinnamon either. If you want an idea of how bad infestation is. Put a wedge of raw potato on top of soil, then check in a dy or so. The larvae love potato and will work their way to it.
Great advice about the soap Dirtyteddy, will def keep that in mind.