Orange bug in Roots Organic

Kind Sir

Kind Sir

Well-Known Member
I was looking through the top layer of my roots organic original bag for any trouble. I leave a screened window cracked as its cold, but was warmer in low 60s for a few days so I killed like 5 fungus gnats. While looking for more, I saw 2(I bet theres more) orange crawling bugs on the top soil. I put a layer of food grade Diameticous Earth to dry anything out. What should I do?
I have a deep freeze if that could help.
 
xSwimToTheMoon

xSwimToTheMoon

Well-Known Member
I can't speak for the life surviving afterword, but alot of guys put thier dirt in the oven on a low setting to ''sterilize" any strange happenings in thier store bought mix.

I had some gnats in a bag I bought this summer I believe.
 
Kind Sir

Kind Sir

Well-Known Member
xSwimToTheMoon said:
I can't speak for the life surviving afterword, but alot of guys put thier dirt in the oven on a low setting to ''sterilize" any strange happenings in thier store bought mix.

I had some gnats in a bag I bought this summer I believe.
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Do you think I should do that? I wanted to make a living soil out of it
 
Oddjob

Oddjob

Well-Known Member
Just to let ya know, if you do bake the soil at a low temp, your house will smell quite badly for awhile. Stick with Diatomaceous Earth for time being...
 
Kind Sir

Kind Sir

Well-Known Member
Oddjob said:
Just to let ya know, if you do bake the soil at a low temp, your house will smell quite badly for awhile. Stick with Diatomaceous Earth for time being...
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Thanks for the tip. I put DE on top layer, and put the whole bag in my deep freeze. Think thatll do the trick? If not Ill have to put it in the oven.. Will that cause any issues as Im organic.
 
Richard Drysift

Richard Drysift

Well-Known Member
I think the DE will take care of it. It is normal for organic soil to have mites & all kinds of creepy crawlers in it. They won't hurt the plants & the DE should cut down their populations.
 
Buzz Buzzilla

Buzz Buzzilla

Well-Known Member
DE is good at keeping bug populations down but does nothing for eggs or larvae. Look into using worm tea! Kills a lot of bad larvae eggs and even adult pests while adding many other micro nutes and
resistances to your plants.
 
papa canna

papa canna

Well-Known Member
I would not recommend putting soil in the oven or freezer. Buying bagged soil is paying a premium for a living ecosystem, which is all fine and good. But to pay premium and then go out of your way to destroy that ecosystem is stupid. Especially when there are easier ways of dealing with it
 
Kind Sir

Kind Sir

Well-Known Member
papa canna said:
I would not recommend putting soil in the oven or freezer. Buying bagged soil is paying a premium for a living ecosystem, which is all fine and good. But to pay premium and then go out of your way to destroy that ecosystem is stupid. Especially when there are easier ways of dealing with it
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Ok thanks for the tip, I just got freaked out cuz I grow in my office and its super clean w/ wood floors and never have bug issues and like to keep it that way. Those little orange guys cant be beneficial but Im not sure. Think the soil is good to use?
 
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