overwintering Defeating fungus gnats next winter

Jeff H

Jeff H

If next year goes like this year did, I'll end up with around 50 plants to go outside in the spring. What I want to avoid it the 50 or more that get lost due to fungus gnats eating all the baby roots. and the constant starting of new seeds I had to do to insure I had the plants I wanted.
 
My current thought to battle the creatures--don't use soil.
 
1 gallon fabric root pouches are about 6-7" wide and I can fit about 50 plants in a 4'x4' ebb and flow tank. If I fill the root pouches with pea gravel or something else real cheap, I won't be upset if I loose a bunch to plants that get put in the ground and the root pouches should keep the plants from getting rootbound if they get to big. I'll have no room to transplant them into anything bigger until they go outside next year. I also think the root pouches will keep the super long hydro roots from developing. This should help in the transition to soil in the spring which is where most will end up.
 
Any thoughts or comments on this?
 
I wanted to use perlite initially, but some googling revealed that it floats, so that won't work for ebb and flow. Any other mediums that are real cheap? I have a free sourse of pea gravel so unless there is a downside, I will go that way.
Darn it, posted in the wrong forum. Mill, please move it.
 
I too had a serious issue, check out some fly tape pictures I posted. This biggest claim I have seen is the add sand to the top layer so they do not lay eggs and then just kill off the adults. 
 
You don't need to battle fungal gnats if you can prevent them from multiplying in the first place.
If using soil or peat based mix keep the top layer of medium dry...bone dry. A soiless mix such as Roots for example will wick up the water faster when bottom watering than a soil medium...The peat based will also form a crust on top when left to dry which helps prevent pest penetration and larve production.

Another problem is high humidity in a smaller grow room. I run a dehumidifier, sometimes two during the winter indoor grow to keep the moisture levels down. I had a small issue towards the end of the indoor grow. The last bags of Pro-Mix that were stored in the garage didn't have a chance to dry out. I usually divide a few bags as needed into 5 gal buckets to air out a few days before usuage. Rather than going to the grow shop to buy some dry stuff I used the damp mix.....within 3 days I had the critters bouncing around....the mix in the pots was just to wet to evaporate. I topped off alot of pots with a dry mix of peat and discontinued bottom watering until the pots felt light weight or if the plants looked stressed. It didn't take long and within 2 weeks they were gone. Lesson learned.........keep the moisture to a minimum...indoors.
There are plenty of products , dunks and soil washes...Go Gnats, they probably work over time. I just don't like the thought of rewetting the top of the medium.
Good luck with next years grow.....hey wait a minute....ya have to finish this one first.
 
What, do you guys think that I work for you all or something?  BAH!!!!!

Oh yeah, moved :)

Use the pea gravel and toss a mosquito dunk in the reservoir.  BTi will take care of those buggers in no time and will not hurt your plants.

PIC 1 said:
..hey wait a minute....ya have to finish this one first.
Click to expand...
 
 
Every year I cant wait to start a new one as early as april.  Get a shitty start and allI can do is look forward to the next one.
 
thismembername said:
I just don't feel right using mosquito dunks on my plants and then eating any fruit from it
Click to expand...
It's a bacteria that kills the bugs and in no way affects the plant. It's not a poison like Sevin or one of the other toxic ones.
Marijuana growers use BT spray to kill budworm and nobody complains about the taste or anything. ;)
 
millworkman said:
And no one liked my previous comment?!?!?!?!?!?!!!!????
 
 
LOCKED!!!!!!!
Click to expand...
 
 
Ha ha. 
 
I was out of town for the holiday, but I'm back now. 
 
You bring up an interesting thought. I was assuming that without soil, there was nowhere for the larva to hatch and thrive. Are you saying that I might still get fungus gnats if I did a ebb and flow system?? I do like your idea about BTi. Seems like it would be an easy way to get rid of them if I did get them. 
 
They can live in hydro no problem especially with a media like pea gravel. Coco and perlite are bad too but I would say pure hydroton would work great. They can survive on roots only and unfortunately they like them enough to do just that. Ive eradicated them from winters past by tossing a dunk in the res and watering the soil plants with this water as well. Good luck.
 
BTi definitely works. It is the most effective treatment I have found yet for gnats, and I have probably tried them all. I don't do hydro, but I have had some serious problems indoors under lights with them.
 
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