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gnats

T

thismembername

noticed today that I have a small gnat problem. Started about two days ago, im moving them outside this week.

should i be concerned.

wont moving them outside take care of the issue?
 
If they are fungus gnats and you have larvae in the soil, you have big problems if untreated. The larvae will feast on your roots. Search "fungus gnats" and you'll pull up many options. Putting them outdoors will not make it go away. The gnats themselves are not harmful - it's the larvae.
 
Their larvae like to eat roots, if your top watering stop, or water them with a H2O and H2O2 mix, 1 cup of 3% H2O2 per gallon of water to start, if they persist double up the H2O2 in the mix, you have to use the mix right away. I apply this treatment every 3 days or until those little bastards are gone, bottom watering keeps their numbers down,as they like moist soil for the top inch or 2.
 
Use mosquito dunks to rid possible larvae. Set up some sticky traps and bottom water to prevent moist/wet soil which is a perfect breeding ground for the fungus gnats.
 
megahot said:
Use mosquito dunks to rid possible larvae. Set up some sticky traps and bottom water to prevent moist/wet soil which is a perfect breeding ground for the fungus gnats.
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I did all of this and still have them. Worst I have ever seen them in my grows ever. I even used AzaMax and I think I ruined 1/4th of my plants. Shortly after using it I noticed on a bunch of my plants the tops started dying, I followed the mixture directions. Next year I'll be putting sand on the top layer to see if that helps. I only bottom water as well unless for most part.

tmn - Just search Google for a picture of fungal gnats, easy to tell the difference between them when comparing to fruit flies and regular gnats. Unless your plants have rotten fruit I doubt they are anything other than fungal gnats.
 
[background=rgb(255, 244, 228)]Shortly after using it I noticed on a bunch of my plants the tops started dying,[/background]
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I've noticed that too, but I attributed it to the larva eating the roots up and the plant starting to wither, the plants that got gnats bad early in the winter have pretty much recovered so I suspect that most will if the larva is killed in time.

I've gotten a lot of damage this year from fungus gnats, but I think the Azamax keeps them under control.


Chris, I've pulled a bunch of plants out of the soil once they showed signs of fungus gnat damage and placed them in hydro tanks. Their roots were almost gone. Well all the little roots were gone and just the larger ones were left. Most recovered in the hydro tanks.
 
Yeah I potted up all mine into new soil and containers. The issue with the tops of the plants was 2 days after the spray and way too many plants to blame the gnats. Next grow season is war! Anyone ever crushed those mosquito dunks and put them in your soil mix? I wonder if it would work once wet.
 
Interesting. I didn't spray my plants. I just did the soil drench to kill the larva, but I can't see how the spray would hurt anything.
 
Jeff H said:
Interesting. I didn't spray my plants. I just did the soil drench to kill the larva, but I can't see how the spray would hurt anything.
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I agree but unfortunately saw it with my own eyes. I'd take pictures but it is too painful, just hoping enough recover. I did the drench one week and sprayed the following.
 
I had them VERY BAD this year!

How ever I have found a solution that worked for me. Fly strips are 2$ for 5 at my local, orange big box store.

I hung those things up and the next day most are almost completely full!

Sure it doesn't kill, larva, but it kills them when they reach adulthood. At least I'm not spreading BT all over my soil from Mosquito Dunks. BT will kill lots of the beneficial critters that support the food feb of the soil.

I used strips last year and eventually the predators gained control and I didn't have a problem...

If you poison them, you will poison the predator that hunt them as well.

pit900_hi_1.jpg

So far I have not caught one benificial with a flys trip. No Bee's, No butter fly's, No Ladybug's.
Just Thousands of GNATS. If you guys want I can post some pictures, but be warned its sorta a nasty sight to be seen.
 
Jeff H said:
Interesting. I didn't spray my plants. I just did the soil drench to kill the larva, but I can't see how the spray would hurt anything.
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Same here. This is the first year ever I've had zero gnats. All I did was a preventive soil drench with Azamax early on. I plan to do it again soon, now that I'm done potting up.
 
If you poison them, you will poison the predator that hunt them as well.
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That is a good saying for outside, but in my basement, I prefer no bugs what so ever, so I have no qualms with killing them all. :twisted:


I too use that fly tape for the adults. It is about the only way to get them.


It sucked when the fan blew one onto my harry arm however!
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Seems to happen to me almost every time I go in to water. :rolleyes:
 
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