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Hypoasis for fungus gnats?

Herbasaurus

Member
ICMag Donor
Hypoaspis for fungus gnats?


Problem, older fan leaves curling down, yellow and die. Sticky trap has several gnats per sq. cm

* Hydro or Soil – Soil – Radiance organic potting mix, blood& bone ½ cup per cubit foot, lime ½ cup per 2 cubit feet, Yates Dynamic Lifter (pelletized manure and seaweed, oganic,) ½ cup per cubit foot, Naked farmer Organic Soil activator 1 cup per cubit foot, Wormwork organic compost casing 15% , 30% perlite

* Type of light? - 600 watt HPS X2, 18/6, 24 inches from plants

* "Atmosphere" Conditions - large exhaust fan thru ceiling, rotating floor fan. Dry air. temp range from 68 to 88 depending on weather. No air conditioning or heat.

* Waterings , Brita filtered, water when dry finger in soil. Kept more wet when seedlings younger but past 2 weeks have been trying to keep them drier thinking that over watering was the problem. 1 gal containers with small air vents down sides, (some recently repotted into 2 ½ gal). Tried just misting the soil a few days ago, thinking I might have been over watering which I think may have aggravated the gnat problem.

* PH Range - 6.4 +or-.2 little or no run off

* Nutrients/Supplements - Seasol seaweed concentrate 1tsp per 2liters 2-3 times a week, Yates natures way fish emulsion 9%N, 2%P, 6%K 1tsp to 2 liters used once at 3 and 5 weeks

- Sorry no pics

* Design and Dates (Size of your setup, and how long you have had it, age of the P's)- 5 week from seed plants, approx 5 internodes, some topped, good secondary growth in approx 2 square meters. Setup 5 weeks old.

.

Plants doing okay height wise approx 8 inches, 5 internodes and good secondary growth, but older fan leaves curling down then yellowing and dying.

Just repotted some and they had a lot of roots at bottom but not at sides of pot. Have done 2 epsom salt foilar feedings (1tsp per 2 liters water) approx 1 week ago without change.

Thought I might have been overwatering but let plants dry out and did very minimal water for the past 5 days but problem persists.

Showed local grow store my sticky trap fairly full of what they say is fungus gnats, which they say are the problem. They suggest either several poisons or Hypoaspis predator mites.

Considering going with the predator mites but a fairly pricey option and would like a second opinion.

I'm told the mites will die off once the gnats are and larvae are eaten and would like assurance that this won't become a 'get rid of the mites now' problem.

Thank You
 
O

otherwhitemeat

One word: Azamax...I've suffered with fungus gnats for a year until I found this. It's the active ingredient from Neem oil, so it's organic, and it kills gnat larvae QUICK. $20 for a bottle at my local hydro store, keep the sticky traps in place to kill the adults. 2-3 treatments and you won't see a gnat again.
 
One word: Azamax...I've suffered with fungus gnats for a year until I found this. It's the active ingredient from Neem oil, so it's organic, and it kills gnat larvae QUICK. $20 for a bottle at my local hydro store, keep the sticky traps in place to kill the adults. 2-3 treatments and you won't see a gnat again.
Agreed. It's good stuff, but it's $60 a pint or so, very expensive, but when I tried to save money by using other stuff I ended up right back at azamax.
 

habeeb

follow your heart
ICMag Donor
Veteran
^ azamax is just a ripoff

fungus gnats don't cause plant problems except eating your roots ( which you cant see). Ive never heard of a case of fungus gnats affecting plant leaves as of yet.

top dress perlite/or DE /or sand/ or neem seed
neem oil
sticky traps/ and or cup of water
mosquito dunks / gnatrol
nematodes

and some others I can't remember
 
^ azamax is just a ripoff

fungus gnats don't cause plant problems except eating your roots ( which you cant see). Ive never heard of a case of fungus gnats affecting plant leaves as of yet.

top dress perlite/or DE /or sand/ or neem seed
neem oil
sticky traps/ and or cup of water
mosquito dunks / gnatrol
nematodes

and some others I can't remember
It might be a ripoff if you're only using it to control gnats, but it's a broad spectrum control. All the ones you listed work well for me, but nematodes have to be reapplied about every couple weeks, so they end up being quite a bit more expensive than azamax over time, at least for me!
 

Herbasaurus

Member
ICMag Donor
Went with the predator mites and they worked very nicely.

Thanks ffor all the info though. will be checking out the sand layer next time as a preventative.

Pretty sure the source of the problem was some really wet worm casings.
 
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