Indoor og soil questions?

[WhiteWolfman]

I am new to this indoor thing but i nthe past (outdoors) I seem to have the best luck with og soil and teas. Are there some tricks to avoid infestation when doing soil indoors?

Or is it better to just esentially do hydro but with og teas?

 

[Guest]

I have been freezing my soil sub zero F seems to work. I had a fierce fungus gnat infestation from some mushroom compost I soaked the soil with B.T. Hydro would be tricky for me hating arithmatic and all.

 

[3BM]

Hey WhiteWolf:

Avoiding pests is fairly simple. First step in an indoor environment is to control the conditions. Maintaining humidity levels through dehumidifiers and humidifiers can help to prevent excesses in either direction which can allow pests to replicate. Fungus Gants for example will drastically slow in replication when humidity drops to 40% (or lower). Temperature below 80-85F may also help to slow pest replication. Encouraging beneficial generalists in your garden is probably the best way to keep all pests in check, the most notable among these are Lady Bird Beetles, better known as lady bugs. Neem oil is an organic pest deterrent which works on a wide array of problems, not only pests but fungus as well. Never bring plant matter from outside into your garden, avoid trimming outdoor harvests near indoor gardens as well. Thrips are common in small numbers outside, but will replicate rapidly in a warm tight space like an indoor garden. Neem oil and lady bugs are the best solution to a thrip infestation. Bringing soil in from outside is perfectly fine, and does not require any sterilization. Sterilizing a medium will kill off beneficial populations and may make them more vulnerable to disease (which the beneficials would have fought off). The best way to ensure healthy compost and soil for an indoor environment is high heat compost. Turning compost rapidly and getting the C:N ratio right will keep temps above 110F. This will kill off weed seeds, pests, pathogens, and just about anything else. Then as the compost matures and is allowed to cool beneficials will again colonate the medium preparing it for use in the garden. Check out the thread "A Compost Guide" for more detail on compost methodology. Hope that helps.

3BM

I forgot to add that neem oil will deter the lady bugs as well. When dealing with light infestations neem oil once or twice a month, but if things progress introducing lady bugs will do the trick. Just be sure to back off the neem for a while to allow the lady bugs to establish. Once established the pest problems should stay manageable, and neem can be applied to plants showing particular vulnerability. Leave neem oil on plants as long as possible. Just lower circulation and let it dry for 30+minutes, the longer it sits the more effective it is. Washing the leaves afterward with clean water will encourage the lady bugs to return to the plant.

 

[WhiteWolfman]

thanks for the tips! Now what is the best containers to use for indoor og soil setups? Also is it good to cover the soil with something so it becomes less of a breeding ground?