Diary PCBuds mini-grow

[PCBuds]

I just saw another fungus gnat flying around my window plants.
This one got away.
That's the fifth or sixth one in the past few days.

I still haven't seen any in the closet, but I think that I should throw out all the soil in the pots when these window plants are done.

I want to recover the clay pellets from the pots, so I will remove them and boil them to sterilize them. (or maybe nuke them.)

I'll take a big scoop of soil from the closet to mix with the new soil for my next window plant.

I'm just going to grow one plant on the window sill next time.
It's a bit easier, and I can get better lighting with a single plant.

 

[PCBuds]

It's day 13 since my closet plant broke through the surface.























It looks like I've got 5 fingers coming on my next set of leaves.
I guess that's a sign that she's on track.

 

[Caio]

She is growing fast.

You make me want to grow some autos..........

 

[ReikoX]

Closet plant is looking happy and healthy.

 

[PCBuds]

She is growing fast.

You make me want to grow some autos..........

They might lack consistency, but they are so easy, and they're not fussy divas like photo plants.

 

[PCBuds]

Closet plant is looking happy and healthy.

Yeah, she's doing great.


I don't really care whether it ends up growing like either the right or left window plant.

The right window plant has denser buds, but mold isn't an issue at this time of year.

They were both tall, and that's all I care about.

 

[PCBuds]

My sticky traps arrived today.
I hung one in my window plants and stuck one to the wall in my closet.

 

[PCBuds]

 

[PCBuds]

I glued a piece of measuring tape to my float.







I've got an inch and a quarter of water at the bottom of my planter...







My weird plant is also doing well.
I thought that it might be a four leaf clover, but I think I see five or six leaves? Lol







I still don't know what it is??

I'm keeping it for good luck.
(even if it's got too many leaves. Lol)

 

[PCBuds]

I caught one !!

The little bastard !!!

 

[PCBuds]

They're tiny.
I had to clip on my jewelers loupe.

 

[Sampas92]

They're tiny.
I had to clip on my jewelers loupe.



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Its a big mf too kkkk

 

[ReikoX]

I caught one !!

Just think of all the eggs it can no longer lay in your soil.

 

[PCBuds]

Just think of all the eggs it can no longer lay in your soil.

I'm pretty sure that my diatomaceous earth isn't working because it's soaking wet, but it is about 1/2" thick layer of mush.
I also have holes in the sides of the pots.

But,... I found the first one on Dec 8th and I had seen a bunch during the month before that, when I thought that they were fruit flies, including one that I saw fly out of the closet.

In the past couple of months, I've seen a total of about 4 dozen gnats all together, so I'm still not too worried about them.

The window plants still look great, and the new closet plant is looking super happy, so I'm not going to bother with any neem or chemicals or anything.



There is one more gnat stuck to the trap on the window sill.

 

[q3corn]

I'm pretty sure that my diatomaceous earth isn't working because it's soaking wet, but it is about 1/2" thick layer of mush.
I also have holes in the sides of the pots.

That right there is one of the problems with DE! I didn't know that would happen until I got gnats, too. The clay-like layer does not have the same benefits as the dusted DE, and it won't prevent bugs from climbing through the soil until it dries and is pulverized again


In the long run I had more success with the sticky traps than the DE for fungus gnats. There might also be some neematodes or some other predatory insect that could work in your favor?

 

[PCBuds]

I've got soil mites in my closet planter, and when I first noticed the gnats, I took a big scoop of soil from the closet and put it in each of the window pots.

I kinda think its working because the gnats haven't really gotten out of control.

I'm pretty sure that my closet is "gnat proof", because I've never seen any in the closet (except for that single gnat a couple of months ago.)

I figure gnats must have been in the house in the 5-6 years that I've been growing but they didn't stand a chance against my carnivorous micro herd. Lol

I figure I only have them now because the window pots were just coco coir and perlite without any soil mites at first.

I forgot to put some closet soil in the pots when I made them.

 

[q3corn]

It would be awesome to see if that's all it takes!

 

[PCBuds]

This is what's available as far as soil mites go...





I'm pretty sure that my soil mites came in the composted sheep manure I bought about 5-6 years ago.
I've been reusing all or part of the soil ever since.




Here's the big write up about it, if anyone is interested.




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Brand: The Grub Grenade
4.0 out of 5 stars 231Reviews
Grub Grenade - Beneficial Predatory Soil Mites - Natural Predators of Fungus gnats, Thrips pupae, diapaused Spider mite, Root aphids, nematodes, phoretic Mites, and More! (5000+ mites/200-500sqft)

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About this item
NEW: PLEASE NOTE!: If your local forecast is for near or below freezing, your order will be shipped as "Card for Pick-up" which means you will need to pick it up from the local Canada Post location. This is how we can protect it from the freezing, so it isn't delivered to a freezing mailbox or front door. Normally we would use "Signature Required", but no couriers are allowing Signatures due to Covid-19. Please contact us for delivery customization if desired.
Shipped from The Grub Grenade/No Amazon Warehouses -- Fresh -- Use as soon as possible! Do not store or refrigerate! Order as required. Produced From Canada's Largest Beneficial Insect and Mite Producer. No Hassle Application -- Just Open End and Sprinkle on Target Area
One Application for Multiple Year or Lifetime Control
Controls Fungus Gnats, Pupating Thrips, Root Weevils, Root Aphids, Pathogenic Nematodes, and many more.
Not recommended for fast control of a severe fungus gnat infestation. Use preventatively or to cure healthy plants with a minor fungus gnat infestation. To remedy a severe fungus gnat infestation, use alongside beneficial nematodes and sticky traps for a fast knockdown, then follow up with these mites to give lasting control and protection. Using these alone to cure an established fungus gnat infestation can take upwards of 1 month.
Description
Stratiolaelaps scimitus - predatory soil mites to control fungus gnats, thrips pupae, root weevils, springtails, and more. Formerly known as Hypoaspis miles, Stratiolaelaps scimitus has long been the cornerstone for biocontrol programs of professional greenhouse growers -- introduced at propagation to prevent fungus gnat infestations and thrips pupation for the life of the crop. General recommended application rate is 25 mites/sqft (250 mites/m2) for prevention and to be applied at the beginning of the crop (seeding/planting). Treating an area that is currently infested with fungus gnats or other soil pests, use 10x the preventative rate. For a more accurate recommendation, please don't hesitate to contact us. For treating a contained area for phoretic mites, like a reptilian terrarium, use 1x 5000 tube. Do not worry about distributing evenly. The mites will disperse themselves and concentrate where high populations of pests exist. In greenhouses they will travel down floor penetrations like heating pipes to feed on overwintering spider mite and other pests in refuge waiting for your next season's crop. Often used to control the red poultry mite in hen houses. Controls black vine root weevil and strawberry root weevils. They can be applied at any time of the year at any stage of a plants' life. Unlike beneficial nematodes or pesticides, The Grub Grenade only needs to be applied once and can remain established for the life of the plant or multiple years. When they have eradicated the pests, they can survive on low rations by feeding on algae and pollen to remain established before the next influx of pests. The Grub Grenade is dedicated to prompt responses to all inquiries, so don't hesitate to discuss your specific scenario so we can help you achieve your happy, healthy, and balanced natural grow area. Accurately counting mites is highly technical. All packages are calibrated the morning of packaging and are shipped the same day, always via express shipping.

 

[Caio]

Man....i don't joke...buy spores of beauveria bassiana and/o metarhizium anisopliae
Search on google whar they do on insects and larvae.

The high is scary intense right now. I've smoked a branch of one of my reveg clones and they are strongh9er of the mothers!
I'm wasted

 

[PCBuds]

It would be awesome to see if that's all it takes!

I guess it's hard to verify, but I figure that if I didn't treat the window planters with some soil from the closet, I'd have a shit load of gnats right now.
It's hard to say though, but my diatomaceous earth isn't doing anything except making a mushy mess. Lol