Little clear worms in soil - pic - help please

Tonado

Active Member
I started seeds in jiffy pucks and moved them to 16oz pop bottles.
A couple days in, I see these little clear worms, about 1/4 inch long, in the soil.

When exposed to a light source, they headed into the soil.

I'm using 1/2 jiffy mix, 1/4 perlite and 1/4 worm castings and lightly feeding Schultz 10-15-10 every watering.

Anyone know what these are/how to get rid of them?

I have read to let the soil dry out between waterings, any other ideas?

THANKS
 

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Seamaiden

Well-Known Member
Trippy! I wouldn't worry about it unless they appear to be attacking the root growth. Nematodes, mayhaps?
 

Tonado

Active Member
Hey thanks Gilfman, that was really helpfull... no wait, it WASN'T!:o

An update: I have not watered the kids for the last couple days and it looks like these little suckers are dying off as the soil dries.

Still... anyone know what they are? Seen em before?

Cool thing about pop bottles I didn't realize till I tried em this time, you have a little window to the root system and the clear part is way at the bottom so they aint getting light damage. Inkteresting...
 

Lacy

New Member
haha. ditto to the :o

But have to say EWWW to the worms:?

Sorry I cannot be helpful and good luck to you.
Hey thanks Gilfman, that was really helpfull... no wait, it WASN'T!:o

An update: I have not watered the kids for the last couple days and it looks like these little suckers are dying off as the soil dries.

Still... anyone know what they are? Seen em before?

Cool thing about pop bottles I didn't realize till I tried em this time, you have a little window to the root system and the clear part is way at the bottom so they aint getting light damage. Inkteresting...
 

Smokez420

Active Member
I know exactly what those are. My boy had an intense gnat problem so I went over and flushed with hydro-peroxide solution. Imagine seeing hundreds of those just come up out of the top of the soil. It was some nasty shit.

Those are in the early stage. You have the right idea. I had a small gnat problem and just let my plants dry out maddd in-between waterings. To the point where the whole plant would droop with thirst. It will kill all the worms but doesn't kill the eggs that the flies themselves drop. If you let the soil dry out tho they cant get past the larva stage(2-3 weeks). You probably got some eggs with the soil. Ive had it happen to me with Black Gold before. I always bake the soil now just to make sure.

Try it out and if it works, lend me some rep.
 

DR. VonDankenstine

Well-Known Member
I started seeds in jiffy pucks and moved them to 16oz pop bottles.
A couple days in, I see these little clear worms, about 1/4 inch long, in the soil.

When exposed to a light source, they headed into the soil.

I'm using 1/2 jiffy mix, 1/4 perlite and 1/4 worm castings and lightly feeding Schultz 10-15-10 every watering.

Anyone know what these are/how to get rid of them?

I have read to let the soil dry out between waterings, any other ideas?

THANKS
Use "azatrol" or "gonats" or "gnatrol"----I recommend the azatrol---OMRI. works great for all bugs...
 

[BionicChronic]

Well-Known Member
i got a gnat problem. them lil fucks. i think i have spider mites too. but not on the leafs at all. on the top soil=[
my plant is in the flowering stage. will they hurt it? and well i need to get rid of these fucks asap. HELP?
 

Tonado

Active Member
I know exactly what those are. My boy had an intense gnat problem so I went over and flushed with hydro-peroxide solution. Imagine seeing hundreds of those just come up out of the top of the soil. It was some nasty shit.

Those are in the early stage. You have the right idea. I had a small gnat problem and just let my plants dry out maddd in-between waterings. To the point where the whole plant would droop with thirst. It will kill all the worms but doesn't kill the eggs that the flies themselves drop. If you let the soil dry out tho they cant get past the larva stage(2-3 weeks). You probably got some eggs with the soil. Ive had it happen to me with Black Gold before. I always bake the soil now just to make sure.

Try it out and if it works, lend me some rep.
Thanks for the info and feedback.

Did you treat with the 3% household H2O2? What strength and how often?

Thanks again.
 

Tonado

Active Member
JESUS! Looked online:

Azatrol - 100 bucks a gallon
Gnatrol - 140 bucks a gallon

Since azatrol is a neem oil derivative, would my local hardware/garden store version of organic neem oil work just as well? Anyone have experience using neem oil to eliminate gnats?
 

s.c.mtn.hillbilly

Well-Known Member
it may be gnat larvae, but a lot of larvae fit that description...I've had nematodes back in the day...haven't had that prob' with my expeditionary force deployed! in fact; I get a whole range of hits from pests...but nothing even approaching a low danger level...nature in balance!
 

Seamaiden

Well-Known Member
Yep, but people get freaked out over every little thing and forget COMPLETELY that it's Mother Nature we're dealing with.

Look, if a person is really freaked, then we know this much -- they have soft bodies. To that end, Google diatomaceous earth. Non-toxic, but it's like tiny razor blades and cuts up the soft-bodied critters. This is almost as bad as people with reef tanks, I swear.
 

Tonado

Active Member
*I* aint freakin' out... (bugs, bugs, bugs.... EVERYWHERE bugs...) :shock:

I figured since my medium is Jiffy mix, perlite, and worm castings, the larvae probably came from the castings. It looks to me that if I let the medium get nice and dry between waterings, that should pretty much take care of it.

Just thought I would ask sooner rather than later and perhaps get some info/options out for others to see.

Will look into the DE. Thanks for the info.
 

Seamaiden

Well-Known Member
Sorry, I didn't mean to direct that specifically at you, it's a remark based more on the number of threads that are asking similar questions. If you read through 'em, you gotta admit, some people get pretty freaked out over little bugs.
 

Tonado

Active Member
Nah, I figured you weren't taking a shot.

And yeah I imagine as much damage gets done trying to 'fix' things that if left alone would sort itself out.
 

[BionicChronic]

Well-Known Member
I know exactly what those are. My boy had an intense gnat problem so I went over and flushed with hydro-peroxide solution. Imagine seeing hundreds of those just come up out of the top of the soil. It was some nasty shit.

Those are in the early stage. You have the right idea. I had a small gnat problem and just let my plants dry out maddd in-between waterings. To the point where the whole plant would droop with thirst. It will kill all the worms but doesn't kill the eggs that the flies themselves drop. If you let the soil dry out tho they cant get past the larva stage(2-3 weeks). You probably got some eggs with the soil. Ive had it happen to me with Black Gold before. I always bake the soil now just to make sure.

Try it out and if it works, lend me some rep.
would that shit work if i did it to the nats? maybe if they layed eggs?
 

DR. VonDankenstine

Well-Known Member
[BionicChronic];909430 said:
would that shit work if i did it to the nats? maybe if they layed eggs?
The h202 will work but at a cost if your in soil------it will kill your good fungi/benifs/ and enzymes(not good).
 
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