Peat Moss

Sunbiz1 · Jan 12, 2014

Hi all,

Is it possible for fungus gnat or other larvae to be present in bales that are completely dry?. Through process of elimination over time, it is the only possible culprit left.

And if this is the case, how does one deal with it?. Trying to find bales of peat without any tear or hole in bag is nearly impossible.

I'm so tired of fighting this issue I feel like quitting my favorite hobby.

Signed, Frustrated.

Unclebaldrick · Jan 12, 2014

Been using Sunshine for over a decade. Had gnats once, no reason to believe this was the culprit.

I am wary about buying it when it is stacked outdoors at a nursery, but mostly because of fear of a preggers mite wandering by. If you buy it from a grow shop, look around for infestations on their plants. if they crawl, go somewhere else.

I'm thinking that the problem lies elsewhere.

Damn, these servers are sucking the fun out of this.

gR33nDav3l0l · Jan 12, 2014

Does you peat moss frequently comes with gnats? I haven't come across peat moss with either fungus or gnats here, but then again peat moss is imported and comes in tight sealed bags. Would adding neem oil to the moss be an idea?

Sunbiz1 · Jan 12, 2014

Unclebaldrick said:
Been using Sunshine for over a decade. Had gnats once, no reason to believe this was the culprit.

I am wary about buying it when it is stacked outdoors at a nursery, but mostly because of fear of a preggers mite wandering by. If you buy it from a grow shop, look around for infestations on their plants. if they crawl, go somewhere else.

I'm thinking that the problem lies elsewhere.

Damn, these servers are sucking the fun out of this.

The peat is from Home Depot, same company that makes Promix in Canada. It's the middle of winter, so gnats could not have come from outdoors.

These fuckers are hatching right now, just a few...but some are wingless. I already switched to bagged indoor worm castings from grow shop, b/c I originally thought it was my compost as the source of the problem.

I am considering switching to sunshine advanced for this reason.

Sunbiz1 · Jan 12, 2014

gR33nDav3l0l said:
Does you peat moss frequently comes with gnats? I haven't come across peat moss with either fungus or gnats here, but then again peat moss is imported and comes in tight sealed bags. Would adding neem oil to the moss be an idea?

Gnats love any organic matter, particularly when it is decaying. But they also need moisture to survive, except the damn eggs...which can survive sub-freezing temps indefinitely. So, yes...it is certainly possible that during transport they become infected after forklifts etc poke holes in packaging.

They generally are considered a minor pest...I'm just tired of them in my house all the time. :lol:

neosapien · Jan 12, 2014

What I think finally rid me of those fuckers was breaking their cycle using a bevy of products. I used the mosquito dunks and a neem root drench to fuck up the larvae and used sticky traps and an insecticidal soap spray to kill the adults. And fungus gnats aren't a minor problem. The larvae will eat your roots and open up a wide open door to root rot. Hate those fuckers. Good luck Sun.

Grandpapy · Jan 12, 2014

I had them last summer, and doing a root drench with Neem Oil (mixing as directed)worked for me. I just saturated the top half of my hugo blocks thinking
the lower roots can still feed while the top half traps them f*****rs.

Sunbiz1 · Jan 13, 2014

Grandpapy said:
I had them last summer, and doing a root drench with Neem Oil (mixing as directed)worked for me. I just saturated the top half of my hugo blocks thinking
the lower roots can still feed while the top half traps them f*****rs.

I actually have tried all of Neo's suggestions...and even created a few more along the way in an effort to avoid using pyrethrin.

I once used clove and peppermint oil as a drench...which killed the plant within an hour.

I have even collected ladybugs from outdoors, which unfortunately fry themselves in grow bulbs.

So, invariably I go back to using pyrethrin b/c I'm tired of spending countless hours using other methods.

brimck325 · Jan 13, 2014

hey sun, try a drench with bt. i just got over bad infestation myself from busted open bale of promix.

Nizza · Jan 13, 2014

i heard about a new BT hybrid that is advertised as "mosquito bits"
check em out
edit: I haven't used this product, i actually just heard about it yesterday on garden talk radio
https://www.rollitup.org/marijuana-...en-radio-new-pesticide-weed.html#post10058697

SpicySativa · Jan 13, 2014

Fungus gnats are everywhere, flying around looking for a nice place to lay eggs. It's more likely they just set up shop as soon as you wet that stuff down and added some tasty organics, creating a perfect habitat for them.

Sunbiz1 · Jan 13, 2014

Nizza said:
i heard about a new BT hybrid that is advertised as "mosquito bits"
check em out
edit: I haven't used this product, i actually just heard about it yesterday on garden talk radio
https://www.rollitup.org/marijuana-...en-radio-new-pesticide-weed.html#post10058697

http://www.arbico-organics.com/prod...ngiareolate/natural-mosquito-control-products

Not a hybrid, but rather Bti dunks already crushed...Home Depot now carries it as well. Bti takes a few weeks to work, it was the first thing I tried several years ago.

But since eveything is still in vegetative state, I shall try it again.

TY for the reminder!

Nullis · Jan 13, 2014

Mosquito Bits are easier to apply to soil... they aren't crushed dunks it seems to be some other substrate/material, but they both have Bacillus thuringiensis israeli and the associated toxin. You should see results within a couple weeks, with proper application. There should be no issues with using "too much"... Apply more and more frequently if it doesn't seem to be working.

Mosquito bits just sprinkle onto the soil surface or mix into the top layer of soil. The toxin/bacterium is released when you water. You could also mix into planting mix and moisten prior to using or when cooking/recycling soil.

But yes, using multiple methods of control certainly helps and you must do something to kill or catch adults as well. Vacuuming frequently helps along with sticky stakes, insecticidal soap, pyrethrins, etc. I've kept predator mites around in my soil for a while now, and these help keep gnat populations in check, but the mites also eat spring-tails and other mites living in the soil.

I have seen fungus gnats hovering around and apparently laying eggs in soil that seemed bone dry to me.

Sunbiz1 · Jan 13, 2014

Nullis said:
Mosquito Bits are easier to apply to soil... they aren't crushed dunks it seems to be some other substrate/material, but they both have Bacillus thuringiensis israeli and the associated toxin. You should see results within a couple weeks, with proper application. There should be no issues with using "too much"... Apply more and more frequently if it doesn't seem to be working.

Mosquito bits just sprinkle onto the soil surface or mix into the top layer of soil. The toxin/bacterium is released when you water. You could also mix into planting mix and moisten prior to using or when cooking/recycling soil.

But yes, using multiple methods of control certainly helps and you must do something to kill or catch adults as well. Vacuuming frequently helps along with sticky stakes, insecticidal soap, pyrethrins, etc. I've kept predator mites around in my soil for a while now, and these help keep gnat populations in check, but the mites also eat spring-tails and other mites living in the soil.

I have seen fungus gnats hovering around and apparently laying eggs in soil that seemed bone dry to me.

They also love to hang out inside drainage holes(probably to feed), I just hit the entire room w/shop vac. DM earth helps, something I forgot to add to my last batch of medium...but of course the sea shells also slice up any beneficial crawlers.

Personally, I'd rather have no insects inside whatsoever.

I stopped buying anything bagged and stored outdoors *except the peat due to larvae infestations, only the peat isn't sold anywhere with better transport/storage methods.

Sucks that I have to pay more for better quality control, might even switch my medium entirely to sunshine.

Nullis · Jan 14, 2014

There will virtually always be bugs and a healthy soil attracts them, mostly things you wouldn't notice unless you looked really hard and used a magnifying glass because they move quite fast or are too small. Springtails/collembola tend to look like little flakes of ash sometimes, and many can "jump" so they disappear before you fully realize you've seen anything at all.

Peat Moss

Sunbiz1

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Unclebaldrick

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gR33nDav3l0l

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Sunbiz1

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