Jcue81
Well-Known Member
I have the microbe lift which is BTI. Wondering if it does any good in the reservoir though or if it would need to be top watered in. I’d rather not top water anything and let the surface totally dry out.
SIP thread -- (Sub-Irrigated Planter)
- Thread starter Humanrob
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GenericEnigma
Well-Known Member
I would top-water it in myself. Since the bacteria has to contact the grubs, and most gnats lay eggs in the top of the soil, that should do the most damage. It might take more than one treatment. This approach has gotten the problem back under control for me. I think gnats just crawl in from the top to where the soil is wet anyway. It would take something like sand or DE to block that gnat egress, I think.
I haven't tried putting BTi in the reservoir. It might work. I tend to keep my reservoir free of anything other than tap water, and Bits has worked top-watering.
Keep us posted, regardless of what you end up doing.
GenericEnigma
Well-Known Member
Might help some. I have mine fastened down with clothes pins (for quick/clean removal, and as anchors for LST).
I think gnats can still live and lay eggs down there. It's unclear to me what's truly going on. I see a flyer here and there. My miles are still around. I assume they are still part of the living cycle.
Hollatchaboy
Well-Known Member
I dunno about in your case, but I never have gnats in my flower tent with the earthbox. I'm guessing because of the cover being somewhat secured. My mom tent is another story, but if I don't get my soil too saturated, I only have a couple flyers, but as soon as I overwater..... infestation.
Jcue81
Well-Known Member
Yeah that’s why I’m scratching my head. I’ve never had gnat issues in an earthbox. The top inch is pretty much completely dry. I may remove the top inch of soil and toss it and replace with an inch of fresh castings. Then secure the plastic top shut so there’s no sneaking in. Put some cheese cloth over the drainage hole.
Hollatchaboy
Well-Known Member
It's the only thing I can think of, unless I have so many predator mites, they don't stand a chance, but I never see flyers in my flower tent.
TheTerpinator
Well-Known Member
Love SIP! Just posting to say thanks, I didn't even know this was here.Sub-irrigated planter
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Sub-Irrigated Planter
Sub-irrigated planter (SIP) is a generic name for a special type of planting box used in container gardening and commercial landscaping. A SIP is any method of watering plants where the water is introduced from the bottom, allowing the water to soak upwards to the plant through capillary action.[1] It is possible to automate the watering and thus SIPs are popular with professional landscapers in buildings or urban settings. SIPs are available as products, under brand names such as Planter Technology[2] (commercial) and EarthBox[3] (consumer), Ollie Plant Sipper[4](consumer), The Refuge Garden (www.urbanrefugegardening.com) (consumer/commercial) or as do-it-yourselfprojects made from plastic buckets and boxes.[5]
Would love to hear about your experiments, projects, failures and successes.
Smscreations
Well-Known Member
I can second this. I've never had a gnat issue using Barley Straw Mulch or the plastic covers (which im using now being its easier to top dress in flower without all the straw) top dressing the other night I had a very healthy population of miles in all 3 SIPs.
Nugnewbie
Well-Known Member
Beautiful roots!I have been following this thread for a while, seen some great grows and info on sips - finally got round to a sip run which I have wanted to do for a while so far loving it plants have been in veg for 19 days …..View attachment 5212444View attachment 5212445View attachment 5212446View attachment 5212447View attachment 5212448View attachment 5212449View attachment 5212450View attachment 5212451View attachment 5212454
CrunchBerries
Well-Known Member
I like those SIPs! What the rez and soil capacity?I have been following this thread for a while, seen some great grows and info on sips - finally got round to a sip run which I have wanted to do for a while so far loving it plants have been in veg for 19 days …..
CrunchBerries
Well-Known Member
Thank you @Leeski im curious if we can get them in the States? Gardens looking super healthy!!
weedstoner420
Well-Known Member
I've been using these for a few years: https://www.agardenpatch.com/
Similar dimensions to earthbox as well. I went with them mostly because of the reservoir fill/overflow design. You can see the water level while you're filling it, whereas with the earthbox it looks like you just wait for it to overflow, which could be kinda awkward in a tent...the one @Leeski has also seems like a nice design in that regard.
@Hollatchaboy you use an earthbox right? How do you deal with overflow and checking the water level?
Hollatchaboy
Well-Known Member
weedstoner420
Well-Known Member
Dang that was easy
Hollatchaboy
Well-Known Member
Fo sho...k.i.s.s..... lol
Hollatchaboy
Well-Known Member
To be honest though, I use my can sprayer to fill it. My res holds ~ 2 1/4 gallons, so I just fill my can to 2 gallons, and spray into the res. I worry about washing out my wicks, if I just pour the water in.
Smscreations
Well-Known Member
I washed my wicks out right in the beginning of using my SIPs...was not fun trying to repack the wicks from the bottom of the tote lol. Now I just pour my water in very slowly without a whole lot of splashing in the rez