What’s up growmies, It’s been a while since jumping on here in search of some answers but with Recharge being a staple with DGC I figure who better to ask. So, I have had issues with fungus gnats in the past and currently not growing due to “the law” but want to continue to learn while waiting to pop some seeds again. I used a coco mix I made myself with rinsed Gorilla Boost coco and a handful of perlite (80/20). Used Recharge from day 7 until a week from flush along with advanced nutrients perfect sense pH perfect line. I always seemed to get gnats and I am mostly able to control them by letting the top of the coco dry a little more and/or adding sticky traps. my real question is killing the larvae! they seem to thrive off the beneficials in Recharge along with springtails (which I have no problem with) but even after a 3:1 Hydrogen peroxide and a gallon of water mix I still can’t seem to get rid of these bastards. is the Recharge giving them more food to feed on? should I stop using microbes all together while flushing or for how long? I know Scotty has mentioned letting the coco dry more but then I run into pH swings or salt build-up from nutrients. thanks for the help guys
Fungas Gnat Control Coco & Recharge
by Rasta K Grows | May 31, 2021 | Grower Questions | 6 comments
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Nematodes are the most effective way I’ve found for dealing with the larvae.
https://growerslove.com/blogs/grow-tip-of-the-week/dealing-with-fungus-gnats
Thanks Soup! Looking into getting a box of nematodes ordered for my next grow. And this is okay to use even in a 3gl or 5gal radicle bags?
I have used nematodes successfully to get rid of them. It takes more than one application. I saw more activity on the outside of the fabric pots compared to in the coco itself. Just add them to your normal watering regimen. Also add yellow sticky paper as a control/preventative. Good luck with it. 🙂
Hey. So a good thing to use for fungus gnats is Microbe-Lift liquid mosquito control. Use six drops a gallon and soil drench. Using worm castings and compost all the time they become a normal thing. I actually started hitting the compost and castings with it a day before I topdress and it works amazingLy. This is for a need to fix now. Nematodes are good To and as well as for prevention.
Top of your soil is staying too wet for too long.
Drippers buried below the surface are good to combat this, as well as a bottem feed bucket system.
Myself I prefer to top feed, so my personal method is all about air movement at soil level after watering. Proper air movement can be achieved using fans in combination with lollipoping plants and is a good way to minimize fungus gnat pressure, and other wet soil issues like reduced nutrient uptake. Proper air movement will also help increaseuptake and also rates of transpiration and respiration giving you healthier more productive plants.
Nematodes are a great weapon against fungus gnats! Just make sure you get the RIGHT nematodes – Steinernema feltiae. However, those nematodes alone won’t always do the trick. Combining them with BTi (Bacillus Thuringiensis israelensis), which can be found cheaply in “Monterey BTi” and Mosquito Dunks or Bits, will give you a much better chance of success. Here’s a link where I made a pretty lengthy reply on the subject of fungus gnat control: https://www.dudegrows.com/damn-gnats/. My main reply is at the bottom of that thread. Hope it helps!
– @DTOM420