coco and gnats

[fifty6]

hey guys. ive always used promix and havent really had any issues. bought plants from another guy and using coco now. have a few questions but the biggest one in how do I get rid of gnats? one guy says I water to much one guy says I water to little. ive tried a few additives to rid them but they just never leave.
second question is how often should I water? promix I wasted once every two days. coco seems like I have to water every day twice or at least once everyday. plants look great still but would like to get the gnats under control.

 

[Enforcer]

Your watering is fine. Plain coco needs multiple daily feedings. I have had good luck with GnatNix. It goes on the top of the medium about an inch thick. It prevents the adult gnats from getting into the coco to lay eggs.

 

[bunkerking]

Your watering is fine. Plain coco needs multiple daily feedings. I have had good luck with GnatNix. It goes on the top of the medium about an inch thick. It prevents the adult gnats from getting into the coco to lay eggs.

Interesting. Never had any gnat problems. Dont have Ponderosa pine's in this part of oregon though. (unique climate in my part)

 

[Pepsauce]

Are you positive its gnats and not root aphids?

 

[Jimster]

I have grown in Promix for many years and find that a daily watering usually works out fine. Promix, especially Promix HP, doesn't retain much extra water and overwatering was never a problem. It does tend to dry out a little faster for the same reason, so I try to water daily, or every other day once the plants are larger. During flowering, I sometimes need to put a catch basin under the plants as they use a LOT of water and you need to keep your eyes out for signs of wilting. Fungus gnats shouldn't be an issue unless they are a different bug, like mites. Cutting back on the water in Coco should keep the medium a little drier and not encourage fungus development, which might help with the gnats.

 

[Kragle]

Gnatrol WDG works great for me. Use it in every watering for about 2 weeks and the gnats will be gone. It's totally natural, it's a bacteria that attacks the gnat eggs. You can buy it on ebay or Amazon.

 

[fifty6]

thanks guys. I'll try the recommendations. I'm really positive there gnats. I've had them before but not as bad as this run. ive had about 4 people confirm there gnats also. we've tried a few things to rid them but they just keep coming back.

 

[Cattapilla]

I've caught about 18 fungus gnats in my plants with bug stick paper over the last few weeks in my tent. I grow orchids inside and always have one or two flying around the house. Is that number of fungus gnats enough to be concerned about? My watering is always light, and my fan blows through all the leaves.

 

[sturgis]

……sprays and poisons will work, but if I can keep from using them I do.......success with most pest means understanding their life cycle's.....…...gnats need calm air or they can not fly around.....the smallest breeze keeps them from moving around well.....if they cant fly around they cant hook up and breed......I keep fans running all the time.....even with lights off...…..and never have gnats..... the lower drain holes in the pots also have pieces of scotch brite covering them.....lets water drain feely, but blocks critters.....I also keep Dunks in my rain barrels…...

 

[MIMedGrower]

I've caught about 18 fungus gnats in my plants with bug stick paper over the last few weeks in my tent. I grow orchids inside and always have one or two flying around the house. Is that number of fungus gnats enough to be concerned about? My watering is always light, and my fan blows through all the leaves.

Thats more of a nuisance than a serious problem but i also cant get rid of them all anymore so I am controlling them with microbe lift. It is a concentrated BT product. I add 2-4 drops per gallon of water.

It is a bacteria that specifically damages mosquito and gnat larvae naturally.

 

[MIMedGrower]

……sprays and poisons will work, but if I can keep from using them I do.......success with most pest means understanding their life cycle's.....…...gnats need calm air or they can not fly around.....the smallest breeze keeps them from moving around well.....if they cant fly around they cant hook up and breed......I keep fans running all the time.....even with lights off...…..and never have gnats..... the lower drain holes in the pots also have pieces of scotch brite covering them.....lets water drain feely, but blocks critters.....

Just posted below what was recomended here by @Burned Haze

Microbe lift.

BMC – Biological Mosquito Control | Microbe-Lift

microbelift.com

I use 2-4 drops per gallon of water and drench the pot. Definitely controls the population for me. Went from yellow sticky cards full of gnats in a week to a couple flyers here and there in only a few weeks.

 

[fifty6]

I have 12 fans going all day and night also but there all up high. would it help more to have some towards the bottom. of the plants to then? it does make sense. I hate using poisons and everything just because people do consume this stuff

 

[MIMedGrower]

I have 12 fans going all day and night also but there all up high. would it help more to have some towards the bottom. of the plants to then? it does make sense. I hate using poisons and everything just because people do consume this stuff

All of the tips help but if they dont go away BT is a natural bacteria proven safe for humans and animals and is used in standing water all over to control mosquitos.

 

[fifty6]

ok. do you add it to your nutes or would I just flush the pots with water with that mixed in also?

 

[MIMedGrower]

ok. do you add it to your nutes or would I just flush the pots with water with that mixed in also?

2-4 drops per gallon right in the nute mixture. I think you cant have chlorine.