Fungus Gnat Infestation From Hell!

[Kld12972601]

This is my first grow. I am 11 days from harvest. I've been battling a fungus gnat infestation for a while now. I've been spraying them with neem oil for weeks, but I think these damn gnats have become resistant to it or something. My plants are looking horrible and I'm not sure what to do. My bud growth has definitely been stunted on two out of 4 of my plants. The other two plants, despite having a lot of leaf yellowing, the bud growth seems okay. I recently became unemployed so i definitely cant afford to be buying any expensive products for them. I'm thinking about harvesting early. I'm losing hope. I've also been waiting really long between waterings, like, over a week sometimes. But this gnat problem persists.

 

[Toaster79]

Looks more like you have been feeding too heavy.

 

[Kld12972601]

I was thinking that too. As I'm sure all the damage I'm seeing isn't all due to these fungus gnats. I've began flushing today. So I'm only giving plain PH'd water right now. But before I was giving each plant a gallon of water with 1 tsp of flora nova bloom liquid nutrients mixed in. And doing just plain PH'd water every other watering. But I'm just really annoyed with these bugs flying around constantly. They're just gross. And I can't seem to get rid of them.

 

[Madbud]

I wonder if marigolds would drive them away? Either a fresh planter or some crushed flowers. Good luck

 

[Toaster79]

For the bugs, use bti (mosquito dunks or something similar), top dress diatomaceous earth and put bunch of yellow stickies in the grow room.

 

[Kld12972601]

I feel kind of pathetic saying this, but I pretty much have no money to my name right now. It sucks. Ha. That's why I'm thinking about just harvesting early because I just simply can't afford to put anymore money into this, so I feel hopeless. Should I just ride it out till my harvest date? I just don't want my buds to be affected by these fungus gnats, and this damage seems to just be getting worse and worse every day

 

[Toaster79]

Dont worry so much about fungus gnats, flush that soil, wait for it to dry out and contiue your feed schedule on 1/2 of what you have been feeding so far.

 

[Madbud]

I feel kind of pathetic saying this, but I pretty much have no money to my name right now. It sucks. Ha. That's why I'm thinking about just harvesting early because I just simply can't afford to put anymore money into this, so I feel hopeless. Should I just ride it out till my harvest date? I just don't want my buds to be affected by these fungus gnats, and this damage seems to just be getting worse and worse every day

Then i would definitely offer to deadhead somebodys marigolds

 

[Kld12972601]

Dont worry so much about fungus gnats, flush that soil, wait for it to dry out and contiue your feed schedule on 1/2 of what you have been feeding so far.

Well, since I'm so close to harvest, I'm only giving plain PH'd water until then. You think that will stop any further damage?

 

[Monster762]

Don't give in to harvesting. Seriously if you can afford to get pure neem oil. Walmart has it $12. And drench roots with a mix of 25-30 ml per gallon. If you can't afford it look in your kitchen see if you have cinnamon. Ceylon is best cause it's pure but if not regular old cooking cinnamon. Flush the nutes and sprinkle on top layer of soil. Sprinkle til you have a good layer of cinnamon. You can get cinnamon from any nieghbor without raising any flags. It's an old home remedy. Kills thrips n Alphonse too but will not hurt plant. Google it. Bugs litterally start to dance when contacting cinnamon. And then die. They be gone. Keep top of soil dry for a week or so. Bottom feed. Put water in a dish and sit plant on it for half hour. Do not let water sit for any longer period of time in your room. You'll be good. I'm on first grow gnats did this to my plants. Look at my next post. Coming in a sec.

 

[Monster762]

View attachment 739605 Don't give in to harvesting. Seriously if you can afford to get pure neem oil. Walmart has it $12. And drench roots with a mix of 25-30 ml per gallon. If you can't afford it look in your kitchen see if you have cinnamon. Ceylon is best cause it's pure but if not regular old cooking cinnamon. Flush the nutes and sprinkle on top layer of soil. Sprinkle til you have a good layer of cinnamon. You can get cinnamon from any nieghbor without raising any flags. It's an old home remedy. Kills thrips n Alphonse too but will not hurt plant. Google it. Bugs litterally start to dance when contacting cinnamon. And then die. They be gone. Keep top of soil dry for a week or so. Bottom feed. Put water in a dish and sit plant on it for half hour. Do not let water sit for any longer period of time in your room. You'll be good. I'm on first grow gnats did this to my plants. Look at my next post. Coming in a sec.

These are the same plants that are in prior photo.

Don't give up now. And I know I have little nute burn in pics.

 

[Kld12972601]

View attachment 739605 Don't give in to harvesting. Seriously if you can afford to get pure neem oil. Walmart has it $12. And drench roots with a mix of 25-30 ml per gallon. If you can't afford it look in your kitchen see if you have cinnamon. Ceylon is best cause it's pure but if not regular old cooking cinnamon. Flush the nutes and sprinkle on top layer of soil. Sprinkle til you have a good layer of cinnamon. You can get cinnamon from any nieghbor without raising any flags. It's an old home remedy. Kills thrips n Alphonse too but will not hurt plant. Google it. Bugs litterally start to dance when contacting cinnamon. And then die. They be gone. Keep top of soil dry for a week or so. Bottom feed. Put water in a dish and sit plant on it for half hour. Do not let water sit for any longer period of time in your room. You'll be good. I'm on first grow gnats did this to my plants. Look at my next post. Coming in a sec.

Thank You! Your post is quite helpful and has given me some hope. I have been spraying my top layer of soil with neem oil for weeks now though. Haven't been drenching the roots though... can you explain to me a little further how to go about doing that? And I do have cinnamon In my kitchen so I'll have to give that a try too

 

[scoop]

Sand and cheap wine....(or Coke, sugar water...etc)

http://www.finegardening.com/get-rid-fungus-gnats

 

[Monster762]

Thank You! Your post is quite helpful and has given me some hope. I have been spraying my top layer of soil with neem oil for weeks now though. Haven't been drenching the roots though... can you explain to me a little further how to go about doing that? And I do have cinnamon In my kitchen so I'll have to give that a try too

I just did same mix and soaked my pots with neem. Didn't even run a flush afterwards. If you got pre mixed neem spray it's probably too diluted. That's why I said Walmart has pure neem extract to mix your own. But cinnamon works too. And as scoop said top layering with sand. The sand compacts when watered and is too dense for them to get through. The problem is your probably killing the ones you spray but they tunnel down by roots n lay larvae. The larvae kill plants from the root. It has to be real bad to effect larger plant but I lost 9 baby plants in first 5 weeks. Pissed me off at $10 a seed. I would think sugar would draw them but not 100% on that. I've seen people put a slice of potato on top of soil too and attract them then hose em down.

 

[Monster762]

Also if you can get paint strainer bag or pantyhose cover the pot. Even drain holes cause them bastards will go in th holes too. Just cover all surface and keep tight to stalk with rubber band or hair tie. They can't get through the netting. Once you stop them from having access to a breeding ground they go away. Eventually when you can get fly ribbon. That will tell you if they come back.

 

[Jfrezy]

Go Gnats should handle your problem effectively

 

[DemonTrich]

Didnt donsquat for me other than wastinf money and time.

Beat thing I've found for FG is PROMIS. I use it for the 1st 3 watering of any new soil. I've never seen one since I use this method.

For clones 1.25ml/g
up potting clones to 5 gal pots, 5ml/g
established plants get 10ml/g.

 

[DemonTrich]

In use what felt works with my garden, plants, and bug issue. I would.never in a million yrs put 60ml/gal of this stuff on my.plants. I found what works for me.and my grow at the dosages above.

Afaik, it's also systemic. Don't use past week 2 in flower.