Suggestions for the BEST pest soil drench?

Fairytalez · Aug 12, 2022

Hey guys. I am planning on going with Fox Farm Happy Frog and Oceans Forest, and I already started the drying process out for the pests that come present in the soil by leaving the soil out in some large totes outside during super sunny times, being sure to give a good stir here and there. I also have some Diatomaceous Earth. But what I am thinking I would like to do is nuke any bugs or eggs that may still be in there with a good all around complete pest killer soil drench. I know that there is a whole bunch of a selection out there to choose from, but whatever it is I choose.. I would like for it to be able to kill any and ALL bugs, larvae, and eggs.. preferably for 3 to 12 months at a time. And of course doing so.. without causing any harm (or chemical flavors) to the ladies. So please.. tell me what you think will work and why.
And I'm open to any and all suggestions so.. fire away! Thanks guys!

PurpleLurple · Aug 12, 2022

I mix DE in heavy during spring soil amendments to kill the fungus gnats mainly and then work it into top layer weekly for first month of outdoor veg. I foliar spray and soil soak with lost coast plant therapy and Monterey insect killer with Spinosad. If you want to sterilize soil place it on plastic covered with clear plastic in a 2-4 inch layer in the full sun for a couple weeks. Probably a tub in the sun works if you keep turning the soil. Try covering your tub with clear plastic. DE is good stuff—cheap. I had a bag of organic compost that was open and stored in a trash can with tight fitting lid. Opened it up and it was full of fungus gnats. A scoop of DE mixed throughout and three days later no more gnats. Good luck.
Edit: I have baked soil in the oven for overwinter indoor grow in smaller pots to sterilize it.

Fairytalez · Aug 12, 2022

PurpleLurple said:
I mix DE in heavy during spring soil amendments to kill the fungus gnats mainly and then work it into top layer weekly for first month of outdoor veg. I foliar spray and soil soak with lost coast plant therapy and Monterey insect killer with Spinosad. If you want to sterilize soil place it on plastic covered with clear plastic in a 2-4 inch layer in the full sun for a couple weeks. Probably a tub in the sun works if you keep turning the soil. Try covering your tub with clear plastic. DE is good stuff—cheap. I had a bag of organic compost that was open and stored in a trash can with tight fitting lid. Opened it up and it was full of fungus gnats. A scoop of DE mixed throughout and three days later no more gnats. Good luck.
Edit: I have baked soil in the oven for overwinter indoor grow in smaller pots to sterilize it.

PurpleLurple said:
Wait.. do you mean DE as in.. Diatomaceous Earth? Yeah I got lots of that lol I guess I should of mentioned that this is all for an indoor grow using soil in 7 gallon grow bags. I bought this stuff called Azamax by General Hydroponics. It's a Fungicide and Miticide. But the bottle is so small and with the amount of dirt that I need to drench, I'm thinking that I'm gonna need something that is for one.. hopefully cheap. For two.. something that'll kill WAYYY way higher of an array of pests. Think.. everything from Aphids, Thrips, Leaf Miners, spider mites, fungus gnats, and anything else that I'm probably forgetting right now. Just something that is completely safe for the plants, kills everything.. including larvae and eggs. OH! And also! I dunno if this is possible and all but.. If I could could find something that also just so happens to be safe enough so that I could even throw some worms into the soil in each of the pots of soil.. that would be fannnntastic!

Anyone else got any more ideas to throw my way?

Thanks everybody!

RootsRuler · Aug 12, 2022

Fungus gnats are annoying but, for the most part, harmless other than the eggs that may eat root. I've never had a gnat infestation so terrible that it's affected my yield. That being said, I still hang sticky traps to keep them in check.

I use Azamax as my main pesticide, mostly for spider mites, but then again I don't grow much outdoors so it makes sense as a drench for indoor pots. I usually don't do soil drenches unless I see a pest problem emerging. Most of the soil I use is sterilized anyways so no real need to.

Suggestions for the BEST pest soil drench?

Suggestions for the BEST pest soil drench?

Fairytalez

PurpleLurple

Fairytalez

RootsRuler

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