To do or not to do...

[420GoldMouf]

Today I called my local hydro store & told him about my gnat problem. He suggested that I could try to put a thin layer of sand to suffocate the gnats. Just for the record I went out to Home Depot & bought a bag of sand. I added a thin layer of it on 2 of small veg plants & then I thought hold up wait lets go to the forum & see what the pros say about this.

There you have it.

 

[mastacheeser]

I'm no pro but I like your hydro store
9/10 places will jus sell you gognats

 

[toquer]

I tried this method before. Was not my solution... It does work for some people. However the gnats will leave from the bottom of the pots too so it doesn't solve the problem. Sticky pads are a must, combined with a predator. I've had great success with beneficial nemotodes as well as OG Biowar foliar pack. Seems most soils come with a helping of gnats these days. The bugs live three times longer in the soil than they do outside of it. So killing them continuously is the key to winning.

 

[420GoldMouf]

Thanks for the input Toquer. I will look into those product.

 

[FlyinJStable]

OG Biowar is and does work
good luck brother
keep it Green
FlyJ

 

[ssteely71]

Sand works if you cover the holes at the bottom too. My gnats laughed at all other methods except to physically stop them from reaching my soil. I now use smartpots topped with diatomaceous earth and GnatNix . Gnats cease to be an issue.

Best of luck!

Ps make sure you use a rinsed and low silica content sand. Kwikkretes playsand is the best. Imo

 

[YarraSparra]

Yeah, you have to cover all entrances if using sand, bottom holes included. The layer needs to be thick enough for them not to be able to penetrate it too.

OG Biowar or similar is still me preference.

YS

 

[Jboys3]

Sticky traps and potato slices replaced every three days is my 'organic' fix. However; I must admit I use some non-organic items in the veg stage. Once in bloom it is just sticky traps.

I did change my soil too. Went to Sunshine Advanced Mix #4 and my bug problem went to almost none.

 

[Dunge]

I used sand that was sold as 'traction control'.
It had salt in it.
Quick way to kill some plants.

 

[Seamaiden]

I recently 'discovered' that they absolutely will not grow if the medium is pure perlite.

I used sand that was sold as 'traction control'.
It had salt in it.
Quick way to kill some plants.

D'oh!

 

[YarraSparra]

I used sand that was sold as 'traction control'.
It had salt in it.
Quick way to kill some plants.

Ouch!

Always thoroughly wash sand before use. Get's rid of any clay particles in it too.

 

[neewb432]

apple cider vinegar about 2 inches in the bottom of 20oz water bottle. Have two or three small holes about nail size pocked in lid. Cut the top 2 inches off turn it upside down tape it to the bottom section. They love the apple cider vinegar and cant get back out. I just used this at work. We had hundreds and hundreds of gnats. Sticky traps did nothing.

 

[neewb432]

Poweraid bottle. About 100 floating in the apple cider.

 

[neewb432]

Sweet thanks man. That's what I thought, but wasn't exactly sure.

I'm going to the store now?

I had a post about the larva, and some cats suggested gnatrol, but I gotta order it online. So this will be nice. :)

The larva will still be a problem though.

 

[neewb432]

Took about a week with three of those placed around our work trailer to get rid of them all.

 

[Metalman]

I've used the vinegar method before. Works at eliminating flying gnats, but it won't solve the root of te problem. Those larvae and eggs will still be in the soil.