Question on gnats.

[Hypo Hippy]

Today...almost four weeks into veg cycle small, black gnats starting showing up. Not sure where they came from, my only guess is maybe the top-dressing of worm castings we put on them last week. They don't look like bad bugs, but what have you guys done about gnats? Any spray out there or more organic solutions? Thanks in advance for the help.

 

[BWC BayArea]

Hang sticky traps for the adults (yellow traps) and apply a soil drench for the larvae. There are also sticky traps on a stick that are good to catch the gnats that circle the pots media/soil line when laying eggs. The larvae are the immature gnats that reside in the soil feeding on the plants roots, which make them the bulk of the problem. To my knowledge the adults live to reproduce and they do it very well when left unchecked. I have heard of growers using mosquito dunks. Personally when this was an issue, I used a product called gnatrol. Hope this helps some

 

[Jasonlee247]

^^^BWC is right. Gnatrol works well. is Organic Biologic control. It contains a Bacteria that attacks the larvea. I prefer to use it in a highly concentrated spray and spray the top of the soil every day or so. they'll be gone before you know it. You won't even really need sticky traps if you use Gnatrol due to the fact that it will attack and kill any new eggs left by mature flies, and their lifecycle is very short. Just remember that after the first week or so-after you think that they are all gone you still want to occasionally apply the bacteria as a preventative.

 

[Hypo Hippy]

Thanks for the help guys. It seems like our gnat problem is about over. We hung the fly paper in the grow room and caught quite a few of the little bastards. I haven't actually seen one in several days so maybe they are gone. We bought some neem oil but never used it. If they show back up we will try to use that gnatrol...thanks!

 

[Jasonlee247]

those little bastards will show back up. the larvea outnumber the adults at least 3 - 1 if not way more. Neem will help, but I never had much luck with it on gnats.
good luck!

 

[Hypo Hippy]

JasonL...thanks for the input. Hopefully the little f'ers stay gone. I am not sure they are hurting much, but I would just as soon not ever see them again.