AVOID FOX FARM - aka thrips breeding pack

I’m absolutely mortified by what came out of my FFOF soil. I germinated four seeds in a small cup of water l, transferred them to solo cups and put them into a 5 gallon bucket with a clear lid to trap humidity and about 2” of water to wick up into the solo cups keeping the soil moist. The solo cups were filled with fresh fox farm ocean forest, I checked them two days later and you’ll see what I came to find.

All of those white dots in the photo are thrips and we’re very much alive. I’ve always throught the thrips came from the soil and this just clearly validated that for me.

can anyone recommend a similar soil from a better brand??

I don’t think those are thrip.

And this method of “standing water” to wick in solo cups is likely the Culprit for whatever little insect that is.

Thrip need plants, not just soil. I’ve rarely seen any traditional pest ( mites, thrip, aphid ) come in soil. Maybe fungus gnats/ or springtails but those live in soil.

green_machine_two9er said:

I don’t think those are thrip.

And this method of “standing water” to wick in solo cups is likely the Culprit for whatever little insect that is.

Thrip need plants, not just soil. I’ve rarely seen any traditional pest ( mites, thrip, aphid ) come in soil. Maybe fungus gnats/ or springtails but those live in soil.

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If someone can help identify, under a scope they look like thrips. They also feed on the plants, this is the first time I'm seeing this in water. The solo cups were sitting in that bucket for a 2 days and bucket was washed before hand. Whatever these are they came from the soil, and they don’t grow wings or at least I kill them before they do. But in the grow space I usually find these on fan leaves and the damage they leave behind is that of thrips (based on everything I’ve seen to identify)

Splash Gordon said:

If someone can help identify, under a scope they look like thrips. They also feed on the plants, this is the first time I'm seeing this in water. The solo cups were sitting in that bucket for a 2 days and bucket was washed before hand. Whatever these are they came from the soil, and they don’t grow wings or at least I kill them before they do. But in the grow space I usually find these on fan leaves and the damage they leave behind is that of thrips (based on everything I’ve seen to identify)

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Get a close up with a scope! EZ to ID. Also pictures of your plants would be helpful too.

green_machine_two9er said:

Get a close up with a scope! EZ to ID. Also pictures of your plants would be helpful too.

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I threw down some diatomaceous earth two days ago after spraying them down with water to remove any. I’m also thinking they need another treatment of purecrop1 however I sometimes torch them a little with it which o like to avoid.

Next time open the bag and sift through it before bringing it inside.. cannnabis 201

Billytheluther said:

Next time open the bag and sift through it before bringing it inside.. cannnabis 201

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Na bro there has to be a better way. Sifting through soil you wouldn’t find these. I need a better brand. Only other option is bake the soil…

Splash Gordon said:

I threw down some diatomaceous earth two days ago after spraying them down with water to remove any. I’m also thinking they need another treatment of purecrop1 however I sometimes torch them a little with it which o like to avoid.

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wait so you have thrips already? just on another plant?

they look remarably similar to the springtails ive just been googling

First pic looks like springtails in on water.

Next pic is thrips.

Maybe two types of bugs?


Also where did you get the bag of soil? I’ve often wondered when u but a bag, how old is it? Where is it stored?

All potting mix have little air holes in the bags so not impossible for bugs to enter through them

Springtails, hoss. You're good. They're just breaking the soil down further for your plants, and they kinda clean the roots as they go.

Better way? ---actually, yeah. My opinion strictly though; coco/peat for indoor plants, soil for outside plants/garden. I, personally, make every effort to minimize the amount of bugs in my house, good or bad. Not trying to have a guest room full of pests OR beneficial mites for that matter. Outside? --i couldn't care less. The more bugs the merrier, to a point. Worms too, I can't dig two inches into my garden soil without hitting a worm.

Splash Gordon said:

Na bro there has to be a better way. Sifting through soil you wouldn’t find these. I need a better brand. Only other option is bake the soil…

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It's not the brand that's the problem or this would be well known and they wouldn't have a business.

It's the way it's stored .

Plus those are springtails in your first pic.

Any fox farm soil I've used is a living soil. That means you're going to get bugs. Decaying organic matter, full of fungus and bacteria, are going to attract them. Get yourself a good ipm going, and you should be fine.

Citric acid works pretty damn good for thrips.

coreywebster said:

It's not the brand that's the problem or this would be well known and they wouldn't have a business.

It's the way it's stored .

Plus those are springtails in your first pic.

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It's both IMO. Fox Farm commonly has some critters in it, tons of ppl get gnats and gnat larvae. Almost every hydro store I've ever gone to in person keeps pallets of soil outside their building, could also be why as you stated.

PopAndSonGrows said:

It's both IMO. Fox Farm commonly has some critters in it, tons of ppl get gnats and gnat larvae. Almost every hydro store I've ever gone to in person keeps pallets of soil outside their building, could also be why as you stated.

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So glad my shop buys soil and it comes inside into climate controlled shop for storage. I haven't bought tons, but I've bought 10-15 bags of FFOF and FFHF from them and have never had an issue.

TCH said:

So glad my shop buys soil and it comes inside into climate controlled shop for storage. I haven't bought tons, but I've bought 10-15 bags of FFOF and FFHF from them and have never had an issue.

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My regular spot does the same, and they expanded so that EVERYTHING is stored indoors according to them. But yeah, literally every other shop I've been to, pallets of soil right outside the front door, outside their back bay doors, along the side walls etc.

PopAndSonGrows said:

My regular spot does the same, and they expanded so that EVERYTHING is stored indoors according to them. But yeah, literally every other shop I've been to, pallets of soil right outside the front door, outside their back bay doors, along the side walls etc.

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1 perk of having the shop smack in the middle of a less than desirable neighborhood. Haha

the mixing and blending of this soil is in a dirt lot where they must have massive wood chippers and logistics somewhere. I guess I kinda always figured you would have both good and bad bugs in soil just like everywhere else in nature. Do the soil guys state “bug free” on the bags? Never checked

ooof-da said:

the mixing and blending of this soil is in a dirt lot where they must have massive wood chippers and logistics somewhere. I guess I kinda always figured you would have both good and bad bugs in soil just like everywhere else in nature. Do the soil guys state “bug free” on the bags? Never checked

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Pretty sure they do not. The bugs are a part of the l.o.s. system. Big bugs eating smaller bugs....... all the way down, creating the nutrients the plants need. It's kinda the reason I went coco. I don't want bugs in the house.

Hollatchaboy said:

Pretty sure they do not. The bugs are a part of the l.o.s. system. Big bugs eating smaller bugs....... all the way down, creating the nutrients the plants need. It's kinda the reason I went coco. I don't want bugs in the house.

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its why I use rockwool blocks dtw. indoors.
no bugs no mold, no fungus amongus.