Gnats - The Potato Extermination

JJD

JJD

Well-Known Member
Hey all,

Much to my disappointment I woke up this morn' to find some gnats on the surface of my soil in a few pots. I killed the ones I saw but I want to be safe.

I just want to ask if anyone has used the potato method first hand, and if so what were the results?

How much time do I have before the larvae destroy/damage my root systems?

Much obliged,

JJD
 
JJD

JJD

Well-Known Member
Found the answer i was looking for,

For those that stumble across this post with the same problem..

If it's fungus gnats, stop watering. Place slice(s) of raw potato on the soil surface. Leave a while. Lift and look. Larva will be in the potato. Toss in toilet. Replace. When potato(s) come up clean two times in a row, they're gone.
Fix your watering routine. These are the result of not letting your top soil dry out enough between waterings.
Try not to water until all the adults (flying around?) are gone. Fungus gnats have a five day lifespan.

Please pass this on, as I'm tiring of typing it, but wanta help.
If you notice an gnat during a grow, and water while it's still flitting about, odds are it'll lay eggs in the wet soil before dying.
Click to expand...
 
OregonMeds

OregonMeds

Well-Known Member
I tried this with the potato slices and at first got a couple of them on the potato and then nothing again.

However when I did finally water they still ran out the bottom and were still alive in the runoff.

Maybe I didn't let the pots dry enough, I don't know.

The 1-2" of sand on top of the soil idea did the trick beautifully anyway though, they stopped getting in or out and I didn't have the bugs again after the sand.
 
JJD

JJD

Well-Known Member
I just actually read about using sand but I am in the city and have nowhere to obtain some. You think a florist would carry some? There are no hydro shops in the area.


JJD
 
OregonMeds

OregonMeds

Well-Known Member
Pet stores, anywhere they have fish and fish tanks, petco even.

You wouldn't just want sand from outside or general purpose sand that isn't sterile unless you think you don't have enough problems already.

(Unless you throw the unclean sand in the oven for a while to sterilize it yourself, that would be ok...)
 
awry

awry

Well-Known Member
what about the fly traps?
and lay them all oiver thhe soil

i cant take this shit, i go in my closet everyday and kill like 5 of them, they are so fucking annoying..
 
potpimp

potpimp

Sector 5 Moderator
I had some last year and I just hung up fly paper things. It worked great and all the gnats were gone in a few days. Low tech rules.
 
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