I've got some tiny white things that live in my living soil

gubblebum

Well-Known Member
So I have what kinda looks like a tiny white ant in its speed of movement and size, living under the soil. When I water they come up. Right now my plants are drying and pots are empty, so my question...

Is it worth pouring the soil out onto a big tarp in the hot sun and spraying with some organic pesticides like neem and soap?
 

weedstoner420

Well-Known Member
So I have what kinda looks like a tiny white ant in its speed of movement and size, living under the soil. When I water they come up. Right now my plants are drying and pots are empty, so my question...

Is it worth pouring the soil out onto a big tarp in the hot sun and spraying with some organic pesticides like neem and soap?
I wouldn't worry, if it's fast-moving and hanging out in the top layer of soil then it's probably hypoaspis miles, which are good to have around.
 

green_machine_two9er

Well-Known Member
Yup living soil is living not just because of the biology but beneficial insects as well.

it’s pretty easy to notice the difference in the good guys and bad guys once you start watching.
 

gubblebum

Well-Known Member
Thanks guys! They're so small it's hard to be sure. But they are smaller than ants, move at a similar speed, white colour, when I water they come up to the surface within seconds, is obviously a lot of them.
 

JustBlazin

Well-Known Member
Sounds like they could be mould mites aka Tyrophagus putrescentiae.
They love damp soil, they eat the slime mould in your soil. They aren't harmful to your plant.
 

Hollatchaboy

Well-Known Member
They are springtails I put them in on purpose never have root rot with them
They sort everything and eat all decaying they are your clean up crew
For sure. I've seen hundreds, maybe thousands, kinda hard to tell, running around on my soil before.
 

2cent

Well-Known Member
For sure. I've seen hundreds, maybe thousands, kinda hard to tell, running around on my soil before.
Used to freak me out lol now I understand them I love em
I’d water and see them swarm n go mad scooping em out water spraying shit they never died

now I pour slowly so not to drown em too fast through they survivefloating in water too haha I feel for em now haha my bug buddies
 

Splinter7

Well-Known Member
Yup living soil is living not just because of the biology but beneficial insects as well.

it’s pretty easy to notice the difference in the good guys and bad guys once you start watching.
imgagine growing inside like that. all these dudes with bugs in their house...so organic mmmmm.
 

weedstoner420

Well-Known Member
imgagine growing inside like that. all these dudes with bugs in their house...so organic mmmmm.
I mean, if we're talking about bugs you would find in an organic soil grow, they live in soil. Modern "human" living spaces are basically uninhabitable for them, so they don't really leave the grow space.

I'm way more concerned about myself accidentally bringing pests (spider mites, aphids, etc) into the grow space from outside. But that can happen just as easily in a hydroponic/sterile grow...
 

2cent

Well-Known Member
i didn't say that...only you did bro.

either way, why bring more bugs into the house. sounds dumb.
That sounds uneducated bro, I was there once too fearful spraying and disinfecting everything shoes lab coat the works I was pea of mites etc

put it this way plant with mites I put my soil in and the miles mites walks up the plant and eats everyone and their eggs then drops back to soil

funny experiment bend a leaf to soil they come look n fuck off

snip that same leaf and within seconds hundreds are on it

they don’t invade they protect to really NOT having them is stupid as your only defence is chemicals and if u fight organic withou bugs that’s like going to war without ammo ,,sure u wack the fuckers on the head with the gun but dude ammo will be less effort

did all your veggies get grown without soil bugs ? Nah didn’t and trust me side by side same soil but no bugs the plant will not do as well they all eat and poop golden npk without them you have less food less aminos less enzymes less acids

Get thrips or mites week 6 ya fucked aye ,,I get green lace wings and boom all gone
 
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