Does using soil always = gnats?

@ShockDog, I guess, that I made that too easy to resist!
The wife is right, sometimes I can be “a damn dumb ass”.

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Not in the LEAST, my brother. More of a reflection on my goofy ass sense of humor. That’s all. Could’t resist. :grinning:

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No problem! It was funny. Besides I am old enough to take it.

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Same here. My wife uses ACV in small, holled containers for gnat traps

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I’ve had the same experience. Haven’t seen a single one since introducing UV a year or two ago.

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I brought a little photo in soil into the tent with my autos for a couple weeks and got fungus gnats. Mosquito bits were one of the things I tried. Never fully got rid of the gnats. Still see a few every time I open the tent. I think it cut down on the numbers though. I’d planned on reusing the coco, but I’m gonna throw it out and start with new. There will be no plants in soil stopping by next run…

If I ever get them again I’m gonna try a Katchy, I think that was the name, trap. Has a light to attract them, suction to pull them in and a sticky trap on the bottom.

I always get gnats in my coco since i mix half old with half new and start with an organic base theyre always dead by flowering time tho but my fly paper perimeter gets covered by their bodies

I wonder where decaying moist shaded organic matter is in your grow tent?
Top your soil with an inch or two of inert non-organic matter like Washed Sand and there is nowhere to hatch and supply them with food.
Adding a UV bug zapper is a good way to kill the adults and supply your grow area with the added benefit of UV.

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@LateNightGardner Sorry for the poor explanation. I think that quote was actually from Terminix, but never the less, I meant the stuff they put in the soil to make it a living soil,(I use Roots Original Soil). Also as others have stated a lot of organic nutrients have molasses. This is what the little pain the asses are feeding on.
By the way, I have been moving away from soil in fabric bags. Nothing wrong with them, but just getting tried of buying them repeatedly.
I don’t think that I have room in my tents for a zapper.

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I would like to thank @Russell_Leaves for starting this thread.
I was misguided about how gnats get into my tents, and now that I understand this enemy better. I think I can do a little better with this battle.
I have experienced the same as someone else said, the gnats seem to go away during flowering. Maybe, I have swerved into the answer to this.
I have two tents in the basement garage. When these tents are on a 18 hour light cycle. This light cycle keeps them on when the daylight leaves the garage. I now know the light coming out of the tent while the garage is dark is like a magnet to the gnats.
When on a 12/12 schedule the lights are on during the daytime, and the gnats will not see the lights as well. The dry soil cycle will do the job controlling them, (as it is presently doing).
When on a 18/6 cycle,I think a positive pressure in the tents will do the trick at keeping them from invading through the tiny holes in the tents. On the clone tent I will just change from an exhaust fan to an intake. On the other tent thinking about adding a intake fan and speed controls to go along with the existing exhaust fan. This way I can dial up a positive pressure when on 18 hour and a negative when on 12 hour.
I already have the dual fans on speed controls in the third tent and really like this set up.

I use bio bizz organic soil and never had nats before, I have had spider mites though but obviously I definitely sure they weren’t from the soil

Thank you Bobby digital for that bit of information. I’ve been thinking of adding uv lately for other reasons and this will be like killing 2 birds with one stone.

I topped with sand and haven’t seen one since

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I would do a soil drench and the let it dry out alittle more then normal. The oil in the soil drench with disturb there life cycle. Allowing the soil to dry out will hinder the area they live.
Yo sound next put a shallow layer of sand on top of the soil. This trifecta should help you pretty good.
Happy farming…


bringin soil indoors brings in some other wildlife… I saw this when I opened my soil box for some maintenance

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Pour boiling water over the soil you intend to use before you use it …it will kill everything alive in it even things laying dormant …I tried this outdoors even and planted the same plant in one I didn’t boil …way huge difference in growth and health …
They weren’t cannabis plants rather cardinal cardinal climber morning glory …
I think every soil you buy or get has dormant surprises …I also used natures own living soil auto for an auto and that plant grew like mad outdoors and I never saw a fungus gnat

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I might try the boil. I never checked prices on organic or fancy soils, just assumed I can’t afford it. What’s a reasonable price to fill four big pots, 6 or 7 gal each?

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Check into making your own …
It’s cheaper and you can make enough for many plants …
I YouTubed it …I never buy pre made bagged soil …
I think it cost me around $35 and I filled 4,5 gallon smart pots and still have some left

Also you do not NEED to fill the pot to the top completely





This is my current grow with my own made soil
There is nothing special about it
Looks like it works fine for me and my weed comes out great …

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@Lacewing @Jaysittinback, The boiling water or baking your soil will definitely kill the bugs and their larvae. But it will kill off the beneficial bacteria that creates your living soil. You maybe be better out to just deal with the gnats with the method of your choice.
I pay about $25.00 for a 1.5 cu ft bag at my local grow shop, and GrowGreenMi has it for about the same with free shipping for over $50. There is 7.5 gallons in a cu ft.
I have never made my own soil, but I would think that if you producing worms in you soil. You are doing petty damn good at it.

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I agree and would never boil anything like a fox farm soil
I’m just saying you can do it to the soil you’ve used last year and re use it or even like when you do buy a bag of soil at lowes and the like ,
I provide the soil nutrients as needed
But in general I believe a lot of the soils available or gimmickry lol …they aren’t putting anything in there that you can’t provide yourself
Take the fox farms bembe for example
It’s blackstrap molasses watered down and put in a fancy pretty bottle …and that’s why it sells
You could get the same crap at a supermarket and water it down yourself lol

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