Bugs!
 

Brought in a few Tomato plants and started a few from seed and there a lot of tiny dark grey/black flies(seem like baby fruit flies?) that seem to like hanging around the soil surface but will fly - can't seem to get rid of them:evil::evil: - have fly paper, yellow sticky panels, and spray w/raid flying insect killer when there are a few together away from the plants.
What to do?? don't want to have to throw stuff away and start fresh. I guess maybe pull them by the roots and stick them in new pots w/sterile soil from lowe's?:?!?::?!?::?!?:

Those sound like fungus gnats. They live in the soil. The sticky traps will work. I also use Mosquito Dunks which are easy to find at Walmart or Amazon. Break them up and put them in your watering can then saturate the soil. I use them every time that I water. Some people prefer to use a diluted spray of hydrogen peroxide on the soil.
I hope this helps you with the problem.

Do the Mosquito Dunks kill the gnats?

Mosquito dunks supposedly kill the larvae in the soil. I have a horrible infestation right now. I'm using a peroxide solution to kill anything in the soil (eggs & larvae), then adding mycobacteria (Myco-Blast) to put good bacteria around the roots, then watering exclusively with Mosquito dunks, and have yellow sticky traps spread everywhere. Also, using a fan to keep fungus down. Good luck.

Me too Nan! not fun! Sent for some Gnatrol ( a form of the Bonide Hornworm killer by a different company) which is the natural method( i guess?) good reviews. I did Cl2 last night and have the yellow stickies all over - some say a layer of sand 1/2" deep will stop it also - i am going for the kill!!!! What dilution / % of Hydrogen Peroxide did you use?
Thanks
Pete

1 part 3% peroxide to 8 or 9 parts water. Remember, peroxide first, then mycos.

what is mycos?

what i am growing is Dan's # 33X-f5

Mycos = Mycobacteria, bacteria that form a symbiotic relationship with the fine roots of the plant, protecting them from the gnat larvae.

Like this:
[url]https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B00MT676YG/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o06_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1[/url]

So I guess that my Gnatrol plus the peroxide and / or sand will be rid of these #%&@#$$%#$% bugs!! Should get order for [url]https://www.gnatrol.com/product-page/14-grams-gnatrol-bti[/url]

Bacillus thuringiensis in a few days..............

Don't forget the yellow sticky traps to take out the adults.

Thanks Nan,
Pete

Do realize that using the hydrogen peroxide after applying the mycos will kill your microbacteria that you have just added.

I do all of the above.

Sticky traps for a 'heads up' to potential problems. (and controls the flying
hatched gnats)

All plants coming in from outside get a peroxide flush and my water
has crushed mosquito dunks for the first waterings about three weeks now.

I had a minor problem early on but a fresh sticky trap shows no problems.

My micro toms this morning. I have three trays of nine each. 36 plants now
that I will cull and give healthy ones as holiday gifts.

[QUOTE=MissS;719001]Do realize that using the hydrogen peroxide after applying the mycos will kill your microbacteria that you have just added.[/QUOTE]

I find it important to take care of the gnat problem first, then I can
top dress healthy mycos and also when potting up later.

Well, I found the source of my gnat infestation. The bag of soil I planted everything in is infested with gnats.


Does freezing the soil kill the eggs, larvae, & adults?

[QUOTE=Nan_PA_6b;719058]Well, I found the source of my gnat infestation. The bag of soil I planted everything in is infested with gnats.


Does freezing the soil kill the eggs, larvae, & adults?[/QUOTE]
First one not likely, second one maybe adults probably.
Just a wild guess.

Worth

That's what I did also, found the bag of "Magic Dirt" full of gnats after the fact. I am waiting for my "Gnatrol" to arrive and hope it will cure my current problem - only 5 pots but don't want to pull the plants and repot:?!?:

I just found this post on cooking soil to sterilize it.
[url]http://www.tomatoville.com/showpost.php?p=687731&postcount=5[/url]

No, freezing the soil has no effect. Cooking the soil does work.

We cooked it today. A meat thermometer doesn't seem to work in fluffy soil- is that other people's experience as well?


I'm seeing some little white things on the yellow sticky traps, along with the black gnats. White things are smaller. Anyone have any idea what those are?

Nan: 1
Gnats: 0 :dance:

x---A month of watering with Mosquito Dunk water, another round of peroxide for my plants to sterilize the soil, and there are no gnats on the yellow sticky traps.


Rest of soil has been baked or is scheduled for baking. All soil forever will be baked. Never ever again!

Good job Nan!! I am impatiently awaiting my Gnatrol!! I did use some cl2 but want to have a quick fix for these little %$&*@#$ 's so next ime "easy/peasy" fix and no worries:?!?: