When you buy soil, even if it is bagged, it can contain fungus gnats and other pests as well as some diseases that you don’t want in your home when you are growing indoors. In this video I will show you how to sterilize your soil to prevent problems, and then how to get rid of these pests if you find them. Some of the products I used in the video can be found on Amazon, here are the links:
Amazon Items:
Yellow Sticky Traps: https://amzn.to/2S8XpG5
Mosquito Dunks: https://amzn.to/3bFnvrD
Mosquito Bits: https://amzn.to/3bGE6eX
Thanks Tikki been watching you for a long time. You have helped me in the past with ph issues. Can you give me more intel on the hydrogen peroxide solution. Don’t want to kill my plants. Also I’ve heard hydrogen peroxide is good for root health. Your thoughts? Wish I was your neighbor, Charles. Chris is my stage name.
I had a major infestation of these gnats last spring and bought a product called a Dynatrap. It consisted of a UV lamp and disposable sticky cards and worked like a charm. The first morning there were about 100 of the gnats stuck and every night for about 3 weeks, more were trapped. It got to the point where I didn't notice any flying around and I could tend to my various seedlings without this nuisance. The lamp plugs on like a night light on steroids and uses very little electricity. Not cheap, but very effective. Thanks for the videos.
Those sticky traps do work but boy are they sticky!
You are a big time help, always. Thank you.
Very good advice. I live in australia and we have just been through summer. Grew some plants inside but was a bit too lazy to sterilize the soil. Will know better next time. Gnats everywhere.
Thanks Tikki. I battled them last year and tried the sticky traps, watering with hydrogen peroxide solution, placing a cut potato cut-side down on the soil, and sprinkling cinnamon on the soil. Finally I heard about sterilizing the soil and that finally worked but I had to get rid of my plants and start over with the sterilized soil. Will try to remember the mosquito dunks if I still end up with a gnat problem.
You have a great sense of humour. Actually just came across your channel. Really good content. I started binge watching. Thats for the great information!!
Love your videos.
Soooo….just kill the microbiome ?
Then reinoculate it
Putting sand on top of potted plants helps. About half or 3/4 of an inch. The can't burrow threw the sand.
boiling, heating. baking. that old school method kills good microbes too, so nope,,
I got some food grade peroxide to be prepared, as I'm growing micro greens on my kitchen table. Now I do have knats and I sat the one outside that I noticed but what about the others. Is it ok to use the peroxide over the soil and still eat the microgreens. This is all new to me TIA
I sell Fungus Gnats! Anyone interested?
I have used the mosquito bits and they work great!