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Posted 4w ago by @RulerMoonflower

Fungus gnats

#EuropeanRedRaspberry

So, I'm growing my bareroot raspberry indoors under growlights when suddenly these guys show up.

As a preventative step, I've watered all my bareroots with BTI treated water but I'm still seeing these pesky fungus gnats.

Maybe I'm noticing stuff more coz all this is happening in my grow room, but are fungus gnats gonna cause any serious issues?
2ft to light, direct
Last watered 2 weeks ago
Best Answer
Yes but you have to add perlite and sand. But also gotta make sure the peat doesnt have additives cause alot do . The one thing it can have and actually helps is dolemite lime. It helps stabalize ph in high peat potting mixes
Most of the time, the most serious issue is that they will annoy the living hell out of you. Sometimes, very rarely, I've heard, big populations can affect the roots, but generally not. They are detrivores and really prefer the fungi in the soil.
They are famously hard to get rid of. BTI is the preferred method of many, but needs to be supplemented by e.g. yellow traps to get rid of the adults as well. Best practice is always not to overwater and maybe bottom water because, again, the larvae like fungi, that tend to grow in soil that we keep too moist.
My preferred method at this point is to let my carnivorous plants do the heavy lifting (like yellow traps but more effective) and ignore the remaining few. You might want to add another hashtag since #pestcontrol is the preferred one by the other pest haters and you might find more detailed answers from them๐Ÿ˜‰
Im not familiar with BTI? Maybe i just dont know the lingo though lol๐Ÿคทโ€โ™‚๏ธ ? Anyway is this a food crop? And is it safe for it ??? Question for you not for me .
@MusicalRedmint I laughed out loud to your comment because you are so right! Those gnats will annoy the loving hell out of the most patient person!

I found a pellet treatment that worked for my house. If I can find the product name again, I'll comment again here, just in case you're interested. What I liked about it was that it required very little water to activate, so I wasn't adding to the problem in order to fix it.
@TheConservator oh bti is really a biological control which uses a kind of bacterium that targets the larvae of mosquitos and fungus gnats. BTI is usually applied on stagnant water, but gardeners have been using them to water their plants to keep fungus gnats at bay.

The bacteria, once it colonize the soil, infects the larvae, cause them to cease eating, and then they starve to death. However, U need to use sticky paper to catch the adults.
@TheConservator Bti is a bacterium that usually is added to ponds to curtail the explosion of mosquito populations. It has been used in farming for a while now as well. It is said to be safe, but in general I'm a bit skeptical, at least concerning use for crops or broad band and in nature in general. However, even I would say it's safe for decorative houseplants inside in any case. A household name that markets it in the US for example is mosquito bits
@MusicalRedmint thanks for replying! I'm actually quite speechless that I'm still seeing fungus gnats coz I literally had the whole place (grow room) nuked. Even after all that cleaning, I'm still seeing them invading my plants. Now, maybe I'm leaning towards co-existance, but I have to make sure they won't cause much serious damage. I will just stick to BTI and ignore them
I can only recommend that you get one or two sundews or pings as well. They are absolutely great at catching them. And so much more decorative than sticky traps ๐Ÿ˜‰
I needed to go slightly generous on the watering coz I just planted them bareroot berries for the first time. They wont be receiving anymore for the next 1-2 weeks.
@MusicalRedmint

I think I might know someone who keeps droseras. Would Venus flytraps work?
Oh well thats cool then . Always learning on here . Just wanted to make sure you were being safe!
@RulerMoonflower Nope. vfts go for bigger prey like flies. They don't even register the gnats
I love my cp for gnats to! And uts way more satisfying to see em trapped in a sundew than other preventative methods. TAKE THAT YOU GNATS !
3 little babies coming up i that sundew ๐Ÿ™Œ more killing power coming soon !
@TheConservator I can relate. I'm that way also, that's why I read up on it, when I first stumbled over it. I still think it's highly questionable practice to just use it everywhere and not think there will be any repercussions for the bigger ecosystems, but apparently it's really very safe otherwise. So still, way safer than many of the systemics I see being used by so many plant people everywhere without a thought.
The droseras look beautiful! Are they hard to keep??
Not in the least. I keep mine in live sphagnum, but any soil for carnivorous plants should do as well. Then just place it in a saucer with always readily available distilled water (keep it filled up, don't let it dry, never use tap or fertilizer) and you are golden. Many varieties need quite good light, though, but I don't think that should be a problem where you live
No ive found them really easy! Really bright light and keep watef in the dish under it. Onky bad thjng is distilled or rainwater only . But distilled waters cheap
And no fertilzer!
Gotta make sure everythinv you put in your mix doesnt have chemical additves like slow release fertlizer
Come to think of it... We have some native drosera here coz I've seen them growing by the side of a jogging track. They seem to prefer spots under big trees with lots of moss nearby. They really tiny tho lol
@TheConservator nutritionally zero substrate? Is peat moss ok?
There are tons of recipes online for it. Or you can usyally buy mix from the place you get it! If its an actual cp nursery. Individuals on ebay probably not .
And usually you wont need to repot them anyway for a couple years
Thanks guys. I think I unlocked a new sp to try lmaooo
And yes zero nutrients They live in bogs that have all that stripped away by constant water. Theg get ghe nutrition from the bugs !
Why they evolved basically No nutrients innthe soil Had to get it somewhere
Ive become addicyed to cp lol
My cp clinatarium
@RulerMoonflower you can spray isopropyl alcohol at swarms in the air and it will kill them on contact. The BTI will take time to control NEW growth but the adults will still be there till they keel over. Sprinkling cinnamon in the soil helps and I put a cotton ball with peppermint oil at the base of plants as they hate the smell. And lastly, I use this homemade spray and I donโ€™t have any at my house. You can use cinnamon oil over using the sticks. And I spray at night as neem can cause photosensitivity in some plants. I donโ€™t spray the leaves, usually just the soil.
Sphagnum moss works to, but again, I would go with love one if you go that route. Because is constantly in water anyways, the sphagnum thrives as well and looks lush and doesn't spoil like dead sphagnum would. I attached pictures since I'm finally home. Right now, sphagnum and sundews look a bit worse for wear because I'm German winter they don't exactly get lots and lots of light. But at least I could attach some blooms as well. Or rather buds
U even got the drosera with the long arms! Bet they love fungus gnats.. just the right bite size for these guys
Yep ๐Ÿ˜€