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Media bed drains

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Comment by Keith Markham on March 24, 2013 at 6:59pm: Any advice is always welcome, thank you...I am a novice at growing anything and dealing with problems that I know nothing about..I did manage to get rid of some aphids I found with the introduction of some ladybugs..they seemed to do a good job fast!! I will get some of the fly tape and keep a close eye..thanks again

Comment by Jim Fisk on March 24, 2013 at 6:18pm: Should have mentioned when it comes to WFs the tomatoes are the canary.

Comment by Jim Fisk on March 24, 2013 at 6:16pm: I agree Keith, that's why I suggested just putting some sticky tapes down there and check them once in awhile. Mine were out of control before I knew what they even were and then I got hit with the white flies shortly there after and they cause fungus on the plants. I really think had I been experienced with a GH I could have beaten them handily if done right away. Thus my warnings to people with spanky new GH's.

Vlad, everything I read says they (fn) do damage plant roots and more. They live in the media (as well as the plants and under the GBs) so they will always have moisture even when all appears dry. (sometimes it all appears to be moving there are so many playing in the gravel) I did implement everything you and Jon advised (gnat-trol, fan, oil/garlic spray, lady bugs (which were worthless introduced in the middle of Winter) and today I hit them with a quart of the most beautiful worm casting tea that I am collecting under the worm bin) and I am certain I am close to beating them. Right now the wfs are the current battle. Spent hours in there today spraying, cleaning up old plants and vac up millions of wfs. and burning all the plants in the wood stove. When the lady bugs get active it may all be history.

Most of the plants just keep growing new shoots and more food despite the damage. As long as I take precautions the seedlings are doing great so far. Spinach is actually recovering and got hit so bad by the FGs that I use them as the canary in the GB.

Speaking of Jon, how is his infestation going?I haven't heard anything lately. I believe it was white flies and a fungus moth?

Also Averan, (first of all sorry if I pounced. Touchy subject:-) With outside dirt gardens you have lots of natural predators that a new GH does not have. Things can get out of control real fast in a GH. Been growing for 45 years now and this has been a first.

Comment by Keith Markham on March 24, 2013 at 2:11pm: Well what I know thus far is that they work...until they become a problem I think I will just leave it alone...

Comment by Averan on March 24, 2013 at 12:43pm: But all those concerns are only indicators in dirt gardens.

Comment by Vlad Jovanovic on March 24, 2013 at 12:31pm: I don't know about Jim or anybody else, but as annoying as fungus gnats can be, I'm pretty sure they've never caused any damage that I've been able to tell. But, then I've never had a super bad infestation or anything. I have heard that they are more of an indication that something else is amiss, as opposed to a problem for healthy plants/seedlings. i.e...When things are too moist/wet, you very often invite problems with fungal pathogens... infecting your plants (esp seedlings...crown rot, root rot, pythium/damping off disease etc...) and probably then fungus gnats appear, since conditions would be ideal for them in such an environment.

Jim, I seem to remember you had a problem with way too much moisture in the GH a while back, maybe you blamed the gnats for your woes because they were the only tangible, visible manifestation?...When in your problems were fungal in origin and not necessarily the fungus gnats?

Comment by Averan on March 24, 2013 at 12:15pm: I'm sorry if my question seemed sarcastic, but no, it was not. I've never noticed gnats actually doing damage and they are named 'fungus' after all. It is often useful to ask the obvious. I was wondering if people were just annoyed by them or if they really posed a problem. Now that I am trying to grow from seed I will pay extra attention to see if these gnats mess with my seedlings.

Comment by Jim Fisk on March 23, 2013 at 10:51am: Seriously? They destroy your plant roots and stems. Hit my peas, tomatoes, spinach, cabbage, brocs, lettuce, kale, need I go on?

Comment by Averan on March 23, 2013 at 10:24am: What's wrong with fungus gnats?

Comment by Jim Fisk on March 23, 2013 at 7:37am: I use plain old fly tapes and they work great for white flies as well. Black Flag are great while Raid are simply awful. You could even wrap one around the top of the drain pipe and it should grab them BEFORE they lay eggs. They love to set up shop in the media bed gravel as well. Watch for the white flies on the tomatoes. That's their fav spot.