Bugs ate my root?

Atom · #1 (**permalink**) 10-02-2007, 06:16 PM

Okay well I planted a seed that was germed a few days ago and had expected it to sprout in a day or two but it didnt well today I could tell something was wrong, I dug it up and it took FOREVER to find the seed like it was deeper then it was before well there was no more root coming out of it so I couldnt figure out what was up, I picked it up and it felt squishy kind and i noticed it was still partially open, well I opened it and it was COMPLETELY filled with these little white bugs, I didnt even think of it but the soil I had been using was left outside for a good week and has been in my garage for probably 2 weeks so I'm pretty sure it was just a stupid move on my part, but anyone know what these bugs might be? They were very very small, white, had quite a few legs and seemed to be feeding off the root of the baby seedling, I'm really glad I dug the seed up also because I had just added a little soil to one of my existing plants and had found the bugs not 45 seconds later and right when I saw them I grabbed the soil I put in there (in one handful, probably went about 2-3 cm deeper then the fresh soil) and threw it away and cleaned the area I had the plant VERY well, I searched through my existing plant to look for bugs and didnt notice any, my question for this entire story is..

DO YOU KNOW WHAT THESE BUGS MIGHT BE?
CAN I FIX MY SOIL BAG OR SHOULD I TOSS IT AND GET MORE?
DO YOU THINK MY EXISTING PLANT IS IN DANGER?

eyec0n · #2 (**permalink**) 10-02-2007, 06:48 PM

not good. fungus gnats. I dont think the gnats or larva are the your biggest problem. Everytime i've had them its because the soil was too damp because I kept thinking I needed to water the soil. Dont water it for like a week, let it dry out and the gnats will die off if you keep a responsable water schedual.

Home Depot sells products that gets rid of the them, not water as much also helps.

Atom · #3 (**permalink**) 10-02-2007, 06:58 PM

Hey thats sick your from CV, im from redding

but will my plants that are about 3 weeks in be affected by me putting a handful of soil on them for 45 seconds? I kept the plant that had the soil with the bugs separated from the others because I felt like I should, good thing I did!

urgr8estfear · #4 (**permalink**) 10-02-2007, 11:10 PM

Aldult fungus gnats can fly.....did you know?

valleyhempz · #5 (**permalink**) 10-03-2007, 04:13 AM

go too lowes or home depot and if you can find some neem oil, and also letting your soil dry out will help, and yes adult gants can fly so dont let the infected dirt get near your other plants or house plants for that matter, there nasty little critters. or you can for go fighting the infection get rid of the infected dirt and go buy some more fresh dirt from lowes or something.

Ganja Guerrilla · #6 (**permalink**) 10-03-2007, 04:22 AM

as well as the Neem Oil soil drench, get some yellow sticky traps, placed on the soil will take care of returning adults, they are attracted to yellow

freeze5959 · #7 (**permalink**) 10-31-2007, 02:45 AM

I have these same bugs in my plant, when I transplated them I noticed these little white spider/flea looking things crawling around. So are these fungus gnats because I looked at a few pics of them but they didnt really look a like. I would really like to kill these bastards. Please Help

Atom · #8 (**permalink**) 10-31-2007, 04:33 PM

Yeah they were, I didnt purchase the yellow traps but I repotted removing as much of the old soil as possible sprayed the bucket with neem oil spray sprayed the leaves with neem oil spray and flushed the soil we a neem oil solution, I have kept a bit of garlic on top of the soil and spray twice a day if possible with the neem oil, makes the leaves really nice and shiny and green and the fungus gnats are gone, shits a miracle.

freeze5959 · #9 (**permalink**) 11-02-2007, 03:40 PM

I think I found out what the bug were after a lot of searching. They appear to Root Mealys, they pretty much stay underground eating and nesting in the roots. Most of the time the are ok and you never know you have them until you repot the plant and happen to see them (like I did). But they can cause slow growth and really stop the plant form flowering. The only thing I could find on killing them was this stuff Bayers Tree and Shrub insect control stuff, you mix it with water and water the plant, the plant asorbs the water and when the bug eats the roots it dies. Now is it say since I plan on smoking and eating (bud butter) this plant is it SAFE. The only info I could find was that they do using it on tomatos and other veggies.

Please share knowledge you might have about this Pest!!

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#1 (permalink) 10-02-2007, 06:16 PM
Atom Banned Join Date: Apr 2007 Posts: 342	Bugs ate my root? Okay well I planted a seed that was germed a few days ago and had expected it to sprout in a day or two but it didnt well today I could tell something was wrong, I dug it up and it took FOREVER to find the seed like it was deeper then it was before well there was no more root coming out of it so I couldnt figure out what was up, I picked it up and it felt squishy kind and i noticed it was still partially open, well I opened it and it was COMPLETELY filled with these little white bugs, I didnt even think of it but the soil I had been using was left outside for a good week and has been in my garage for probably 2 weeks so I'm pretty sure it was just a stupid move on my part, but anyone know what these bugs might be? They were very very small, white, had quite a few legs and seemed to be feeding off the root of the baby seedling, I'm really glad I dug the seed up also because I had just added a little soil to one of my existing plants and had found the bugs not 45 seconds later and right when I saw them I grabbed the soil I put in there (in one handful, probably went about 2-3 cm deeper then the fresh soil) and threw it away and cleaned the area I had the plant VERY well, I searched through my existing plant to look for bugs and didnt notice any, my question for this entire story is.. DO YOU KNOW WHAT THESE BUGS MIGHT BE? CAN I FIX MY SOIL BAG OR SHOULD I TOSS IT AND GET MORE? DO YOU THINK MY EXISTING PLANT IS IN DANGER?

#3 (permalink) 10-02-2007, 06:58 PM
Atom Banned Join Date: Apr 2007 Posts: 342	Hey thats sick your from CV, im from redding but will my plants that are about 3 weeks in be affected by me putting a handful of soil on them for 45 seconds? I kept the plant that had the soil with the bugs separated from the others because I felt like I should, good thing I did!

#4 (permalink) 10-02-2007, 11:10 PM
urgr8estfear Abyssal frequent flyer Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: The netherworld....uhmm..lands Posts: 2,100	Aldult fungus gnats can fly.....did you know? __________________ Check out my crazy fluro/HPS grows : http://forum.grasscity.com/general-indoor-growing/91096-needs-professional-assistance-flowering.html& http://forum.grasscity.com/grow-journals/102259-urgr8estfear-2nd-fluro-only-soil-grow-start-finish.html& http://forum.grasscity.com/grow-jour...soil-grow.html& http://forum.grasscity.com/grow-jour...-hps-grow.html http://forum.grasscity.com/grow-jour...ml#post2098623 http://forum.grasscity.com/grow-jour...own-seeds.html

#5 (permalink) 10-03-2007, 04:13 AM
valleyhempz Registered User Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Land of the Midnight Sun. Posts: 651	go too lowes or home depot and if you can find some neem oil, and also letting your soil dry out will help, and yes adult gants can fly so dont let the infected dirt get near your other plants or house plants for that matter, there nasty little critters. or you can for go fighting the infection get rid of the infected dirt and go buy some more fresh dirt from lowes or something. __________________ where ever its steep and deep ill be balls deep in it.....(reffering to snowmaching)

#7 (permalink) 10-31-2007, 02:45 AM
freeze5959 Registered User Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: USA Posts: 40	I have these same bugs in my plant, when I transplated them I noticed these little white spider/flea looking things crawling around. So are these fungus gnats because I looked at a few pics of them but they didnt really look a like. I would really like to kill these bastards. Please Help

#8 (permalink) 10-31-2007, 04:33 PM
Atom Banned Join Date: Apr 2007 Posts: 342	Yeah they were, I didnt purchase the yellow traps but I repotted removing as much of the old soil as possible sprayed the bucket with neem oil spray sprayed the leaves with neem oil spray and flushed the soil we a neem oil solution, I have kept a bit of garlic on top of the soil and spray twice a day if possible with the neem oil, makes the leaves really nice and shiny and green and the fungus gnats are gone, shits a miracle.

#9 (permalink) 11-02-2007, 03:40 PM
freeze5959 Registered User Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: USA Posts: 40	I think I found out what the bug were after a lot of searching. They appear to Root Mealys, they pretty much stay underground eating and nesting in the roots. Most of the time the are ok and you never know you have them until you repot the plant and happen to see them (like I did). But they can cause slow growth and really stop the plant form flowering. The only thing I could find on killing them was this stuff Bayers Tree and Shrub insect control stuff, you mix it with water and water the plant, the plant asorbs the water and when the bug eats the roots it dies. Now is it say since I plan on smoking and eating (bud butter) this plant is it SAFE. The only info I could find was that they do using it on tomatos and other veggies. Please share knowledge you might have about this Pest!!

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