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Springtails- Good or Bad

Discussion in 'Sick Plants and Problems' started by Menace25, Aug 17, 2018.

  1. #1 Menace25, Aug 17, 2018
    Once again I have found springtails. On my research goes back and forth some saying they're actually beneficial other saying there harmful cuz they eat the hairs off the roots. I know they're definitely springtails not anything else. I use Mother of Earth Coco Perlite 70/30, which I bake at low temperature, and only bottled nutes. I really think they're coming from the Great White mycorrhizae or whatever because I keep a very sterile clean room never use any coco, I bleached the whole room in between Cycles, and I'd bake the cocoa to ensure it kills any bugs and eggs. Last cycle I was given the great white when I bought my smart pots. Midway through flowering I noticed the springtails. I was extremely worried but I had an extremely Bountiful Harvest with phenomenal results. I'm only in bed with the two mothers just took cuttings for the next round and already noticed the springtails. I did buy AzaMax but never used it, and really don't want to use any chemicals. Beg The Experience Growers tell me how harmful are the springtails and to what extent should I go to get rid of them? If they are harmful are there any known safe methods? I already tried drying them out with no luck. The two mothers are both roughly currently- 2.5' tall by 3'x3' wide

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  2. #2 Papa Puff, Aug 18, 2018
    Sorry I never had them, cant believe no one helped u yet. I think springtails live in the soil. Go on you tube and look up killing sprintails on mj

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  3. #3 Papa Puff, Aug 18, 2018
    I believe u kill them in the soil. Thinking buying lace wing larvae to eat them

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  4. #4 Nex420, Aug 18, 2018
    Springtails primarily feed off decaying root matter and fungus.


    I wouldn’t sweat it personally.
     
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  5. #5 Menace25, Aug 18, 2018
    This is the most common reply from anyone I asked. Personally I had phenomenal growth and everything last time had no issues even though there were springtails. This time around the mothers are only about two and a half months old phenomenal growth no issues at all but the more I research it other say that they notice a significant difference once they get rid of the springtails. They say they eat the hairs off the roots. Then again I doubt anyone who had those issues is feeding them as I do. I use the Gen Hydro Flora 3 part expert drain to waste and also the Gen Organics Bio line. I know this is basically doubling the nutes I'm giving them but minus having to reduce everything to 75% because of very minimal Nute Burn, only on the blue cheese, I'm having explosive growth very very healthy green plants with so many roots. I use Smart pots so I can see the roots when they protrude.
    For now I'm just going to continue monitoring them if anyone has any good information on whether they are beneficial or harmful, or a way to get rid of them without using harmful pesticides or chemicals I extremely appreciate it.
    Thank you all

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  6. #6 Nex420, Aug 18, 2018
    They are really attracted to moisture, so if you have a high RH % possibly lowering it could help reduce their population size.

    Also DE could help reduce them as well.

    Good luck at any rate brada
     
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  7. #7 Egohst, Feb 24, 2020
    So I have had hypoaspis miles for quite some time. Recently I’ve noticed an occasional seedling cotyledon or first set get a few chew marks. My new house is really dry, below 30% RH so I figured it was the couple weeks that the room went unnoticed bc my gauge needed calibrating. Turns out whenever a seedling got too damp it’s like something hatched and would eat the leaves.

    I was baffled until I found springtails. They mostly leave everything alone and they have only fed on leaves at the very young ages of their life and they do not eat much BUT given the right conditions they reach carrying capacity in the soil and since they like damp NOT wet soil they move up, especially the little baby ones it appears. I water the plants the babies crawl up the stems and feed where there’s more oxygen I guess. It’s like they’re showing me I overwatered. Last month they almost ate 3 leaves off my ape! I added humidity and watered less and they haven’t eaten leaves.

    So just like humans they are smart and so instead of dying they will not drown and eat your leaves, so don’t overwater and add drainage if needed.

    They ARE BENEFICIAL though!!!! They eat pathogens both bacterial and fungal and they actually carry beneficial mycorrhyzal fungi on them and they do eat pest larva as well. If you find spring tails and hypoaspis miles mites in your indoor garden then you are doing something right! I doubt they came from the great white. They are ubiquitous and if you have pets anywhere near you then you won’t be sterile and THERES NO NEED TO BE STERILE!!! Especially with springtails. They’ll clean it up and also only way to try to kill them is drying out the soil. No pesticide will work
     

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