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jutsfl

BT to the rescue!

jutsFL
9 years ago

So my 5 gal buckets outside were absolutely inundated with fungus gnats the last time I had checked on them. I got some of the BT on the left in the pic, and swirled about a tbs of it around in my watering mix about 3 days ago. Just checked today - and BAM... No more gnats! This stuff worked great.

The BT on the right actually shoots out of the container in a powdered spray form. I purchased this one after seeing a YouTube video with it used on peppers. I was also having a problem with critters eating up my leaves, but again - 3 days out from using it, and I've got no new holes munched in my leaves!

... Thus far there are no bad effects on the plants either, I'll chalk this one up as a win.

Comments (10)

  • seysonn
    9 years ago

    Thanks for sharing your experience.
    Where did you find and bought the Mosquito Bits ?

  • jutsFL
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    I couldn't find the bits locally, so I purchased them on Amazon.

    They don't disolve quickly, but do release fast enough. I tested them in a small container with water, stirred them around, and found that the water was dispersed with tiny particles in about a minute (the bigger pieces still remained too). So when watering my plants, I use a 3 gal bucket, I added my fert - the bits - and some cal (the 'witches brew'), and stirred for around a min. Each bucket gets roughly 1/2 of the water...so about 1.5 gals per plant. The method worked very well, and I'll have enough of the bits to last at least 3 yrs - even if I have to reapply often.

    Jay

  • seysonn
    9 years ago

    Thank Jay.
    I found something at HD, called "Mosquito Dunks". It comes in 6 round pressed shape ( like doughnut) .

    It is sold just for mosquito treatment , no mention of fungus gnats. The ingredients are :

    ---- Active Ingredient: Bacillus Thuringiensis subspecies ..10.31 %
    --- inert ingredients ... 89.69 %
    So it is "Bt" alright. Now my question is how to use it . Crush it and dissolve in water, and water the seedlings with it or sprinkle it on the top of put ? HOW MUCH ?

    Thank you for your advice.

    seysonn
    ----

  • cold_weather_is_evil
    9 years ago

    Mosquito dunks and mosquito bits are both from the same company and are meant for immersion in standing water. I thought such restrictions were a bit silly so I loaded a shake or two of the bits along with some water into a hefty Cuisinart blender to deal with those nasty little black gnats that HD so thoughtfully included in some potting soil for me.

    Those little chunks of diamond-reinforced concrete were totally unfazed by two or three minutes of turbo-grind. I then just mixed the chunks in with the potting soil in the bag and in the top layer of dirt in my house pots. It says the flies are not affected but it harms the little larval maggots in the soil. No mo flies after a week or so.

    If you want to pulverize the doughnuts I'd suggest a really heavy sledge. Maybe two. I now nuke everything that goes into my house. Even peat pellets.

  • jutsFL
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    Seysonn...the dunks are indeed the same as the bits. As stated above, no mention to gnats - but I assure you that it works on them. I found no real reference to how much, but have heard a crumbled 1/4 of the doughnut in your watering will be sufficient. If it were my grow I'd use the 1/4 ring for about 4-5 of my 5 gal buckets - just an estimate though. I really don't feel that you'd over do it with that amount, and to be honest I don't know that it could actually be overdone. The BT does not effect the plant system at all, only the larvae in the soil. Hope that helps a little. ( when I put the tbs in my watering it was just a shot in the dark too)

    Jay

  • woohooman San Diego CA zone 10a
    9 years ago

    Let's remind everybody that Mosquito dunks are BT (I variant) and then there's BT (K variant), which is used to control caterpillars(hornworms, cabbage loopers, etc.)

    Kevin

  • david52 Zone 6
    9 years ago

    I've used the larger 'dunks' successfully by filling a gallon container with tap water, let sit for 24 hrs to dissipate any chlorine, then let the dunk soak for another 24 hours, then use the water on the plants. Just keep filling it up the original container with de-chlorinated water.

    The easiest think is just sprinkle the granules around the top of the soil on the potted up plant and proceed as normal. I'm now in the habit of just putting a pinch of granules on all the seedlings I do - tomatoes, basil, peppers, etc. Those fungus gnat larvae do a serious number on the little root hairs.

  • flipback23
    9 years ago

    Ya the dunks work wonders lol. They were advised to me last week for my gnat issue and now at least 95% are gone and I was going crazy last week them flying around everything. I just broke the dunk in pieces and soaked it in a gallon of water for 24 hrs. After watering just refilled the jug and let the left over dunks marinate until next watering.

  • seysonn
    9 years ago

    Thanks much guys. As suggested by JAY, I will mix some into my new potting mix. So the "I" variant should work on gnats.

    BTW: So far I have no serious problem other than those tiny flies (size of fruit flies). My seedlings are ok.

  • jutsFL
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    From my experience I am to assume that it will work out well for you seysonn. Definitely let us know how it goes though.

    I still haven't seen any in my buckets yet, but I do plan to reapply once more on my next feeding.

    Jay

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