Fungus Gnat and Damping-Off Control

Late winter and early spring is a superb time to start out seedlings and get the gardening season underway. Rising your seedlings from seed is very rewarding and might open doorways to much more species that aren’t usually present in backyard facilities. Nevertheless, a few issues can generally curb the indoor inexperienced thumb and critically have an effect on the success of rising seedlings.

Fungus gnats and damping-off are two afflictions that generally have an effect on gardeners. Nevertheless, earlier than you spend cash on costly chemical substances, the answer to those issues could also be way more low value that you simply suspect.

Fungus gnats These tiny, black bugs appear innocuous sufficient as they buzz over your crops. Whereas the adults hardly ever trigger any issues to crops, if the younger larvae are in massive numbers, they will injury your seedlings.

Fungus gnats get your hands on moist soil by which to put their eggs. When the eggs hatch, the larvae feed on the roots of your crops. Wholesome seedlings will usually be capable of face up to this feeding, however seedlings with small root programs like onions and leeks and people exhibiting signs of nutrient stress may be put again fairly considerably.

The best technique to forestall fungus gnats is to water your crops correctly. Overwatering, which causes your potting combine to stay moist for prolonged durations of time, appears to draw fungus gnats. In case your crops are already contaminated, permit the soil to dry out between watering. Alternatively, sprinkle a ¼” of sand on high of your soil to confuse the adults. For the reason that sand drains water rapidly, it may possibly generally trick the adults into considering the soil is dry.

Potting mixes containing peat appear to be notably affected by fungus gnats. If the issue is reoccurring for you, take into consideration switching from a peat-based combine to at least one that solely accommodates perlite and vermiculite. Lastly, if the grownup fungus gnats are bothersome, entice them by making your individual sticky entice. The adults are interested in the colour yellow. Make your individual sticky entice by smearing Vaseline or Tanglefoot on a yellow floor and hold it up near the place the adults congregate.

Damping-off

Not solely will controlling your watering assist to forestall fungus gnats, it is going to forestall the second commonest drawback, damping-off. This situation is brought on by a number of fungi corresponding to Phtophtora and Pythium.

These fungi stay on the soil line, simply the place air meets the moist soil floor. When overwatering retains your potting soil repeatedly moist, the fungi assault your seedlings. The telltale symptom is a constricted stem, simply at or beneath the soil floor. As soon as seedlings are contaminated, they have a tendency to fall over on the soil line.

As talked about, permitting the soil floor to dry out will go a great distance in stopping this drawback.

If, for some cause, your potting combine stays moist for an prolonged time frame, look to your kitchen cupboard to assist forestall the illness. Cinnamon powder is a pure fungicide and has been proven to be notably efficient in opposition to damping-off. As well as, Weak chamomile tea (after it has cooled) is one other pure fungicide.

Making certain seedling success needn’t be sophisticated or costly. Controlling your watering and some home made cures will go a protracted technique to guaranteeing wholesome seedlings. Arzeena is an agronomist and gardenwriter for Natural Residing E-newsletter.

Residence Treatments for Fungus Gnat and Damping-Off Management

by Arzeena Hamir

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