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| Hello again!
I'm looking for opinions on this:
I have a work-study job on the grounds crew at my college & they had a very bad fungus gnat problem in the green house this year. Most everything is out of it (I gather that after we've dealt with all the leaves outside, we will be disinfecting in there), except a few random tropical houseplants which I was strongly encouraged (with NO wheedling on my part!) to remove. The plants in question are a 2' tall aloe w/ many, many pups, a 5' tall dracena (marginata or similar type, not a corn plant), some sort of large schlumbarga & a few unknown tropical cacti (I seem to remember my Grandma calling something similar a "shrimp" plant). Everyone looks fine & I wouldn't mind moving them in! BUT! The fungus gnats. If I did a root clean, pot scrub & switched to a gritty mix, d'ya think I could safely bring these guys home & not start a gnat problem at my house? Would the transition be best done in the contaminated greenhouse or on my porch in the cold? Would YOU do it? |
Follow-Up Postings:
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- Posted by brodyjames Wisconsin, 5 (My Page) on Sat, Nov 13, 10 at 13:06
| I would do it. Fungus gnats survive in the moist soil, so if the soil is no longer moist, no more gnats. There are many treatments on the market that you can keep on hand, just in case you see the beginnings of a reinfestation. The aloe shouldn't be kept in moist soil, anyway, as I'm sure you know, so that plant should be ok. Nancy |
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| Fungus gnats are a result of bad growing practices. clean them up and replant in your growing medium of choice and follow healthy watering schedule and they should be fine. |
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- Posted by kaktuskris 5 (barharbor75@yahoo.com) on Sat, Nov 13, 10 at 17:59
| Go for it! Care for them properly in a well draining mix, and fungus gnats will not be an issue! Christopher |
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| Fungus gnats by themselves are fairly harmless anyway. As others have said they're mostly a symptom of having bad soil conditions and too much moisture. |
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- Posted by hopefulauthor z5IL (My Page) on Sun, Nov 14, 10 at 2:14
| I would take them.. If the plants had Mealy Bug, I'd pass it/them up, but if cleaned and cared for properly, there's no reason FG's should reappear. Toni |
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| Ditto as to what everyone else has said, including the fact the gnats are mainly annoying. Btw, a drench of Bt will generally wipe them out if they continue to be an issue. |
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- Posted by gravyboots 7B (My Page) on Mon, Nov 15, 10 at 10:10
| Just the responses I was hoping for - thanks! I'll get those guys cleaned up & traveling to new homes :) |
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