Re: Fungus Gnats

From: Marcus Rossberg (Marcus.Rossberg@phil-fak.uni-duesseldorf.de)
Date: Tue Oct 12 1999 - 10:36:24 PDT


Date: Tue, 12 Oct 1999 19:36:24 +0200
From: "Marcus Rossberg" <Marcus.Rossberg@phil-fak.uni-duesseldorf.de>
To: cp@opus.hpl.hp.com
Message-Id: <aabcdefg3541$foo@default>
Subject: Re: Fungus Gnats

Hi Pete,

> I have in the past lost loads of pygmy drosera to the nasty little
> pests. They eat the roots below the soil and you only really notice
> the problem when your young plants, growing from gemmae, suddenly
> turn brown and fall over.

Hmm... so maybe I've never noticed any harm, because I don't grow pygmy
drosera. That would explain. Even my VFT-seedlings never showed problems,
but I wouldn't claim, the fungus gnats cannot harm the plants.

> My belief is the eggs are already present in the peat that I use in
> my compost mix, therefore I now microwave all my pygmy compost
> before sowing gemmae, and losses are much reduced. (My wife does
> not know I microwave compost!!)

I think so too (eggs in the compost, not for your wife...) - but since the
gnats are flying (rather running...) around everywhere once you have one
infected pot, who knows. But microwaving the compost: Now THAT's a
brilliant idea! That may also kill other pest squating in there.

Take care,

Marcus



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