bugs in my soil

[maineharvest]

So I was just watering my plants and every time I would pour water into the soil a bunch of tiny white centipede shaped bugs came running up to the surface of the soil. They are really tiny so its hard to get a proper id on them. Looks like they have 6 six legs and antennas. I just started using some ocean forest soil that was gifted to me by a friend and I'm thinking they came with the soil. Why is it every time I'm gifted a clone or soil or something I always end up with spidermites or bugs? ! Makes me not even want to deal with other people. Any info or advise would be great. Thanks y'all.

 

[ShOrTbUs]

if you were given a brand new bag of ffof, then its unlikely that they were already in the soil, but still possible.

 

[Growdude]

Sounds like Symphilids

Small pests that are tan to white colored and look like centipedes. They are very deadly to the plants, because they burrow down into the roots and damage them by feeding of them. Your plants leaves will begin to die off. They are found mostly in soil composites that have not been cleaned, like soil that has additives in them such as animal manure.
(I know it will smell funny but sterilizing the soil in the oven for 30 min can kill any pests in the soil, heat to 350 for 30 min.) They are easy to tell if you have them, because they come to the top soil when your plant is being watered, if you find you do have them, use Fungus Gnat Killer (“B.T." a non chemical,biological control) in the powdered form. One application should kill it, just to be safe repeat every 7 days to kill off the larvae. Tobacco juice kills them as well! And nematodes.

 

[maineharvest]

Shortbus, it was an open bag of soil. My buddy who stopped growing gave it to me.

 

[maineharvest]

Growdude, I think you might be right my friend.

 

[ShOrTbUs]

Shortbus, it was an open bag of soil. My buddy who stopped growing gave it to me.

yeah i figured as much. not to say that it could never happen, but fox farm isnt some rinky dink, mom and pop nursery that mixes soil and sells it to people. while ffof is on the expensive side, if nothing else the quality of their products is second to none imo.

hmmm, so nematodes kill them. i've seen nematodes for sale on a bunch of sites. fresh earth worm castings are full of nematodes. also, earth worm leachate can be diluted and used to water the plants with. the leachate not only has an abundance of nematodes, but also protozoa, & mycorrhizae. its seriously good stuff, but you can only get it fresh from a worm farm. it doesn't keep for very long, that i know of. :48:

 

[maineharvest]

I figured out that they are a bug called springtails. I found a few different accounts of people finding springtails in fox farms ocean forest soil but that is not a bad thing. I guess they thrive in healthy soil so its not really a bad thing.

 

[ShOrTbUs]

springtails feed on bacteria fungi and decaying organic matter. occasionally they will consume nematodes and decaying animal matter as well. ffof contains all of that except for the animal matter. so i bet they love it

 

[maineharvest]

One of the guys at the growshop said he had them too and they did no damage to his plants. Too bad I just spent 30 dollars on a pesticide that I don't even need now.

 

[pcduck]

springtails are decomposers and a sign of healthy soil food web

 

[Hushpuppy]

Its actually a good thing that you spent the 30bucks on the pesticide. If your luck is like mine; you spend the money and don't need the product, or you don't spend the money and do need the product. So buying the stuff will guarantee that you will not need it until you give it away :doh:

 

[maineharvest]

Haha good point Hushpuppy. That is usually what happens to me.