Market Farming

["Kate Halstead" <rockyprairie AT earthlink.net>]

Since I grow thousands of plants for retail/wholesale the nematode solution just isn't practical or cost-effective. What I've ended up doing for many years is hatching preying mantids in the greenhouse. If you can sync their hatch date to close to when the gnats start to appear, they are very effective at taking down the population just about to zero. The younger/smaller the mantids are the better it seems to work.

 

Kate

Western Washington

Zone 7

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From: market-farming-bounces AT lists.ibiblio.org [mailto:market-farming-bounces AT lists.ibiblio.org] On Behalf Of Wiediger, Alison
Sent: Monday, March 03, 2008 12:57 PM
To: Market Farming
Subject: Re: [Market-farming] Gnats

We tried beneficial nematodes last year on a limited basis and were pleased, but felt we needed to release more than once.  This year we are doing 2 releases a couple of weeks apart.  Interestingly, our fungus gnat numbers seem much lower this year than last, so maybe there was more effect than we knew AND, we are doing a better job of not overwatering the media on those gray winter days.

 

Alison Wiediger, Au Naturel Farm

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From: market-farming-bounces AT lists.ibiblio.org [mailto:market-farming-bounces AT lists.ibiblio.org] On Behalf Of Andrew R. King
Sent: Monday, March 03, 2008 2:50 PM
To: 'Market Farming'
Subject: [Market-farming] Gnats

Help! Three weeks ago I saw my fist gnats of the year. By the end of the first week there were gnats every where. I let my seed trays go dry, then watered with a BT solution, yellow pie plate covered with tanglefoot were set out over the benches. By the start of the 2nd week there were even more gnats if that is possible. I started spraying with pyola but even that has not helped. Week three the pie plates are covered with gnats but so is my germination area. Any ideas?

 

 

Andy King

Sunflower King's Farm

http://www.sunflowerkingsfarm.com/

PA Zone 6