tiny black flies

[CatMomma]

Yikes! My plant has what I suspect are “Black fly” aphids flying all over it!! I sprayed it with Captain Jacks Insect Spray, which is safe for organic plants. Is there anything else I should do? I can grow any kind of outdoor vegetable or flower but cannabis is sooooo much more challenging. Sigh

[SinsemillaScientist]

Aphids are such a ***ch, they have a strange life cycle so sometimes more often than not it takes several rounds. Check out gwe's pest prevention and solutions onsite.

[SinsemillaScientist]

Also the little buggers hate a good breeze. Dont whip the girl with it, but rustling is good, also you can hand wipe with a moist cloth at the infected areas and rinse in a bowl of hot to kill what you can collect manually.

[CatMomma]

Thank you for responding! I’ll do as you suggest...

[SinsemillaScientist]

You're welcome i hope you find the solution to ypur problem, good luck and happy growing catmomma

[CatMomma]

Thank you, SinseSci! I actually think that they are fungus gnats!

[SinsemillaScientist]

Even better, hit them with a top layer of sand mix with diatomaceous earth about a 1/4-1/2 inch deep that'll do it for ya.

[CatMomma]

I will try to find “diatomaceous earth”... thank you so much for your help!

[SinsemillaScientist]

Get the (food grade) so it wont get in the air and hurt pets or you for that matter

[Smokesteve]

[SinsemillaScientist]

And honestly that looks like a fruit fly. Are you using organic compost or have plucked foliage lying around?

[CatMomma]

Yes, it is organic potting soil. I put a thin cheapo paper towel on the soil around the plant to confuse and disarm the tiny critters. Ugh ... it’s so much harder to grow cannabis than geraniums! Thank you all for your responses!!

[Juicyj89]

definitely fungus gnats CatMomma. Just get those sticky traps like Smokesteve posted. And i think neem oil works too? But dont quote me on that. Maybe research it and see exactly what its intended for but im pretty sure its for pests. Anyways, sorry and good luck.

[BurningTeddy]

If fungas gnats use sand!! Works better as a preventative than a solution (doesnt most things?) but gets the job done. Like 10$ a bag at home depot for 50lbs of reusable play sand.

About an inch deep across the whole top of the pot.

You have to water a little slower than usual but no drawbacks besides that for me!

Good Luck!

[starramus]

You may be watering a tad bit too much. Here's Nebula's compendium for the little bastids. https://www.growweedeasy.com/fungus-gnats

[CatMomma]

Thank you all!! I agree that I’m probably watering too much...I’m learning so much... everything that can go wrong has gone wrong... what an adventure.

[SinsemillaScientist]

I feel you're doing wonderful being a first time grower, youre asking the right questions and working toward solutions, but do the homework the test comes in flowering, good luck CatMomma and happy growing!!

[CatMomma]

Thank you so much for the encouragement, Sinsemillascientist! That really means a lot to me.