Description
A Note for Fellow Gardeners: I am a hobbyist daylily enthusiast sharing my personal experiences and methods developed for my specific conditions in Southeast Mississippi. I am not a professional horticulturist or agricultural expert. While these methods have worked for me, results in gardening can vary wildly based on climate, soil, and seed quality. I cannot be held responsible for any loss of seeds, plants, or materials. Please use your best judgment and follow all safety labels on garden products mentioned.
This method works great in zone 9a. I have made a couple of improvements. I use Promix BX for the top layer of seed starting mix. Johnny's Germination mix is second choice. For the bottom layer, I use 80 percent pine fines, the other 20 percent is peat, compost and bagged garden or potting soil. Add lime and some all purpose fertilizer like 8-8-8 (per product safety label). I cover the pots with a sheet of poly instead of individual bags. The poly sheeting works well in shade. Remove if using in the sun when temperatures warm up to prevent “cooking” seedlings. The insecticide (follow product safety label) is key here due to fungus gnats. Water after applying the insecticide on the top and cover. The Insecticide: Using a lawn insecticide/grub control for fungus gnats is a bit "heavy-duty" and may not be the most effective tool. I have not tried these alternative methods yet, but, plan to.
• Better Alternative: Use BTI (Bacillus thuringiensis israelensis), found in products like Mosquito Bits. It is a natural bacteria that specifically targets fly larvae (gnats) without the chemical load of synthetic insecticides.
• The "Sand Cap": Adding a 1/4 inch layer of coarse sand or vermiculite on top of your seed starting mix in the trays prevents gnats from laying eggs entirely.
