Is Diatomaceous Earth good to eradicate Springtails?

[Amnesia]

Just a quick question, i've got quite a few Springtails in the compost with my 2 plants. I've had these a few times with previous grows and i don't think they've caused any issues but i'd like to keep the numbers down. I've collected some in the run-off but its never ending, not had them for a few years now and my previous grow was with the soil out of the same bag as this one and i did not have them with that grow so i've no idea where these have come from?

I realise there is not much can be done to totally eradicate them but my question is would Diatomaceous Earth help cull some of them if i sprinkle some on the surface of the soil?

I cannot see sticky traps helping much, great for fungus gnats but springtails mainly crawl/dig although they can jump hence the name. Some say to let the soil really dry out but this would do the plants more harm than good so i'll not be doing that.

 

Any ideas thats Organic?

Cheers.

[monkeypig]

I'm keen to hear of any ways to eradicate the fuckers. I've had them in coco for the last couple of runs and the little fuckers are really affecting my girls. Despite everyone saying they do no harm, they leave flants shrivelled and the only way I can rid myself is to clone and kill the mother.

[Amnesia]

@monkeypig Luckily my girls seem unaffected but they've only come along in the last week or so and we're 6 weeks into 12/12 now. They are big girls which in 20 litre pots which is probably why, i rekon smaller plants with a lesser root system could be affected as you say. Not had them for a few years now, this grow is also using the soil from the same bag as my previous grow and there was no sign of them then so its a complete mystery where these have come from.

In the past when i've had them i've not really done anything but like this time its always been from mid-flower.

[twigs]

nematodes - sbpi ?

[Oldbear]

4 minutes ago, twigs said:

nematodes - sbpi ?

 

Second the nemetodes, nature's helper

[Owderb]

You won't get rid of them. I get them regularly and they've never affected my plants. I have them now but my plants look great

 

You can lower the numbers but you have to lift the plant and catch all the run off. Ive tried in the past to kill them but failed. One effective way is to let the roots dry out completely but thats no good to us

 

3 hours ago, Amnesia said:

Diatomaceous Earth

 

Yes you could use it but its harmful to humans if inhaled and it won't get rid of them anyway

 

Owd

[oldtimer1]

Steinernema feltiae are a nematode that kill many soil pests including springtails. 

 

Hypoaspis miles a soil living mite, feed on the eggs and larvae of fungus gnat/sciarid flies, thrip pupae as well as springtails.

 

Springtails are found in every live compost/living soil and play an important part in the natural breakdown of organic remains.

 

Springtails don’t normally cause any problems in ordinary potting composts, there are probably a few hundreds in every potted plant in the world, but if there are a lot apparent, I mean a lot, then  the compost is being kept too wet and/or over frequent watering, this causes areas of anaerobic conditions in over wet parts of the rootball, this in turn causes root rot, then problems really start, this reduces root mass  and fungally infected unhealthy root balls, this unhealthy condition in turn gives an increase of the springtail population that live off dying vegetation, [the dead ends of root hairs] springtails often being blamed for eating and killing the root ends. When they are not the cause but a symptom other problems such as  over packed compost, bad drainage, letting pots stand in runoff too long and too frequent watering so the compost gets partly waterlogged.

 

Diatomaceous earth only really works when dry, so will kill when the soil medium is dry but does little damage in a wet medium.

 

I hope this helps Ot1.

 

[grooving]

What about a 2-3cm layer of horticultural sand/grit on the top?  I use this and I guess similar to diatomaceous earth the sharp edges of the sand stop them climbing out the top of the medium.  Seems to control numbers but definitely does not eradicate them!

[Amnesia]

@twigs and @Oldbear I have heard of nemetodes but not sure where to get them, also if i'm really honest i don't fancy putting bugs in the pots although i know they ae harmless to the plants i hear, just the thought i suppose. Going to try a little of this earth stuff i think. All the best.

 

@Owderb and @oldtimer1 Thankyou for the detailed reply, yes i've had them a few times in the past but as you both say they have never caused an issue as far as i know, the pots are not overwhelmed with them so i think i will try a sprinkling of the diatomaceous earth on the top of the pots once it dries a little. I stick to a wet/dry cyle too so no worries there.

Thanks again.

 

@grooving Good idea but i can get some of the earth so going to give it a try.

Cheers.