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Old 04-12-2013, 07:37 PM posted to rec.gardens
mj mj is offline
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Default Tiny Bugs from Potting Soil

Why are they always there no matter what I buy and how do I get rid of them?
MJ
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Old 04-12-2013, 09:01 PM posted to rec.gardens
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Default Tiny Bugs from Potting Soil

On 12/4/2013 12:37 PM, mj wrote:
Why are they always there no matter what I buy and how do I get rid of them?


It takes time and money to pasteurize potting mix, so many producers
don't do it anymore. You can pasteurize it yourself if you have a
heatproof disposable pan and a hot plate, bbq grill, or other heat
source that can be used outdoors. You don't want to do this indoors
because it gets quite smelly.

Just dump the potting mix into the pan. You can get better control of
the soil temperature if you cover the pan with some aluminum foil. You
want to heat the soil to a minimum of 140 degrees F. to a maximum of
180 degrees F. Poke a thermometer through the aluminum foil into the
soil and monitor the temperature. After 30 minutes at the 140 - 180 F.
range, take it off the heat and let it cool. It is now pasteurized.
Bugs and eggs will be dead. This generally takes care of seeds (weeds)
as well.

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Old 04-12-2013, 09:12 PM posted to rec.gardens
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Default Tiny Bugs from Potting Soil

mj wrote:
Why are they always there no matter what
I buy and how do I get rid of them?


because life is tenacious.

little bugs, live on.

it is very unlikely that they actually cause
any harm.


songbird
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Old 04-12-2013, 09:28 PM posted to rec.gardens
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Default Tiny Bugs from Potting Soil

On Wednesday, December 4, 2013 3:12:03 PM UTC-5, songbird wrote:
mj wrote:

Why are they always there no matter what


I buy and how do I get rid of them?




because life is tenacious.



little bugs, live on.



it is very unlikely that they actually cause

any harm.





songbird


sometimes there are so many of them I can't wash them off the lettuce leaves
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Old 04-12-2013, 09:30 PM posted to rec.gardens
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Default Tiny Bugs from Potting Soil

Moe DeLoughan wrote:
mj wrote:

Why are they always there no matter what I buy and how do I get rid of them?


It takes time and money to pasteurize potting mix


Don't you mean sterilize? Sterilized potting soil is readily
available and only a few pennies a pot more than unsterilized.
However still no guarantee a plant won't attract insects, so you'd
need to treat the plant... often misting with a mild soap solution
will delouse a potted plant.


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Old 04-12-2013, 10:34 PM posted to rec.gardens
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Default Tiny Bugs from Potting Soil

mj wrote:
Why are they always there no matter what I buy and how do I get rid
of them? MJ


If you don't know what they are nor if they are harmful why do you want to
kill them?

D

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Old 04-12-2013, 10:35 PM posted to rec.gardens
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Default Tiny Bugs from Potting Soil

mj wrote:
On Wednesday, December 4, 2013 3:12:03 PM UTC-5, songbird wrote:
mj wrote:

Why are they always there no matter what


I buy and how do I get rid of them?




because life is tenacious.



little bugs, live on.



it is very unlikely that they actually cause

any harm.





songbird


sometimes there are so many of them I can't wash them off the lettuce
leaves


Hmm protein!

D
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Old 05-12-2013, 06:39 AM posted to rec.gardens
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Default Tiny Bugs from Potting Soil

mj wrote:
....
sometimes there are so many of them I can't
wash them off the lettuce leaves


you have little bugs and no little bug
predators. learn about what kind of bugs
they are and what preys upon them.


songbird
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Old 05-12-2013, 09:47 AM posted to rec.gardens
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Default Tiny Bugs from Potting Soil

On 04/12/2013 18:37, mj wrote:
Why are they always there no matter what I buy and how do I get rid of them?
MJ


They are probably sciarid fly. Google for more info. Some info he
http://apps.rhs.org.uk/advicesearch/...e.aspx?pid=804

--

Jeff
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Old 05-12-2013, 01:39 PM posted to rec.gardens
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Default Tiny Bugs from Potting Soil

On 12/4/2013 2:30 PM, Brooklyn1 wrote:
Moe DeLoughan wrote:
mj wrote:

Why are they always there no matter what I buy and how do I get rid of them?


It takes time and money to pasteurize potting mix


Don't you mean sterilize?


No, I don't. Sterilized soil is dead. It's been heated to the point
where all the soil microorganisms have been killed off. The idea here
is just to heat it enough to kill off the less-hardy stuff, like bugs
and eggs.


Sterilized potting soil is readily
available and only a few pennies a pot more than unsterilized.
However still no guarantee a plant won't attract insects, so you'd
need to treat the plant... often misting with a mild soap solution
will delouse a potted plant.




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Old 06-12-2013, 01:47 AM posted to rec.gardens
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Default Tiny Bugs from Potting Soil

In article ,
Moe DeLoughan wrote:

On 12/4/2013 12:37 PM, mj wrote:
Why are they always there no matter what I buy and how do I get rid of them?


It takes time and money to pasteurize potting mix, so many producers
don't do it anymore. You can pasteurize it yourself if you have a
heatproof disposable pan and a hot plate, bbq grill, or other heat
source that can be used outdoors. You don't want to do this indoors
because it gets quite smelly.

Just dump the potting mix into the pan. You can get better control of
the soil temperature if you cover the pan with some aluminum foil. You
want to heat the soil to a minimum of 140 degrees F. to a maximum of
180 degrees F. Poke a thermometer through the aluminum foil into the
soil and monitor the temperature. After 30 minutes at the 140 - 180 F.
range, take it off the heat and let it cool. It is now pasteurized.
Bugs and eggs will be dead. This generally takes care of seeds (weeds)
as well.


I usually do it in an toaster oven, using a metal bowl at 181 F for 30
min. to make sure that I have good penetration of the heat. 181 F for
20 min. will sterilize the soil.
--
Remember Rachel Corrie
http://www.rachelcorrie.org/

Welcome to the New America.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hA736oK9FPg
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Old 06-12-2013, 01:52 AM posted to rec.gardens
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Default Tiny Bugs from Potting Soil

In article ,
Brooklyn1 wrote:

Moe DeLoughan wrote:
mj wrote:

Why are they always there no matter what I buy and how do I get rid of
them?


It takes time and money to pasteurize potting mix


Don't you mean sterilize? Sterilized potting soil is readily
available and only a few pennies a pot more than unsterilized.
However still no guarantee a plant won't attract insects, so you'd
need to treat the plant... often misting with a mild soap solution
will delouse a potted plant.


pasteurization

verb [ trans. ] [often as adj. ] ( pasteurized)
subject (milk, wine, or other products) to a process of partial
sterilization, esp. one involving


heat treatment


or irradiation, thus making the product safe for consumption and
improving its keeping quality :

-----

The product isn't sterilized, but the microbes that affect the product's
use are killed, not necessarily all the microbes are killed.
--
Remember Rachel Corrie
http://www.rachelcorrie.org/

Welcome to the New America.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hA736oK9FPg
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Old 08-12-2013, 08:18 PM posted to rec.gardens
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Default Tiny Bugs from Potting Soil

In article ,
Moe DeLoughan wrote:

On 12/4/2013 2:30 PM, Brooklyn1 wrote:
Moe DeLoughan wrote:
mj wrote:

Why are they always there no matter what I buy and how do I get rid of
them?

It takes time and money to pasteurize potting mix


Don't you mean sterilize?


No, I don't. Sterilized soil is dead. It's been heated to the point
where all the soil microorganisms have been killed off. The idea here
is just to heat it enough to kill off the less-hardy stuff, like bugs
and eggs.


Sterilized potting soil is readily
available and only a few pennies a pot more than unsterilized.
However still no guarantee a plant won't attract insects, so you'd
need to treat the plant... often misting with a mild soap solution
will delouse a potted plant.


If you are going to be germinating seeds in it, you will want it
sterilized it to avoid damping-off.
--
Remember Rachel Corrie
http://www.rachelcorrie.org/

Welcome to the New America.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hA736oK9FPg
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