• Register  |
  • LoginLogin
Close
Login
 
 
Register
 Advanced search
  • Search
  • Register
  • Login
  • JOIN!
  • View unanswered posts
  • View active topics
  • Gardening
Gardening Forum   HOW TO PLANT SEEDS - SEED STARTING  Seed Starting

Leggy plants and tiny flies... HELP!




Post a new topic
Post a reply
4 posts • Page 1 of 1

Leggy plants and tiny flies... HELP!

Wed Mar 01, 2017 6:00 pm

First time sees starter!! So, I know they are getting leggy... I'm planning on getting a grow lamp this week.
I have them right now in a windowsill that gets probably 6-8 hours sun... but apparently it's not enough. I have read to replant and cover bottom of stem....
Should I go ahead and transfer them to bigger pots?
Also, I noticed several days ago this tiny fly... today there are about 30-40 of them:(
What are they?
Where did they come from?
And what do I do????
HELP!!
Attachments
IMG_6903.JPG
Rooted
Full Member
 
Posts: 14
Joined: Mar 1 '17
Location: Central Alabama
Top

Re: Leggy plants and tiny flies... HELP!

Wed Mar 01, 2017 9:23 pm

They are all tomato plants? For tomato plants, burying more of the stem does help, because they are able to grow roots all allong the buried stem. Most plants can't do this and burying more stem may just cause the stem to rot.

Your little "flies" are very dark colored and mostly walk around on the soil until they are disturbed, when they flutter up a little and then settle back down?

If so they aren't actual flies, they are fungus gnats. They are very common in indoor seed starting. Their eggs were probably already in the potting soil when you bought it. They eat fungus in the soil. The fungus and therefore the fungus gnats thrive in conditions of continuous moisture and little air circulation. Getting a small personal fan for the area helps. Being careful not to over-water helps. It helps to water only from the bottom (put your cups in a tray and only add water to the tray and only enough to reach the bottom holes in the cup and just touch the soil, then the soil can wick the water up). By bottom watering, the surface of the soil doesn't get so wet, so the fungus/gnats don't survive as well. It also helps to put a little bit of powdered cinnamon in the water you water with. The cinnamon doesn't kill the gnats, but it is a natural anti-fungal, that works against the soil fungus. Less fungus = less gnats. But it will take a few days to see the results of this.

And yes, you really need some grow lights, which can be just ordinary fluorescent tubes or bulbs. No special grow lights needed. But the light needs to be VERY close to your plants, hung so it can be raised as the plants grow. No more than 3" above the plants.
Twitter account I manage for local Sierra Club: https://twitter.com/CherokeeGroupSC Facebook page I manage for them: https://www.facebook.com/groups/65310596576/ Come and find me and lots of great information, inspiration
User avatar
rainbowgardener
Super Green Thumb
 
Posts: 25281
Joined: Feb 15 '09
Location: TN/GA 7b
Top

Re: Leggy plants and tiny flies... HELP!

Wed Mar 01, 2017 9:48 pm

Thanks so much! Yes, you described the gnats (flies) perfectly. I will make the adjustments... can't wait to see the improvements!
Rooted
Full Member
 
Posts: 14
Joined: Mar 1 '17
Location: Central Alabama
Top

Re: Leggy plants and tiny flies... HELP!

Wed Mar 01, 2017 10:04 pm

Welcome to the Forum! Keep us posted on how your tomato babies fare! :)
Twitter account I manage for local Sierra Club: https://twitter.com/CherokeeGroupSC Facebook page I manage for them: https://www.facebook.com/groups/65310596576/ Come and find me and lots of great information, inspiration
User avatar
rainbowgardener
Super Green Thumb
 
Posts: 25281
Joined: Feb 15 '09
Location: TN/GA 7b
Top

Please Share. Thank you!

 
 
Top


Post a reply
4 posts • Page 1 of 1

 

 

  •   Similar Topics
    Replies
    Views
    Last post
  • WHAT ARE THESE Tiny bugs and flies Attachment(s)
    in Vegetable Gardening Forum
    6
    376
    by applestar View the latest post
  • Tiny weenie black flies in hundreds Attachment(s)
    in FRUIT FORUM
    5
    587
    by webmaster View the latest post
  • Insect ID? Tiny metallic flies on pepper leaves Attachment(s)
    in Vegetable Gardening Forum
    3
    344
    by applestar View the latest post
  • leggy potatoes plants were started too early in the house Attachment(s)
    in Vegetable Gardening Forum
    15
    2053
    by Taiji View the latest post
  • Can chilli plants affected by white flies recovered Attachment(s)
    in Pepper Forum
    4
    706
    by ElizabethB View the latest post
  • Small white flies on bell pepper plants
    in Vegetable Gardening Forum
    1
    719
    by ElizabethB View the latest post
Return to Seed Starting
  • Delete all board cookies • All times are UTC
Privacy Policy | Contact Us
Copyright HelpfulGardener.com 2003-2018 all rights reserved.
All trademarks and copyrights held by respective owners.