Diatomaceous earth on top of coco coir

[hermananian]

Hi just wondering if anyone had tried using diatomacous earth on top of coco coir. It is supposed to release silica and also control fungus nats . 

[Faith]

Heya hermananian-No, but I am very interested in the stuff, I think some call it sharpsand?  I've read its very good for gnats and the like.  I've been keeping my eye out for some but it might be an online thingo 'less?  Nice topic

 

Peace and good growing. f

[hermananian]

Hi Faith, here is a link to a site online http://diatomaceousearthonline.com.au/ its mined in Cairns and you can get different grades. Potting grade which is .5 to 15mm. is cheap,  35 bucks for 20kgs 

 

Cheers Herman

Edited February 15, 2014 by hermananian

[Naycha]

Cheers for the link, $112 with shipping to my area.

 

Naycha

[hermananian]

Cheers for the link, $112 with shipping to my area.

 

Naycha

Hi Naycha, you can send them a email and they will give you a better price on shipping, if you buy 20kgs. I think around $61 delivered to Sydney 

 

Cheers Herman

[bufo marinus]

noobs...

Lesson 1  Why do pests show up?  Answer: because there is food

Lesson 2. If there is no food, will the pests still turn up, like a party with no free grog?  Answer: no way

Lesson 3  Instead of laying miniature punji sticks for unsuspecting scarid fly larvae can we starve them instead?  Answer: yes

Lesson 4  How do we starve the lil fuckers?  Answer: by keeping the rootzone healthy.

Lesson 5  How do we keep the root zone healthy?  Answer: become better gardeners

 

... carry on

[hermananian]

noobs...

Lesson 1  Why do pests show up?  Answer: because there is food

Lesson 2. If there is no food, will the pests still turn up, like a party with no free grog?  Answer: no way

Lesson 3  Instead of laying miniature punji sticks for unsuspecting scarid fly larvae can we starve them instead?  Answer: yes

Lesson 4  How do we starve the lil fuckers?  Answer: by keeping the rootzone healthy.

Lesson 5  How do we keep the root zone healthy?  Answer: become better gardeners

 

... carry on

der, 

 

What about the main reason to use this product," silica " thats what the post is about not pests!! 

If you are outside  you cannot control pests like indoors. 

We are all striving to be better gardeners. Everyone has something to learn.

 

 

Cheers Herman

Edited February 15, 2014 by hermananian

[bufo marinus]

Hi just wondering if anyone had tried using diatomacous earth on top of coco coir. It is supposed to release silica and also control fungus nats . 

 

der, 

 

What about the main reason to use this product," silica " thats what the post is about not pests!! 

If you are outside  you cannot control pests like indoors. 

We are all striving to be better gardeners. Everyone has something to learn.

 

 

Cheers Herman

 

.... don't fucking der me, you started this thread so listen up.

You're saying your soil is lacking Silica?... Outdoors, I doubt it.

That leaves pest control. So look at why the pests are showing up... I'd be guessing you're using compost that hasn't broken down properly, that's why the Scarid fly/fungus gnat larvae are turning up.

I'd be looking at what soil mix you're using before WASTING MONEY on stuff you don't need.

You'll be far better off understanding what's going on before looking for a silver bullet in a bottle or bag.

That's the story, feel free to ignore what I've said, no skin off my nose. I don't have scarid fly problems any more though, that's for sure

[Faith]

Makes sense to me bufo.  Better.  Yes it is easy to get caught up in the many 'prodcts about and pourin the dollars in.  Snappin back on track here.

'zyme, myco, proganic root care and no gnats so far.  Least 20%run off and lettin em dry

 

If its primarily for silica maybe there are cheaper options.  For the gnats I ended up getting a lil bag of mycoApply for $50 del.  I haven't had any gnats at all so far (knock on wood-en closet door).  We gotta be hmble and listen man or we ain't gonna learn nothin much about much 'cept what we decide anyway so...

 

Peace and good   f

Edited February 15, 2014 by Faith

[bufo marinus]

I know my responses have been, well, a little rambunctious?... however I do try and back it up with sound reasoning.

I understand silica is used in conjunction with coco as the coco fibre is an inert medium that contains no silica. I've used silica indoors but stopped bothering and saw no difference really... maybe a drop in weight? Dunno? stronger stems? hmmmm possibly, but then again growing 'the right size' colas and using fans to strengthen the stems works just as well too.

Faith is on the right track, growing in coco(and using hydro nutes) is about as close to organic hydro growing as you can get and most of the "zymes" seem to work especially well in coco from what I've seen.

New coco seems to get scarid fly straight out of the bag, but mix it with 1/4 of coco from the previous grow(preferably off the top with as much root matter removed as possible) where healthy bacteria are already established and the scarid fly problem doesn't happen

To my way of thinking, for what we grow, using diatomaceous earth is not warranted unless there are underlying problems.