Using Cinnamon to avoid damping off

[oakley]

Originally Posted by brownrexx

Freezing is a well known organic method to kill many pests. No it does not kill ticks or mosquitoes but beekeepers commonly freeze their hive equipment because it kills the eggs of the wax moth without using chemicals and many gardeners freeze their dry beans and peas before long term storage to kill the eggs of bean weevils which would destroy their stored crops.

Indian Meal Moths (pantry moths) can also be killed in all life stages by putting the grain, seed or other food in the freezer at 0 degrees for 4-7 days.

I don't know for sure that freezing kills the eggs of the fungus gnat but I used to have fungus gnats every year around my seedlings and since I have been placing the seed starting mix in the freezer for several days before using it, I have not had any fungus gnats at all. Maybe I have just been lucky but my mix is in the freezer right now just in case.

Hibernating insects have antifreeze proteins.
http://www.sitnews.us/0509news/05210...k_science.html

[Worth1]

Originally Posted by oakley

Hibernating insects have antifreeze proteins.
http://www.sitnews.us/0509news/05210...k_science.html

As long as they stay asleep till I cook them.

Worth

[brownrexx]

Originally Posted by oakley

Hibernating insects have antifreeze proteins.
http://www.sitnews.us/0509news/05210...k_science.html

Many insects, including the brown marmorated stinkbug in my area use this tactic to survive freezing temperatures.

However there are at least 65 different species of fungus gnats so I am not sure that they all can survive freezing like the one studied in Alaska.

Additionally the study does not include eggs which I think is what gets into these soil mixes and hatches when conditions become favorable such as when we begin watering the mix.

I have not seen any scientific studies for reference saying that freezing will kill fungus gnat eggs but for the past 2 years after freezing my soiless potting mix before using it, I have had zero fungus gnats in my tomato seedlings.

Possibly I have just been really lucky but every year prior to freezing my media, I had the gnats.

I am starting my seeds today so we shall see if my luck holds.

[barbamWY]

I have not tried cinnamon. I've had good success using chamomile tea. And I'm careful to not overwater and use a fan for good air circulation.

[gorbelly]

I've only ever had problems with damping off of my indoor starts when I have a fungus gnat problem. This year, I actually used some leftover Miracle Gro potting mix I had lying around to start my seeds because I was feeling stingy, but I made sure to water everything with water with a mosquito dunk soaking in it. No fungus gnats. Not a single seedling of anything, not even basil, has damped off.