I've always thought it's not a good idea to bring outside soil inside due to potential bugs and pests. I'm planning to create my own seed starter mix using compost, sand, worm castings, and maybe some woodchip mulch or shredded leaves. My concern is whether adding diatomaceous earth would effectively eliminate any bugs or eggs, making it safer for indoor use with my plants. Any advice on this?
3 Answers
If you're worried about fungus gnats, Mosquito bits are a great organic option for tackling that issue. Just a heads up though, many sterilizing methods can wipe out beneficial microbes too, so it's a delicate balance!
Just a heads-up: diatomaceous earth loses its effectiveness when it gets wet. So, once you water your mix, it won't do its job anymore. Since you're using outdoor materials, double-check for any pests there too. Using sticky tape for gnats and keeping an eye on your leaves can help. I don't think you need to go overboard with drastic measures, maybe just some mosquito pellets in your watering can would do the trick!
I hadn't thought about that with the diatomaceous earth, thanks for the info! It's nice to know I don't have to stress too much.
Covering the top layer with sand can help get rid of fungus gnats. It's a simple trick that really works!
Oh, that sounds easy and effective! I think I'll give that a shot. Thanks for the suggestion!
Yeah, I get the concern about losing the good microbes. I'm going to try just using sand on the surface of my mix and see how that goes!