Help please

Joined
Jul 18, 2025
Messages
5
Reputation
0
Reaction score
3
Points
0
Dear friends, good morning from Italy. I’ve always lurked here for good advice, and today I’d like to share my problem. Let me give you some context. I planted this wonderful plant on May 15th—today it’s exactly 63 days old. It was truly healthy and beautiful. Always used to its lovely indoor tent. A week ago I went on vacation and moved the plant outdoors because I’m a bit paranoid about leaving equipment running for a week without being able to monitor what could go wrong. There were SOME fungus gnats buzzing around, but since they were few, I didn’t think much of it. On my return, here’s what I found.

Keep in mind:

  • I don’t think it’s aphids. I believe it’s all eggs/larvae of fungus gnats. They’re EVERYWHERE on the leaves. I know gnats don’t usually lay eggs on leaves, but during the week I was gone, it rained heavily. I’m worried some gnats may have laid eggs on the leaves.
  • I’m not sure about what I just said. It’s just a more or less logical reconstruction—feel free to correct me.
  • I already sprayed neem oil where I could yesterday, but nothing much happened. The infestation is OUT OF CONTROL. They’re all over the fabric pot too—it's a disgusting mess you can’t even imagine. It smells like dampness mixed with weed and death.
My question is: What would you do? It’s the only plant I have, and I’ll be leaving again soon for a 3-week summer vacation. I still have about 10 days, maybe enough time for it to finish its cycle. What would you honestly do in this situation? Would you throw everything away or still give it a chance? And if yes, what could I do?

Thanks so much.
 

Attachments

  • IMG_4522.jpg
    IMG_4522.jpg
    537.1 KB · Views: 15
  • IMG_4521.jpg
    IMG_4521.jpg
    571.8 KB · Views: 14
  • IMG_4520.jpg
    IMG_4520.jpg
    653.3 KB · Views: 16
  • IMG_4519.jpg
    IMG_4519.jpg
    413.3 KB · Views: 16
  • IMG_4518.jpg
    IMG_4518.jpg
    589.6 KB · Views: 14
  • IMG_4517.jpg
    IMG_4517.jpg
    536.8 KB · Views: 14
  • IMG_4516.jpg
    IMG_4516.jpg
    496.5 KB · Views: 13
  • IMG_4515.jpg
    IMG_4515.jpg
    610.1 KB · Views: 12
  • IMG_4514.jpg
    IMG_4514.jpg
    725 KB · Views: 11
  • IMG_4513.jpg
    IMG_4513.jpg
    1.1 MB · Views: 14
Have you got a circulation fan in there? If it's smelling musty and damp you should get that air changed over frequently. Small fan in the tent moving air and exhaust fan pulling old air out. You may already have these but I don't see them in the pictures.

I am not an expert but those do not look like fungus gnats to me. I think they look like whiteflies and something else.

If you really want to save the plant you will need to spray it with a pesticide and probably more than once a day with that level of infestation.

I would also think you need to take it out of the tent to spray the plant, and then also spray the inside of the tent because bugs can and will hide in your tent and keep coming back until you kill them all.


Problem is, if you are leaving for vacation and you don't kill all the bugs now they will just come back when you are gone. If I were you, I would cut the plant and put it in a trash bag to keep the bugs from spreading, then sanitize and spray down your tent and equipment. Sanitize again before doing another grow. Pests are persistent.

I don't know what is available for you in Italy but I was recommended Lost Coast Plant Therapy.

 
Have you got a circulation fan in there? If it's smelling musty and damp you should get that air changed over frequently. Small fan in the tent moving air and exhaust fan pulling old air out. You may already have these but I don't see them in the pictures.

I am not an expert but those do not look like fungus gnats to me. I think they look like whiteflies and something else.

If you really want to save the plant you will need to spray it with a pesticide and probably more than once a day with that level of infestation.

I would also think you need to take it out of the tent to spray the plant, and then also spray the inside of the tent because bugs can and will hide in your tent and keep coming back until you kill them all.


Problem is, if you are leaving for vacation and you don't kill all the bugs now they will just come back when you are gone. If I were you, I would cut the plant and put it in a trash bag to keep the bugs from spreading, then sanitize and spray down your tent and equipment. Sanitize again before doing another grow. Pests are persistent.

I don't know what is available for you in Italy but I was recommended Lost Coast Plant Therapy.

Hey mate, thanks!
Air circulation never been an issue, I have a gigantic fan pointed all the time on the tent. I will do all you adviced, but sooooooo...no possibility to smoke any of this huh? I mean...with all the shhhhhhh I bought during my life to the dealer...what will do to smoke some pest? :P:)
 
Hey mate, thanks!
Air circulation never been an issue, I have a gigantic fan pointed all the time on the tent. I will do all you adviced, but sooooooo...no possibility to smoke any of this huh? I mean...with all the shhhhhhh I bought during my life to the dealer...what will do to smoke some pest? :P:)


I mean it's early enough in flower that you can spray and wash to get rid of bugs. Probably finish ok but if any bugs live and you are gone they will come back. That's all. I'd give it a couple good sprays with pest stuff and then rinse with water to get the bodies off. Good luck man!
 
First things first…. I would get that thing out of my house…

This might be the worst infestation I’ve seen….

Without knowing what products are available in Italy, it’s hard to recommend something. I personally usually use a spinosad product…. But that might not be enough in this instance…. Let’s see if @BII will chime in…
 
In another thread, it was recommended to fumigate the tent with “no pest strips”… which contain a pesticide of some sort… you may look into that….


Third post down…
 
First things first…. I would get that thing out of my house…

This might be the worst infestation I’ve seen….

Without knowing what products are available in Italy, it’s hard to recommend something. I personally usually use a spinosad product…. But that might not be enough in this instance…. Let’s see if @BII will chime in…
Agreed. thanks a lot. Besides, it's easy to be the best by doing nothing—they did everything, those damn guys 😄

So, I moved the plant into the shower and gave it 5 or 6 flushes with hot water. I'll clean the tent with alcohol, it’s not a specialized product, but I doubt parasites will enjoy it. Once that's done, I’ll keep an eye on the situation and then decide whether to throw everything out or let whatever can flower... flower :)

About next post I don't think it's my case..
 
I was trying to recommend the product that is discussed in the third post down…. I wasn’t saying you had the same problem.
ooooooops sorry I got it now :)

I'keep you posted, I don't want to say it loud but I think I got to a point.
In the shower I saw an impressive graveyard of parasites...the tent is cleaned now.
I don't think to have got rid of 110% but for sure I did set an unpleasant environment.
Let's see if the plant will recover in the new setting after the hot shower..
Fingers crossed!
Thanks again
 
UPDATE: I saw a lot of green worm, I did scan one of them and the result is: SIPHANTA ACUTA (or torpedo bug).
Native from Australia :| This insect came from the other side of the world just to proliferate on my indoor plant.
Mysteries of life....
 
Back
Top