Yup JB, there's good ones and bad ones. Nematodes that is. I've personally never used nematodes when sprouting seeds of any variety, I mostly sprout mine outdoors in a sheltered area of my potting shed and gnats have never been a problem for me. However, seeing someone took the time and trouble to write about it obviously means it potentially can be, so give it a try first without them thar worms and see how you fare.

Good luck!

Pieter

dont make this harder than need be ... you could throw those seeds in a crack in the cement.. and they would sprout ...

you need some sterile media : https://tipnut.com/sterilize-soil/

a tray or annuals flat : https://www.homedepot.com/p/Hydro-Crunch-10-x-20-Propagation-Flat-Grow-Trays-10-Pack-D940001700-10PK/303421408

then spread some damp media.. and spread out the seeds .. and in 14 days they should have sprouted ,.. line them out if you kept names ...

pot then in 6oz cups when at 4 leaf stage ... and away you go ...

lights help after germination ...

dont waste money on anything else ...

ken

Looks kinda complicated there ken. :o)

I don't have lights and will be starting these in an unheated greenhouse around Feb. Sterile? I will try to be as clean as possible.

I have some cuttings, roses, mock orange and hydrangea growing in there now, and they do have a bit of a gnat issue. Which is why the nematode comment in the hosta library caught my eye.

Thanks,

jb

The nematode thing is much like the mycorrhizae thing :-) A good thing that already exists naturally so more of a vendor marketing ploy than a necessary garden or even seed starting input. There are 1000's of different nematodes, some good and some bad, and purchased nematode products may not contain the ones you really need. They are also very expensive and with a short and very defined shelf life and application window.

In nearly 50 years of gardening, I have never found them to be the slightest bit necessary. Pass. Save your money for more plants!!

btw, there are many other ways to combat gnats in place of nematodes.

Just read a bit about gnat control. Many options given, from management to bio controls. Do you have a recommendation?

Thanks,

jb

Yes. Pay very close attention to the moisture retention of the soil media and the watering frequency. These alone can limit or even eliminate gnats.

gnats are the worst.. especially if your light stand is in your family room.. and you spend most of winter not being able to see the hockey puck on the old tvs because of the gnats.. lol ...

sterilize some media.. to make sure the media has no eggs of any kind ...

repot everything ... in new media .... and make sure you let the soil dry between waterings ...

should have started this in late summer.. so your greenhouse is operating room clean.. when you have to shut it up ...

in this case.. prevention is so much easier than cure ..

in fact.. gnats is precisely why i started sterilizing all my media. ... and unless new and unused.. i 10% bleached all the pots.. tools.. and the light stand before gearing up ... if i had a greenhouse.. i would have probably emptied it..and bleached it.. and fumigated it.. and then closed it up to keep over winter bugs out of it ... but i drew the line at a greenhouse.. lol ...

the light stand pic was to show you there was no need for hocus pocus soil amendments for hosta seed ... just plant them when you are ready ... the rest was just gravy ....

ken

The greenhouse is a large 900 sf space with a gravel floor. Would be rather difficult to bleach the whole thing. If it gets bad I may try to figure something out for next year.

Thanks.