Are there gnats buzzing around your microgreens? Gnats are a telltale sign that something isn’t right. Healthy microgreens don’t have gnats.
You may think that gnats are causing problems with your grow, but it the opposite is probably true. There is something wrong with your microgreens crop that’s attracting the gnats. Let’s troubleshoot what might have gone wrong together.
Want to grow your own microgreens? Check out our sunflower shoots growing guide and arugula microgreens growing guide to start growing fresh microgreens on your countertop.
Inspect Your Microgreens
Take a good look at your microgreens. Is the grow uneven? If your grow tray is clear, take a look at the roots. Are the roots evenly distributed, or are they looking brown and weak? If you something doesn’t look right, and you have gnats, your microgreens are struggling. Regularly inspecting your microgreens will help you find problems and eliminate those suffering microgreens before they attract gnats to your healthy microgreens. Onward to the two reasons your microgreen have gnats.
Reason 1. Overwatering Can Cause Gnats
Gnats can be a sign that you have over-watered. Overwatering will lead to rot and rot will attract gnats. Try to drain out as much water as possible. If you have gnats because you have been overwatering, now is the time to harvest the entire tray. Refrigerate any you will not be eating right away.
How to avoid overwatering
Learning how much water is the right amount of water is tricky. If you are growing in trays with holes, avoid overwatering by allowing your tray to drain each time you water. Do not allow the tray to sit in standing water. If you bottom water your trays, check to make sure all the water is aborbed within 5 minutes. Drain out any water than has not absorbed in 5 minutes. If you are growing in a tray without holes, then gently tip your microgreens and drain excess water after every water.
Reason 2. Not Harvesting Soon Enough
Microgreens have a limited lifespan. They are grown fast and must be consumed fast. If you try to hang onto a tray of living microgreens too long, you may attact gnats. Why? Most varieities of microgreens can remain growing for one to two weeks after they are ready for harvest. After that, they begin to die. Microgreens are grown too close together, with too little soil. They will begin to die and decay if not harvested. Decay will attract gnats. It is time to harvest and wash when you see the first sign of gnats. Next time, eat your microgreens faster!
Watch my Video about Gnats to find out why your microgreens are attracting gnats and how to care for your microgreens.
If you have gnats, it means there is decay happening
I usually see gnats on microgreens in these two situations:
1) You are hanging on to your living trays too long
2) You are overwatering
