Altitonans_Fulmen commentedweek 06h ago
The true beauty of schimitus is that it is a long-term solution: 100% prevention once setup.
Scimitus mites have existed for a couple of years in my soil now. Predatory, and they will eat thrips, most soft-bodied bugs, etc and eggs. Don't let the soil dry out, and make sure there is always some form of decaying organic matter, as they feed on that when no meaty prey is available. Do that, and they will maintain a population, but in order to reuse the soil over and over, first you need to learn how to pump out the excess CO2 that accumulates, or it will become a carbon sink over time, slowly becoming toxic to life. Also not recommended if you are using high salinity cheemical fertilizers, as it will disturb the mites excessively.
If you want to reuse and keep them alive indefinitely, you need to introduce red wriggler earthworms (Eisenia fetida). They tunnel constantly, creating natural macro-channels that vent the Co2) and bring oxygen deep into the soil matrix. and/or create a way to barometrically pump the soil as you grow and reuse your soil indefinitely; you can mechanically simulate this natural barometric cycle with a little know-how.
Personally, stay away from nematodes- far, far too easy to get the wrong ones and almost impossible to get rid of, and parasitic varieties are devastating as they are nearly impossible to eradicate once established in a rhizosphere. To completely avoid that risk, scimitus mites, unlike nematodes, are highly visible to the naked eye, strictly predatory, and cannot harm plant roots. All the benefits, no risks.
likes
