Roots & watering
Cocopeat stays too wet
Start below the surface. A damp top alone does not tell you how much air and water the roots have. Look at drainage and irrigation together before changing the medium.
Check with DigbyFind your next step →Plant doctor · WITH PROFESSOR COCO
Small flies around cocopeat: what should I check?
Identify the insect first. Small flies around wet growing media may be fungus gnats, but appearance and behaviour need checking before choosing a control.
Teral grower guidance · Updated 27 October 2026
Professor CocoYour plant doctor guideTHE COCOPEAT CONNECTION
Why the root zone matters
Persistently wet surfaces and algae can support fungus-gnat problems. Irrigation hygiene is part of management, alongside identifying and monitoring the pest.
01 / OBSERVE
Three checks before you change anything
- Photograph or collect adults for identification. Place suitable sticky cards near the crop to monitor activity.
- Inspect wet surfaces, algae, leaking emitters and discarded plant material around bags and benches.
- Check seedlings and roots for damage. Adult nuisance alone does not establish the level of larval injury.
02 / NARROW IT DOWN
What are you seeing?
Choose the closest observation for a suggested next check.
Adults, but plants look healthy
Identify the flies and monitor counts. Correct leaks and algae-supporting conditions while observing crop health.
Flies and persistently wet media
Review irrigation and sanitation together. Maintain suitable root-zone moisture while reducing unnecessary surface wetness.
Seedlings or roots are declining
Ask your crop adviser to identify the pest and damage. Select biological or other controls appropriate to the crop and local label.
03 / TAKE THE NEXT STEP
Leave with something useful
Record trap counts and wet locations so you can judge whether management is working.
Keep in mind
Do not dry seedlings to wilting or apply a broad-spectrum treatment simply because adults are visible.
Discuss this with Teral →Watch the related Growlab lessons
The written checks above stand on their own. These short lessons add context.
Lesson links selected from Growlab’s supplied transcript and description review.
CONNECTED QUESTIONS
