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bamafig

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Posted Reply with quote  #1 
I know that you can kills gnats with heat. Can you place a bag of potting mix in the deep freezer and kill the buggers?
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zone 8
4 (local) Celeste, Papa John, LSU Purple, Green Ischia, Brunswick, italian honey,  BT,
Panache, Deanna, LSU Black, O'Rourke

Wish list: Chicago Hardy, VDB, RDB
brettjm

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Posted Reply with quote  #2 
I've wondered this many times.  I must know!  Someone knowledgeable reply!
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In GA, Zone 7b/8a
 
Wish list:  more space to put in figs.
figpig_66

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Posted Reply with quote  #3 
Potting soil has fungus knats in it when you buy it ?
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RICHIE BONI
HICKORY LOUISIANA ZONE 8B WARM HUMID
WINRERS ARE VERY MILD LOW 20'S BUT WARMS RIGHT UP DURING THE DAY. SUMMER IS EXTREMELY HOT & HUMID 100 degrees 100% humidity fig tree grow like crazy but some split from rain & humidity
Wish list. Col de dame blanc
Col de rimada
Lsu numbered figs
SycamoreFarm

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Posted Reply with quote  #4 
My hunch is that it might kill adults or larvae, however I don't know about eggs. I don't know their life cycle but I mean fungus gnats appear every year here where it gets below 0 degrees F during the winter.
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Nathan S.
Near St.louis, MO. 6a
don_sanders

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Posted Reply with quote  #5 
Tried it. Does nothing. They can take up to -60F.
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Don - Columbus, OH. Zone 5b/6a Wish list: Rafed/Adriano's Genovese Nero, Your favorite fig.
rmulhero

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Posted Reply with quote  #6 
I believe freezing should kill the larvae and the eggs, as all cells should split once frozen. The only way to avoid this would be flash freezing with liquid nitrogen. I bought some potting soil and let it on the porch for the winter; when I recently brought it in for cuttings I noticed that there were no fungus gnats :). 
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Becky, zone 5
Growing: Hardy Chicago, VdB, Dessert King, Celeste, Green Ischia, Marseilles VS, Kathleen's Black, Red Sicilian, Adriatic JH, Violetta bayerfeinge, New Brunswick, Magnolia and Italian Honey.

Wishlist: Sicilian Black JR, Petite Negra, Sweet George, Lattarula, Sals Corleone (Gene),  Vasilika sika, Galicia negra, Dalmatie and any cold hardy fig.
Rewton

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Posted Reply with quote  #7 
Apparently freezing doesn't kill them.

http://homeguides.sfgate.com/can-kill-fungus-gnats-freezing-dirt-72920.html

Here's the money quote:

"An Alaskan researcher discovered that the fungus gnat Exechia nugatoria is easily revived when frozen to minus 25 degrees Fahrenheit, and some members of the species may even come back when frozen to temperatures approaching minus 60 degrees. "

Here's more:

http://www.adn.com/article/20090530/scientist-finds-fungus-gnats-survive-winter-half-frozen
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Steve MD zone 7a
Smyfigs

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Posted Reply with quote  #8 
Weird! Them little tiny things can live to -60?!!!
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