They came at night... (another spider mite thread)

[bendoslendo]

I've grown cannabis for the past 10 years in four different locations. The only pest trouble I've ever had was a short lived fungus gnat problem, quickly solved with BTi.

2 am last night I noticed a slight speckle on a leaf. Well, you know the rest...

One plant had 2-25 (median7-10) mites on 75% of it's lower sunleaves. I removed all affected leaves and several unaffected (probably a bad idea? need feedback on this). I also removed touching leaves from 3 nearby plants. On these nearby plants I found 1-5 mites on approximately 30% of leaves removed. Damage is by no means severe. Only one or two leaves had some slight webbing on the bottom vein of some larger leaves. The plants are in great overall health (except for the borg) so I think I have a fighting chance here. I'm about 1 week from when I'd like to flower but will delay 12/12 until I have this controlled.
NOTE: All affected areas in photo have been removed, speckling is actually diatomaceous earth (worthless against the borg used on leaves)

I sprayed all the bottoms of leaves with water and cranked the AC down to 60 degrees. Spent most of the night on the internet reading about spider mites and control measures. Also sobbing a bit and rocking I've decided on a 3 prong attack.

I purchased Azamax (GH) when the hydro store opened at 10am this morning. I added 250mL of it to 20gallons of nutrient solution (about 0.3% concentration, label recomends 0.1-0.8% concentration for hydroponic application) and triggered a flood (E&F system). Azamax turns the entire solution a milky white opaque. Does anyone have feedback on this dosage? Anyone else use this in their E&F reservoir?

I prepared a foliar spray of 10mL Azamax to 1qt of water. Thoroughly sprayed undersides of leaves, then tops. I paid special attention to where the spider mites were found ( about 1/6th of garden)

I ordered a small 1 oz bottle of Floramite. I intend to use it when I receive it as a foliar spray. This stuff looks as though it could be dangerous so I will definitely not use it in flower.

I'm also going to purchase Dr. Doom foggers to use in 3 days.

I have another flowering room and vegetative room at the same place, no sign of mite in there yet but everything not >4weeks flower will receive a preventative spraying with Azamax. Does anyone recommend bombing these rooms as well? Perhaps just the veg room?

I'm nervous as shit and have had no sleep. This is a medical crop and people depend on me. I'm petrified.

Any tips about the products I've chosen are greatly welcome. Please share your experience with these products and success/failure rate.

 

[Albertine]

What kind of sprayer are you using for the Azamax? I was only holding them at bay until I went from a quart mister to a gallon hand pump sprayer - the bottoms of the leaves need to be really soaked in order to wet through the protective hairs on the leaves - unless you get through that layer they will stay alive. Do a heavy spray every other day until you can find none, then continue for a couple sprays more to make sure you've got all the eggs. Two apps in the big sprayer did it for me, at 2 0z/gal, lower end of recommended dosage for foliar. Spray the surface of the soil while you're at it. A small infestation handled thoroughly isn't much of a problem - don't wait for a week in between doses, every other day is needed.

 

[BPJR]

Sounds like your taking the correct steps to deal with this. If you stay on top of their life cycle and correspond your Azamax/Floromite/Dr.doom applications you should win this battle.

I just went through this and used Avid/Floromite/Pyrthrum TR on a 4 day cycle. It worked and I am now borg free.

Also I would probably bomb the surrounding rooms. At the very least clean and bleach. Better safe than sorry IMO.

You might want to check out the Pyrethrum TR instead of the Doctor Doom. Costs a bit more but is a much higher concentration of pyrthrum. I think it also has a slightly different aerosol delivery system and adheres to the plant better (longer).

 

[Herborizer]

I have used Mite-Rid with much success. Also, no pest strips are awesome as well.

 

[Japanfreakier]

I think it was a good idea to take the leafs like you did and everything sounds spot on.

 

[bendoslendo]

@Albertine Thanks for the tip on the pump sprayer. I have a quart squeeze sprayer with the 360 degree angled sprayer. It's kind of a pain and I think your right, a pump sprayer would give me much better coverage. I'm out of cash unfortunately after buying all the liquid/aeresol death I bought today so it might have to wait. In any event I'll stay on it with spraying every other day.

@BPJR I'll bleach/bomb my rooms and and interconnecting rooms. Thanks for tip on Pyrethrum TR, I'll get some of these when I get some more money. When you say "4 day cycle" do you mean a different treatment every 4 days or all treatments within 4 days?

@Herborizer Thought about hotshot strips, still dubious on their safety. May be something I consider as last resort.

@Japanfreakier Thanks for your opinion, appreciate that. Sweet image too. Maybe a future tattoo idea...ha!

 

[BPJR]

@BPJR I'll bleach/bomb my rooms and and interconnecting rooms. Thanks for tip on Pyrethrum TR, I'll get some of these when I get some more money. When you say "4 day cycle" do you mean a different treatment every 4 days or all treatments within 4 days?

I like to hit them with a different product every four days or so. Eggs hatch in 4 to 5 days and the entire life cycle from egg to adult may be 1 to 3 weeks, depending on the temperature. They like high temps and low humidity. Higher temps = faster life cycle.

Also by alternating products you lessen the chance that they become resistant to a particular chemical.

The last time this happened I used only Azamax and Dr. Doom. It slowed them down but never got rid of them. I had to stop growing and clean the room out to finally get rid of them. This time I was horrified to find them again. I stupidly allowed my new puppy in my grow.

I treated with Avid and cleaned the area with bleach. Waited four days and treated with Floramite. Waited four days and bombed with Pyrthrum Time Release.

Might be over kill but......
Im happy to say I am now mite free.

Good luck

 

[bendoslendo]

Infestation discovery +1 day - Found only 2 mites on one leaf, both dead. Canopy temp at 65F

+2 days - Re sprayed with azamax at 10mL/quart. Reservoir amount doubled to effectively reduce concentration to about 0.15%. Dr. Doom fogger used in both my rooms. Later found 3 more dead mites, and a few leaves with eggs on them. Leaves discarded. Eggs/ dead mites only found on plant where infestation started. I increased the temperature up to 70F.

Plants are showing signs of stress/damage from azamax dosage. New growth is pale green and spindly, old growth is drooping a bit. My AK-48 is suffering more apparently than the White Rhino (GHS). Other possible causes of growth is the huge drop in temperature (78F-->65F) and underfeeding (ppm went from 700-->550 in 2 days). I used the last of my PBP Grow to bring the ppm back up to 750 when I doubled reservoir size. I'll post pictures of damage/retardation later.

Ras Mason (https://www.icmag.com/ic/showthread.php?t=164645) recommends only 1mL Azamax/gallon, which is much less than label but apparently recommended by a GH scientist. I'm out of nutes (and money) so can't do a rez change until Monday. Hopefully the reduced concentration (still 6x what Ras recommends) will slow harmful effects until then.

I'm at the end of veg and the ladies desperately need to be tied down into the scrog. I'm afraid of doing this however because I feel it may help re-infestation and reduce the penetration of my spraying. I think it's got to be done tonight though I'm nervous to do it.

 

[Ras Mason]

Bro, you went major overboard on this one....

DId you wash off the l;eaves with a water-h2o2 mix after application of azamax?

On top of this, foliar sprays of azamax are not very effective against spider mites but more so against other pests like thrips...

Did you use strictly azamax in your 20 gal res or was it mixed with your regular nutrient solution?

Beleive me 1 ml per litre is more than enough at the root zone...

PLus, this product is not a contact killer, it is an anti feedant and a reproductive disruptant...The product has to be in contact with the spiders mouth piece to be effective, hence the root application... You really see it s effects after a little while.

 

[bendoslendo]

@Ras It was with the nutrient solution, I did this before reading your post linked above. Thanks a lot for stopping in If I have to use it again I will use it as you described.

The plants recovered well after solution was halved. I dumped the nutes (with Azamax) on Monday and refilled with my transition formula.

I haven't seen a dead spider mite since Sunday, or a live one since I sprayed.

I just received a 2oz bottle of Floramite in the mail. I'm torn on whether to use it or not. It's been 7 days since I noticed infestation and I have no visible mites. I should think any eggs would have hatched by now. My temps are back up around 75F again.

I'm pretty sure I'm using it tomorrow morning after light go off. I'm starting 12/12 tomorrow and really don't want these bitches popping back up once I have flowers. I've got my 1 gallon pump sprayer and a ghetto respirator, I'm going to war!

 

[tequila_sunrise]

@Ras It was with the nutrient solution, I did this before reading your post linked above. Thanks a lot for stopping in If I have to use it again I will use it as you described.

The plants recovered well after solution was halved. I dumped the nutes (with Azamax) on Monday and refilled with my transition formula.

I haven't seen a dead spider mite since Sunday, or a live one since I sprayed.

I just received a 2oz bottle of Floramite in the mail. I'm torn on whether to use it or not. It's been 7 days since I noticed infestation and I have no visible mites. I should think any eggs would have hatched by now. My temps are back up around 75F again.

I'm pretty sure I'm using it tomorrow morning after light go off. I'm starting 12/12 tomorrow and really don't want these bitches popping back up once I have flowers. I've got my 1 gallon pump sprayer and a ghetto respirator, I'm going to war!

sorry to hear about your plants man. the borg is a real bitch for sure!

I would definitely go with the floramite or avid, I did not have good luck with azamax... it only slowed them down.

 

[bendoslendo]

At 8 days past initial discovery of spider mite infestation, with no sign of spider mites or eggs, I sprayed Floramite.

The mix was 2 drops AN pH Down (6.2), 2mL Floramite SC and 1mL of Coco-Wet (sticker-spreader) in 1 gallon of water. Lights are off for the next 8 hours, 12/12 starts today. I turned off the fans for the next couple of hours.

Even though it's trans-laminar, I did my best to spray both tops and bottoms of leaves.
Edit: Floramite SC is not translaminar, I was thinking of Avid.