Mites: Ubiquitous and Inevitable or Sloppy Growing? *poll*

[schwilly]

There seem to be two general schools of thought on dealing with spider mites.

1) "Mites are everywhere and no matter what I do they will find their way into my room. Controlling their populations is all we can do."

2) "Mites are like the clap, if you have them it's because somewhere along the line a mistake was made. They need to be completely eradicated asap, no matter the cost."

Let's see if I can get the poll to work. Also, please do not feel the need to justify your stance on the issue with any details about your room or rooms. We all know that there are commercial warehouse and huge basement grows that stay mite-free, while there are plenty of small rooms out there with constant, reoccurring mite issues, and vice versa.

 

[schwilly]

Thought this would draw more attention.

I guess climate and locale could play a large role in mite issues, if anybody wants to elaborate.

I know some people in areas heavy with MMJ complain that they get dusted with mites from other growers every time they're in public.

to the top

 

[Sam the Caveman]

I think if it happens often, it is the result of sloppy growing, but the once a year or every other year occurrence is normal.

There is no way to completely keep them out of your house. The best thing you can do is multiple preventative sprays before flowering gets too far along, like within the first 2 weeks. But that may even be seen as extreme. I imagine most on here don't do preventative sprays, I don't. Probably also depends on how big the grow is too, the bigger it is the more important preventative sprays are.

 

[LiLWaynE]

sloppy growing? i think not..... ANYBODY is susceptible...

now if you let them get out of hand, THEN it is sloppy growing...

 

[Stress_test]

If you have spidermites indoors more than once it amounts to sloppy and lazy growing.

After the first go around with mites if you haven't learned to spray your garden as part of the "process" of growing indoors then you can get used to the fact that your garden will ALWAYS have one pest or disease or another.

It is so easy to prevent spidermite infestations. In fact spidermites are easier to prevent or eliminate than thrips, white-flies, root-aphids, or even PM, so generally speaking: if you are NOT using appropriate precautions to prevent other pests then it is inevitable that you will constantly have mites and/or plant problems.

Neglecting to take precautionary measures is tantamount to neglecting to turn on the lights or water, the results are the same.

 

[qupee]

My one experience with mites, they rode in on some clones from another state. I knew something looked weird with them, but I didn't follow up and before I knew it I was starting to see webs in some places and little spots on many leaves.

They were easy to eradicate and have not been back since.

Therefore, I voted sloppy growing. However, I can imagine they are more of a bother in places like CO and CA.

 

[schwilly]

If you have spidermites indoors more than once it amounts to sloppy and lazy growing.

After the first go around with mites if you haven't learned to spray your garden as part of the "process" of growing indoors then you can get used to the fact that your garden will ALWAYS have one pest or disease or another.

It is so easy to prevent spidermite infestations. In fact spidermites are easier to prevent or eliminate than thrips, white-flies, root-aphids, or even PM, so generally speaking: if you are NOT using appropriate precautions to prevent other pests then it is inevitable that you will constantly have mites and/or plant problems.

Neglecting to take precautionary measures is tantamount to neglecting to turn on the lights or water, the results are the same.

When you say precautions, do you mean hitting plants with neem/etc in veg?

Or do you mean intake filtration, no outdoor clothes, hair covered, all new cuts quarantined, etc?

It seems people feel that either protocol or insecticides are the solution.

Maybe I should have made those the poll choices.

 

[Stress_test]

When you say precautions, do you mean hitting plants with neem/etc in veg?

Or do you mean intake filtration, no outdoor clothes, hair covered, all new cuts quarantined, etc?

It seems people feel that either protocol or insecticides are the solution.

Maybe I should have made those the poll choices.

Yeah... All the above.

Although I don't cover my hair, and I do wear street clothes into the garden but I cover them with paper painters coveralls. They are light weight, cool and cheap.
I do bump up Rh and spray Neem during veg and I also quarantine any and all new plants before they enter the garden.
I don't like insecticides though cause they kill off friendly mites that I dump in there.