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Organic kick in the face for root aphids?

moses wellfleet

moses wellfleet

Well-known member
Moderator
Veteran
Got a root aphid problem that is rapidly getting out of control. Will have to shut down and start over I guess!

While I have plants that are suffering, all different stages in perpetual grow, I want to use the opportunity to experiment, r&d etc. Try find something that will knock them back. So far tried beauvaria bassiana, steinerama nematodes, and predator mites. Difficult to know what effect these measures had. May have slowed them down!
 
L

Limeygreen

Well-known member
Veteran
I have heard met52 drenches work well, not sure is the oil carrier or inert ingredients get uptaken by the plant though.
 
B

bigbadbiddy

Active member
paradoxlost said:
Nerve gas should kill them
Click to expand...

ORGANIC kick in the face :)

I think if he was willing to go the chem route, there are several systemic remedies he could use.

But since he is running an organic garden and likely wants to consume the harvested buds in some way or another, he is trying to fine a way where he doesn't end up ingesting poison :D

By the way:
My infestation turned out to be fungus gnats, not root aphids. So I can't really help.
But root aphids are by all accounts the worse pest and I had to personally shut down my garden and pause for 2 months because of fungus gnats.
I think with root aphids, there is no way around that. From what I read they are way more invasive and problematic than gnats.

If memory serves, the only long-term remedy for root aphids (aside from restarting) is a systemic poison/remedy.
Meaning you basically "infect" the plant with something. Since the plants are the only food source for the aphids, they then consume the infected plants and die off. They can't stop eating or they die and if they keep eating they die.

Drawback is obviously the question how much of that poison you are intaking yourself later on...

If you listen to the manufacturers of said remedies, you can safely use it up to 2 weeks before harvest and then it will supposedly all be gone by the time you consume the bud/fruit.

My experience tells me that these types of statements are usually at least a liiiiiitle optimistic.
 
M

mushroombrew

Active member
Veteran
H2O2 drench.

3% is 4 parts water 1 part H2O2

33% is 420ml in 5 Gallons

29% is 500ml in 5 gallons

The other little tid bit is those bastards can't swim. A 18-24hrs water dunk fucks them up.
So if you got containers drown those things. I weighted pots down with water bottles standing on soil. To keep them submerged. I had 20 plants in my res lol!

Careful with Met 52. It has a shelf life. I don't know if they make it anymore. It is banned in many states. Just check date on bottle. It's all expired around me but they still sell it?! And don't expect them to die fast. Takes weeks but does work. I think it's better as a media pre treat vs knock down.

Drown them. Then H2O2 drench once a week. Some strains do not like the drench and stress for a day or two. But RA's stress them out way more so I say go for it.

In recirc I increased flood depth. Worked great.

Chems are much better. But that's early veg/clones only.
 
DrLongbottom

DrLongbottom

Well-known member
Veteran
PFR-97 bio-fungicide will work if you can follow the application procedures (high humidity makes the product more effective, in a soil application this isnt too big of an issue because moist soil is high in humidity) On the pricy side and does not have a long shelf life.
 
moses wellfleet

moses wellfleet

Well-known member
Moderator
Veteran
mushroombrew said:
H2O2 drench.

3% is 4 parts water 1 part H2O2

33% is 420ml in 5 Gallons

29% is 500ml in 5 gallons

The other little tid bit is those bastards can't swim. A 18-24hrs water dunk fucks them up.
So if you got containers drown those things. I weighted pots down with water bottles standing on soil. To keep them submerged. I had 20 plants in my res lol!

Careful with Met 52. It has a shelf life. I don't know if they make it anymore. It is banned in many states. Just check date on bottle. It's all expired around me but they still sell it?! And don't expect them to die fast. Takes weeks but does work. I think it's better as a media pre treat vs knock down.

Drown them. Then H2O2 drench once a week. Some strains do not like the drench and stress for a day or two. But RA's stress them out way more so I say go for it.

In recirc I increased flood depth. Worked great.

Chems are much better. But that's early veg/clones only.
Click to expand...
Unfortunately hydrogen peroxide would destroy all life in my no till soil. Maybe a neem drench would be kinder to the micro herd?

Interesting point about the drowning!
 
M

mushroombrew

Active member
Veteran
All the bennies in the world won't do much good when your roots are dead right?

Add back bennies after. Just like probiotics after antibiotics.

The RA will lick the neem off and ask for seconds lol!
 
G

Granger2

Active member
Veteran
What worked for me is OGBiowar. One heaping tablespoon of OGBW Root and 1 heaping tablespoon OGBW Foliar per gallon. First with a thorough soaking of root ball along with area spray incl bottoms of containers.

Follow this with a watering of same to 20% runoff every 2 weeks for 2 months, then monthly thereafter for as long as you can. I haven't seen hide nor hair in close to 3 years. I apply monthly.

If you have large numbers to start with, use a Pyrethrum drench, then start with the OGBW. Good luck. -granger
 
moses wellfleet

moses wellfleet

Well-known member
Moderator
Veteran
Granger2 said:
What worked for me is OGBiowar. One heaping tablespoon of OGBW Root and 1 heaping tablespoon OGBW Foliar per gallon. First with a thorough soaking of root ball along with area spray incl bottoms of containers.

Follow this with a watering of same to 20% runoff every 2 weeks for 2 months, then monthly thereafter for as long as you can. I haven't seen hide nor hair in close to 3 years. I apply monthly.

If you have large numbers to start with, use a Pyrethrum drench, then start with the OGBW. Good luck. -granger
Click to expand...

Excellent, what brand of pyrethrum did you use?

So the OG biowar is used as a preventative?
 
G

Granger2

Active member
Veteran
Any Pyrethrum without Piperonyl Butoxide [PBO]. Evergreen is one. Well, I guess it's a preventive, since I don't know or trust that they are ever eradicated. I figure if there's one that's alive it will give birth to live pregnant females, and before long you're plants are damaged. I'm not willing to risk it.

OGBW has a lot of strains of critters, incl the fungi that are in Met 52 and Botanigard. It will kill an infestation, and prevent return. Good luck. -granger
 
D

DocTim420

The Doctor is OUT and has moved on...
Or go to the darkside with something that is less harmful than most (Acephate+pyrethrin), and when the little shits are dead--go to confession, repent, ask for forgiveness, and sin no more.
 
T

truck

Member
drench with organocide 3 in 1 combined with the OG War Tea. Top dress with a even combo of worm castings and crab shell.
 
N

nksv

Member
got rid of mine using compost teas and adding some neem. had them bad and brewed teas that built up the microorganism populations so they had a predators feasting on them. I could see them eat the bastards, was glorious! just make your soil dense with microorganisms, add neem and always have yellow stickies around. I never get them anymore and they used to be the bane of my existence!
 
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