What's new

Spiders Mites. I finally got em'

O

OrganicOzarks

So I have never had spider mites. Well now I can't say that. I have some plants ready to harvest in about 2 weeks or so, and I noticed some webbing on an upper bud this morning. What can i do to make sure this crop makes it, and also that it does not spread to other crops?

Thanks for the help. I hear these little dudes can be a motherfucker.
 
J

jerry111165

OO, sorry to hear that - they can indeed be a MF.

You definetly dont want to spray flowers that are that close to harvest - I personally dont like spraying more than a few weeks into flower if I can help it.

The Ahimsa (neem resource.com) organic neem oil will definetly help considerably on your plants that arent into or not too far into flower. Use aloe and liquid silica with it as surfectant and emulsifier. As far as the flowers that are close to ready, you can use a vacuum - maybe make yourself a very small end for it for control.

Ive learned the hard way that preventative maintenance is key. Neem and Spinosad are what I use. Good luck - Mites plain out suck.

j
 
unclefishstick

unclefishstick

Fancy Janitor
ICMag Donor
Veteran
get some predator mites pronto,if you can get them in the rooms before it gets too bad they can stay on top of the problem,they dont ever seem to get rid of it,but they do keep it in check
 
R

RanchoDeluxe

Member
Lavender kicks ass against spider mites. Can't exactly remember how much to use per gal. Poke around here a bit and you'll find it. I've sprayed during flower with it and it worked well...If I were 2 weeks away from harvest, Id only use it if things were extremely bad. If you're talking a plant or two, Jerrys suggestion is the way to go. Those fuckers can get out of hand quick. Predators of some sort ain't a bad idea either considering how far along you are. Obviously, you don't want to pick up something that takes 7-10 days to hatch.

Prevention is key. All my veg plants get sprayed at least once a week. Neem, Safers soap, bronners, aloe, protekt. I never spray with the same shit twice in a row. Spinosad only comes out for thrips. From what I've read, this stuff isn't microherd friendly, so go easy with it...it works extremely well.
 
unclefishstick

unclefishstick

Fancy Janitor
ICMag Donor
Veteran
oh yeah,the lavender,rosemary and mint combo seems to work well..
if you want to get all OCD on it,grab some q-tips and 70% isopropyl and start swabbing the leaves off one by one,the iso evaporates too quick to damage the leaves,but it for sure kills anything it touches.
also heard mixed results from using 1 tbs 3% hydrogen peroxide to 3 cups ro water applied as a spray.
 
S

SeaMaiden

I will recommend a regimen of isopropyl alcohol mixed with water applied every three days as a foliar application. Start with a 50:50 mix, and increase the iso if needed. Everything else mentioned may leave a flavor or scent, and I have not been able to experience relief using the lavender due to acquisition/volume problems.

If the mites are thick, there's a trick my son showed me that I call
Blowing Fan
Green Bamboo

He puts a fan directly on the affected plants, and they have a stick of GREEN bamboo stuck into the pots. He makes certain that the fan is causing a lot of leaf shake, and that the bamboo is touching some of the leaves, especially near the top. He says that a large portion of the mite population then migrates over the next couple of days onto the bamboo because they perceive that it is stable whereas the plant is not. He then takes a paper towel (soaked in Forbid4f, unfortunately, I think he could use something a lot less likely to create resistance) and wipes the mites off the bamboo stake.

This activity of spider mites was anecdotally confirmed for me by another grower who observed mites migrating to the 'tops' (main stalk) of harvested plants, and then he could see them all gathered there, waving their little legs looking to hitch a ride.
 
O

OrganicOzarks

SeaMaiden said:
I will recommend a regimen of isopropyl alcohol mixed with water applied every three days as a foliar application. Start with a 50:50 mix, and increase the iso if needed. Everything else mentioned may leave a flavor or scent, and I have not been able to experience relief using the lavender due to acquisition/volume problems.

If the mites are thick, there's a trick my son showed me that I call
Blowing Fan
Green Bamboo

He puts a fan directly on the affected plants, and they have a stick of GREEN bamboo stuck into the pots. He makes certain that the fan is causing a lot of leaf shake, and that the bamboo is touching some of the leaves, especially near the top. He says that a large portion of the mite population then migrates over the next couple of days onto the bamboo because they perceive that it is stable whereas the plant is not. He then takes a paper towel (soaked in Forbid4f, unfortunately, I think he could use something a lot less likely to create resistance) and wipes the mites off the bamboo stake.

This activity of spider mites was anecdotally confirmed for me by another grower who observed mites migrating to the 'tops' (main stalk) of harvested plants, and then he could see them all gathered there, waving their little legs looking to hitch a ride.
Click to expand...

I have seen you post about the alcohol before. I think I am going to give it a try if need be.

From what I could see there was one large bud on the top of one plant that had webbing. I just want to make sure I can catch it before it spreads to the other flowering rooms.

I may just compost the top of that plant, and see if I need to treat around the area with the alcohol.

I have always been arrogant about spider mites too. Karma is a motherfucker I guess. :)
 
S

SeaMaiden

Wanna know what I do to help prevent being the vector? (What's your vector, Victor?) I freeze my clothes, hat and shoes. If I've been out in an area where I see anything suspicious, I strip down in the garage and toss everything into one of the chest freezers, leave it there overnight.

I make a FANTASTIC spider mite vector, btw. Especially with my gardening hat, has so many great places for a willing spider mite to hitch a ride.

I don't believe in karma.
 
O

otis33

I had mites once, although, mine were in early veg. Anyway, I got this stuff called mighty wash, which is mostly just water in which the molecules are charged some how (I think). In any case, this stuff worked great for me. It got rid of the mitres and I have not seen any since. Like sea maiden,I now am now really careful about bringing anything inside with me. If I think I may be carrying something I strip down to my boxers our even take a shower before entering my room. I think mighty wash is safe even inn flower, although I think if they get in buds once they are swollen and sticky, they are hard to get out.
 
O

OrganicOzarks

SeaMaiden said:
Wanna know what I do to help prevent being the vector? (What's your vector, Victor?) I freeze my clothes, hat and shoes. If I've been out in an area where I see anything suspicious, I strip down in the garage and toss everything into one of the chest freezers, leave it there overnight.

I make a FANTASTIC spider mite vector, btw. Especially with my gardening hat, has so many great places for a willing spider mite to hitch a ride.

I don't believe in karma.
Click to expand...

I know I brought them in from my outside garden. They were hanging out on my kale. This is the first time they have decided to hitch a ride. I have had thrips hitch a ride once too.

The plants that have the bug problem were sickly to begin with. I vegged them waaaaaaaaay to long in very small pots due to space limitations. Once potted up I did not give them enough time to "bounce" back or my rotation would have been fucked.

I feel that if I would not have tried to flower sub par plants then this would probably not happen.

Honestly I always go from the outside garden, to inside, and then outside again, and it just has not ever been a problem.

When I got thrips it was this same time of year.

Honestly I wish I didn't have the little fuckers, but I appreciate the learning experience.
 
Pseudo

Pseudo

just do it
Veteran
sucks to hear OO...you can take the affected plant outside hold it upside down and blast the concentrated area with a garden hose, that should slow them down a bit before harvest
 
O

otis33

I had mites once, although, mine were in early veg. Anyway, I got this stuff called mighty wash, which is mostly just water in which the molecules are charged some how (I think). In any case, this stuff worked great for me. It got rid of the mitres and I have not seen any since. Like sea maiden,I now am now really careful about bringing anything inside with me. If I think I may be carrying something I strip down to my boxers our even take a shower before entering my room. I think mighty wash is safe even inn flower, although I think if they get in buds once they are swollen and sticky, they are hard to get out.
 
FlowerFarmer

FlowerFarmer

Well-known member
Veteran
I wouldn't recommend doing anything for the current mites on the plants 2 weeks from finishing.

Pick off the webs as much as you can to see if you can get to the end without too much damage, but if you've got webs.. you've got mites pretty bad. No sense in treating plants about to get the axe in around 2 weeks. Either cut them early or let them ride. Predator mites or lady bugs wont do much at this point as they need time to colonize/breed themselves before they start whopping ass.



Cut any loses on the current crop and be grateful with what you get. Focus on your veg plants/ next round of plants to ensure you eradicate mites before going into flower. I'd set off 2 pyrethrum bombs 5 days apart in conjunction with some type of foliar spray once a week such a SNS 217 or Azatrol.

If you don't mind using the big guns, of which many frown upon, dunk your next round of clones or small vegetative plants in AVID and mites will be no more. It is a systemic miticide which will not allow mites on the plants for around 60 days. If you treat everything at clone stage/veg..ensuring not to leave any plant untreated your mite problem will essentially be eliminated and you shouldn't need to use anything on future crops.

Once you've eliminated mites completely.. the occasional need oil spray throughout veg should keep you problem free without the need for harsh systemics like AVID.
 
Holdin'

Holdin'

Moon-grass farmer
Veteran
Mighty wash is indeed safe for flowering plants.... I have never used it but I've heard many positive reports. Luckily youre nearing harvest time though, as long as you put up a good fight, you wont let them cause any damage. Vacuum cleaner with a small tip works good to remove dead ones. Just be sure to clean your vacuum cleaner well as you dont want to be harboring live mites/eggs. Inevitably theres going to be some mites that get trapped by the sticky resins of your ladies. But youre going to have to be proactive to reduce the number of mites in your finished product.

Most importantly, like you said, use it as a learning experience. Prevention is key.

We will never completely abolish the spidermite, but I really think every grower should be following steps of prevention whether theyve ever had mites or not. Not only for the sake of ones' own garden, but for all growers

Just to share a troubling experience.... i was at a nursery a few months back, and overheard a couple employees talking about a spidermite infestation they'd been dealing with in their bamboo stock. Saying theyve tried everything within budget and that any product that would get rid of them for good would be too expensive. Fast forward about a week, I'm driving down the freeway, about to pass said nursery and see a new posting on their big freeway sign that says: "ALL BAMBOO 50% OFF"

A big part of me wanted to take the exit and give them a piece of my mind.

Sucks.

:banghead:
 
idiit

idiit

Active member
Veteran
raid flea killer plus has worked several times for me; especially spider mites. this spray kills any and all insects without fail for me for 20+ years.

do a test run with whatever solution you decide to try on one plant. obviously spray with the lights off and fan dry before turning lights on. inspect the flowering buds for damage from the spray.

i fog the enclosed area. i don't spray much directly on the individual plants.

i saved my crops several times with minimal flower damage other than white pistils dying and turning red.

you need to reapply your remedy ( 1-2 more times) approximately 2 weeks later for freshly hatched eggs.

raid flea killer + contains some chemicals. you might prefer to try straight pyrethrin spray which is a totally organic remedy ( crushed south african flower petals).
 
J

jerry111165

idiit said:
raid flea killer plus has worked several times for me; especially spider mites. this spray kills any and all insects without fail for me for 20+ years.

do a test run with whatever solution you decide to try on one plant. obviously spray with the lights off and fan dry before turning lights on. inspect the flowering buds for damage from the spray.

i fog the enclosed area. i don't spray much directly on the individual plants.

i saved my crops several times with minimal flower damage other than white pistils dying and turning red.

you need to reapply your remedy ( 1-2 more times) approximately 2 weeks later for freshly hatched eggs.

raid flea killer + contains some chemicals. (Ya think??) you might prefer to try straight pyrethrin spray which is a totally organic remedy ( crushed south african flower petals).
Click to expand...


Uh-huh.

Excellent advice for new growers in an ORGANIC forum.

Right on.
 
J

jerry111165

ClackamasCootz said:
I'll bet that Raid would definitely give you the desired 'diesel' taste, eh?
Click to expand...


I just saw that Raid makes an "Earth friendly" bug killer...I wonder whats in that one...*lol*
 

Attachments

  • bug_raid2.jpg
    bug_raid2.jpg
    27.6 KB · Views: 16
You must log in or register to reply here.

Latest posts

Latest posts

Top