Flowerman
Active member
Spider mites AKA The Borg
~Products I tested~
Bug Buster-O
Safer Insecticidal soap
Safer Houseplant insect killer
Safer BioNeem
Dyna-Grow Pure Neem Oil
Organocide
Hot shots No Pest strips
Predator mites (triple variety)
Hot Shots no pest strips
Doktor Doom release fogger
These are what I have tested so far, each one will work, but it depends on how they are used, and in what type of environment they are used in. These two things play a big role on how effective they will be.
I find the best way to get rid of spider mites, is prevention from the start, and a few simple practices to follow. I’m an avid grower of a lot of different things, not just cannabis, but it is one of my favorite plants to grow, and to watch from the start.
To start out with, it is essential to keep the grow room clean, if you’re not using predator mites, or don’t plan on using them, then a good bombing in between grows will also help to a degree. But keeping things clean is a great place to start. After this, I would suggest not mixing outdoor plants with the indoor plants, keep all pets out of the room, and never go directly into your grow room, if you’ve been working outdoors in the yard/garden, or for that matter, even playing sports out in the yard, or rolling around with a love one. Spider mites are notorious for hitch hiking, and it doesn’t take much, a simple stroll where a few might be, even a breeze can set one up for sail to catch a ride on your shirt/blouse. But the point of this is, is to be aware of what you are doing and your surroundings before you continue on to your next steps which might include you visiting your indoor grow.
After this, I would suggest making sure if you are going to use store bought medium, make sure that it has been sterilized. Also you can follow the same practices on your own preparation medium. If not, chances are it can contain spider mites, or any other number of pests. If you are using containers, I really like to use PAM cooking spray on the lower sides of the containers, this prevents any type of pest climbing up, and getting into your medium and onto your plant/plants where they can wreak havoc. Also keeping some space in between your plants is good, so the pest can’t easily get from one plant to the next, but this isn’t always ideal, especially for SOG grows, where closeness is part of the procedure.
So far, all is ok, but we still got to take it up a notch. I also suggest a once a week foliar spraying during veg, that consist of using some type of a neem oil product. This will help prevent spider mites from starting, as it is a bio-inhibitor. There are so many products that use neem oil, which one is better, that’s up to personal preference, and what works best for you. If you use the pure neem oil, you will have to dilute it with warm water, as it is very thick stuff. The BioNeem, is probably the easiest and cleanest to use, with a pleasant smell of lemons, but contains a lower percentage if the active ingredient, but even using water is a good thing. Definitely make sure the lights are off when ever misting/spraying your plants, and make sure they are dry before turning on the light/lights. But this is the one I found to like for this purpose, not overly strong, but good enough and not messy and has a pleasant odor. Very easy on plants, so a plus there.
Another thing I like to add is do a complete visual look over of all of your plants, at least once a week, if not more. This means look at the leaves, underneath and on top, inside/outside of the container, if you see any type of speckling, chances are, a mite was taking a plunge into a plant cell. One mite can punch a lot of holes by the way. The speckling can be spotted pretty easily, but most of the time goes unnoticed because we’re too busy doing other things, and not really taking the garden serious enough, even though one is getting pleasure out of growing it. Before you know it, you got webs, and webs are a good sign of a good infestation taking place, and this relatively means, the borg have set camp, and are multiplying at a phenomenal rate probably.
What can we do? Well first, don’t panic, and don’t toss your hard work/time away. Yea, they suck, and in more than one way, lol. (I’m a security buff, some people suggest taking young or old plants outside and shaking them off, well, it works to a degree, but not always 100% and most of the time, there are still plenty there, and the fact that you noticed them, chances are they got eggs, which don’t easily shake off. Not too mention the fact, if any neighbor sees you, your cover is blown right out the door, so I don’t suggest this, but to each their own). A doctor doom fogger will start the party in your favor, Also if you’re still in veg, a good spraying with Organocide would be my first choice, as this stuff works pretty good, and not only does it kill off the adults, but it also kills the larvae, nymphs and egg stages as well. You will have a slight fishy/lemony smell, but it doesn’t last for long, also when spraying, you might want to put some plastic under the plant (spray area), as this will prevent any chance of staining the cement, but it is only a slight chance. I’ve never experienced this problem as of yet using this product so far, I also suggest getting the concentrate, last longer, and you have more of it, but the spray bottles work great too. Secondly, try getting your temps down some, as this will slow down breeding to a degree, even if it’s only in your dark time, it truly is beneficial when trying to get a grip on them. If you have more than one area to keep your plants, I would suggest separating them, but this isn’t always feasible, so treat all the plants as if they had an infestation. The next thing to do, is to hit them again a few days later by spraying them, you must completely mist them, from top to bottom, from the top of the leaves to the underside, and this includes the top of the medium as well. And another good cleaning of the floors, and the equipment, and the area is definitely recommended.
At this stage, I still find it crucial to inject them with another treatment of something else. It’s a change in the recipe, and is the knockout blow to them, as they are pretty determined little creatures, and are very strong, but will be in a weakened state because of the first two doses of spray. This is like a 1, 2 knock out blow. If one used some type of soap to begin with, then I would suggest using some type of pyrethrins. Since we used Organocide, one could use several types, pyrethrins, neem oil, even hot shots no pest strips, but if one is going to use the pest strips, you got to take into account your environment, if you are ventilating the air in your grow area out, this will have little effect on the mites, as the main ingredient needs to accumulate in the air for awhile to be effective. Even if you are recycling the air through a carbon filter, this will also weaken the outcome. But turning off the exhaust fans if you can, for at least 6 hours out of a 24 hour period, then this has a chance of doing what it does best, and that’s knocking them out. But definitely a one, two punch is a great way to go, when combating these little creatures, that we all like to call the borg, but what a crafty little creature they are. Also since we used Organocide, we could now incorporate predator mites, but make sure at least a week or two has went by before introducing them since you sprayed. They are truly a wonderful and big help to combating these borg. But you must not use any other type of treatment while they are being deployed, and it does take some time, depending on infestation levels. You should also mist the plants a few times before deploying them, and right before you release them if you plan on using them. With predator mites, you shouldn’t worry about keeping temps cool, as they breed better and faster when it’s warmer, but there are stipulations when using them, they do like a more humid environment, unlike the spider mites, and your cannabis plants. So a daily misting is required, or a humidifier, but keep an eye out on mold/mildew, also the dead mites if a lot die in one area, they can really turn the buds into rot quickly. Also it is best to start predators when the spider mite colony is low, as they would be overwhelmed and could not keep up in the numbers race, so almost pointless to a degree then, but by using the Organocide first, safer soap, this will help dwindle the numbers down considerably. They also require a longer light period, so when introduced in flowering, they will not breed efficiently, and can go into dormant. But if used in the vegetative stage, they will provide enough assistance to finish out the grow, and or, will have killed off the spider mites if given enough time, which is over 4 weeks for most cases, but it depends on the amount used and how bad the infestation was. A rule of thumb, always go with a little more than what you think you need.
If you didn’t use predator mites, it is probably a good thing to give it a third dosing a week later of the Organocide, to make sure the ones that hatched are killed.
The Bug Buster-O works pretty fast, but you must use a mild formula on the plants, as it uses a petroleum product and if not measured correctly, will kill off leaf after leaf, you’ll notice it by it turning dark brown then to black, basically the same shit happened when I tried the PAM, lol, gotta test, but the weird shit was, after growth took off again, the one sprayed with PAM actually never had to be treated again for mites, lol, but it did look like shit for about two weeks. Used correctly, the product does what it says, but the smell isn’t too pleasant. But it contains a high amount of pyrethrins, compared to the other products that I tried that contained it as well. Would definitely recommend this one as well, not the PAM for plants.
Safer Houseplant insect killer, well a great concept anyway, almost like a true aerosol, and not messy in anyway. The problem I have with this, it’s not cost effective, it would be great if you only had 2 plants, but anything more, you need to really stock up on this, like spray paint, never enough to finish a project, for you go through it pretty quickly. I wouldn’t use this product as a stand alone, not powerful enough IMHO, but it does have power when it is combined with using something else. It says its main ingredient is pyrethrins derived from chrysanthemum, as is the other product that I tried Bug Buster-O, but this didn’t have the knock out power at all as one would think. Though a great concept, just needs more power for the use that it is intended for.
Between grows, Doktor Doom foggers work great, and can be used at all stages of growth, unlike other type of foggers, this ones main ingredient is also pyrethrins derived from chrysanthemum, and is formulated to work with mites, and is a natural pyrethrin. Again, I find it best to avoid letting the stage build up in the first place, but noticing them early is your second best line of defense, so you can combat them during the veg stage, and not have too worry about them in the flowering stage. It did its job, but had to spray afterwards on this grow to take care of the eggs, and the ones that hatched. So not so much a stand alone product, unless it’s being used from the get go, when one is cleaning out the grow room.
(A side note, using Floramite is probably one of the best things for mites {I’ve heard}, but it is very expensive, though cost effective, I personally have never used it though, and as why I left it out.)
(I also don’t use the No Pest Strips while in the flowering stage, this is just my personal choice.)
Just a few photos I took during one stage, letting them build up in large numbers. They love to gather together at certain times of the light cycle, pretty wild, almost like a group orgy then the die down some, and later on, come back together.
~Products I tested~
Bug Buster-O
Safer Insecticidal soap
Safer Houseplant insect killer
Safer BioNeem
Dyna-Grow Pure Neem Oil
Organocide
Hot shots No Pest strips
Predator mites (triple variety)
Hot Shots no pest strips
Doktor Doom release fogger
These are what I have tested so far, each one will work, but it depends on how they are used, and in what type of environment they are used in. These two things play a big role on how effective they will be.
I find the best way to get rid of spider mites, is prevention from the start, and a few simple practices to follow. I’m an avid grower of a lot of different things, not just cannabis, but it is one of my favorite plants to grow, and to watch from the start.
To start out with, it is essential to keep the grow room clean, if you’re not using predator mites, or don’t plan on using them, then a good bombing in between grows will also help to a degree. But keeping things clean is a great place to start. After this, I would suggest not mixing outdoor plants with the indoor plants, keep all pets out of the room, and never go directly into your grow room, if you’ve been working outdoors in the yard/garden, or for that matter, even playing sports out in the yard, or rolling around with a love one. Spider mites are notorious for hitch hiking, and it doesn’t take much, a simple stroll where a few might be, even a breeze can set one up for sail to catch a ride on your shirt/blouse. But the point of this is, is to be aware of what you are doing and your surroundings before you continue on to your next steps which might include you visiting your indoor grow.
After this, I would suggest making sure if you are going to use store bought medium, make sure that it has been sterilized. Also you can follow the same practices on your own preparation medium. If not, chances are it can contain spider mites, or any other number of pests. If you are using containers, I really like to use PAM cooking spray on the lower sides of the containers, this prevents any type of pest climbing up, and getting into your medium and onto your plant/plants where they can wreak havoc. Also keeping some space in between your plants is good, so the pest can’t easily get from one plant to the next, but this isn’t always ideal, especially for SOG grows, where closeness is part of the procedure.
So far, all is ok, but we still got to take it up a notch. I also suggest a once a week foliar spraying during veg, that consist of using some type of a neem oil product. This will help prevent spider mites from starting, as it is a bio-inhibitor. There are so many products that use neem oil, which one is better, that’s up to personal preference, and what works best for you. If you use the pure neem oil, you will have to dilute it with warm water, as it is very thick stuff. The BioNeem, is probably the easiest and cleanest to use, with a pleasant smell of lemons, but contains a lower percentage if the active ingredient, but even using water is a good thing. Definitely make sure the lights are off when ever misting/spraying your plants, and make sure they are dry before turning on the light/lights. But this is the one I found to like for this purpose, not overly strong, but good enough and not messy and has a pleasant odor. Very easy on plants, so a plus there.
Another thing I like to add is do a complete visual look over of all of your plants, at least once a week, if not more. This means look at the leaves, underneath and on top, inside/outside of the container, if you see any type of speckling, chances are, a mite was taking a plunge into a plant cell. One mite can punch a lot of holes by the way. The speckling can be spotted pretty easily, but most of the time goes unnoticed because we’re too busy doing other things, and not really taking the garden serious enough, even though one is getting pleasure out of growing it. Before you know it, you got webs, and webs are a good sign of a good infestation taking place, and this relatively means, the borg have set camp, and are multiplying at a phenomenal rate probably.
What can we do? Well first, don’t panic, and don’t toss your hard work/time away. Yea, they suck, and in more than one way, lol. (I’m a security buff, some people suggest taking young or old plants outside and shaking them off, well, it works to a degree, but not always 100% and most of the time, there are still plenty there, and the fact that you noticed them, chances are they got eggs, which don’t easily shake off. Not too mention the fact, if any neighbor sees you, your cover is blown right out the door, so I don’t suggest this, but to each their own). A doctor doom fogger will start the party in your favor, Also if you’re still in veg, a good spraying with Organocide would be my first choice, as this stuff works pretty good, and not only does it kill off the adults, but it also kills the larvae, nymphs and egg stages as well. You will have a slight fishy/lemony smell, but it doesn’t last for long, also when spraying, you might want to put some plastic under the plant (spray area), as this will prevent any chance of staining the cement, but it is only a slight chance. I’ve never experienced this problem as of yet using this product so far, I also suggest getting the concentrate, last longer, and you have more of it, but the spray bottles work great too. Secondly, try getting your temps down some, as this will slow down breeding to a degree, even if it’s only in your dark time, it truly is beneficial when trying to get a grip on them. If you have more than one area to keep your plants, I would suggest separating them, but this isn’t always feasible, so treat all the plants as if they had an infestation. The next thing to do, is to hit them again a few days later by spraying them, you must completely mist them, from top to bottom, from the top of the leaves to the underside, and this includes the top of the medium as well. And another good cleaning of the floors, and the equipment, and the area is definitely recommended.
At this stage, I still find it crucial to inject them with another treatment of something else. It’s a change in the recipe, and is the knockout blow to them, as they are pretty determined little creatures, and are very strong, but will be in a weakened state because of the first two doses of spray. This is like a 1, 2 knock out blow. If one used some type of soap to begin with, then I would suggest using some type of pyrethrins. Since we used Organocide, one could use several types, pyrethrins, neem oil, even hot shots no pest strips, but if one is going to use the pest strips, you got to take into account your environment, if you are ventilating the air in your grow area out, this will have little effect on the mites, as the main ingredient needs to accumulate in the air for awhile to be effective. Even if you are recycling the air through a carbon filter, this will also weaken the outcome. But turning off the exhaust fans if you can, for at least 6 hours out of a 24 hour period, then this has a chance of doing what it does best, and that’s knocking them out. But definitely a one, two punch is a great way to go, when combating these little creatures, that we all like to call the borg, but what a crafty little creature they are. Also since we used Organocide, we could now incorporate predator mites, but make sure at least a week or two has went by before introducing them since you sprayed. They are truly a wonderful and big help to combating these borg. But you must not use any other type of treatment while they are being deployed, and it does take some time, depending on infestation levels. You should also mist the plants a few times before deploying them, and right before you release them if you plan on using them. With predator mites, you shouldn’t worry about keeping temps cool, as they breed better and faster when it’s warmer, but there are stipulations when using them, they do like a more humid environment, unlike the spider mites, and your cannabis plants. So a daily misting is required, or a humidifier, but keep an eye out on mold/mildew, also the dead mites if a lot die in one area, they can really turn the buds into rot quickly. Also it is best to start predators when the spider mite colony is low, as they would be overwhelmed and could not keep up in the numbers race, so almost pointless to a degree then, but by using the Organocide first, safer soap, this will help dwindle the numbers down considerably. They also require a longer light period, so when introduced in flowering, they will not breed efficiently, and can go into dormant. But if used in the vegetative stage, they will provide enough assistance to finish out the grow, and or, will have killed off the spider mites if given enough time, which is over 4 weeks for most cases, but it depends on the amount used and how bad the infestation was. A rule of thumb, always go with a little more than what you think you need.
If you didn’t use predator mites, it is probably a good thing to give it a third dosing a week later of the Organocide, to make sure the ones that hatched are killed.
The Bug Buster-O works pretty fast, but you must use a mild formula on the plants, as it uses a petroleum product and if not measured correctly, will kill off leaf after leaf, you’ll notice it by it turning dark brown then to black, basically the same shit happened when I tried the PAM, lol, gotta test, but the weird shit was, after growth took off again, the one sprayed with PAM actually never had to be treated again for mites, lol, but it did look like shit for about two weeks. Used correctly, the product does what it says, but the smell isn’t too pleasant. But it contains a high amount of pyrethrins, compared to the other products that I tried that contained it as well. Would definitely recommend this one as well, not the PAM for plants
.Safer Houseplant insect killer, well a great concept anyway, almost like a true aerosol, and not messy in anyway. The problem I have with this, it’s not cost effective, it would be great if you only had 2 plants, but anything more, you need to really stock up on this, like spray paint, never enough to finish a project, for you go through it pretty quickly. I wouldn’t use this product as a stand alone, not powerful enough IMHO, but it does have power when it is combined with using something else. It says its main ingredient is pyrethrins derived from chrysanthemum, as is the other product that I tried Bug Buster-O, but this didn’t have the knock out power at all as one would think. Though a great concept, just needs more power for the use that it is intended for.
Between grows, Doktor Doom foggers work great, and can be used at all stages of growth, unlike other type of foggers, this ones main ingredient is also pyrethrins derived from chrysanthemum, and is formulated to work with mites, and is a natural pyrethrin. Again, I find it best to avoid letting the stage build up in the first place, but noticing them early is your second best line of defense, so you can combat them during the veg stage, and not have too worry about them in the flowering stage. It did its job, but had to spray afterwards on this grow to take care of the eggs, and the ones that hatched. So not so much a stand alone product, unless it’s being used from the get go, when one is cleaning out the grow room.
(A side note, using Floramite is probably one of the best things for mites {I’ve heard}, but it is very expensive, though cost effective, I personally have never used it though, and as why I left it out.)
(I also don’t use the No Pest Strips while in the flowering stage, this is just my personal choice.)
Just a few photos I took during one stage, letting them build up in large numbers. They love to gather together at certain times of the light cycle, pretty wild, almost like a group orgy then the die down some, and later on, come back together.
