Just noticed Mites! Spreading info needed...

[TGT]

I have 28 clones that are well rooted and on their way. Stupidly I added two plants I had from outside to share the light because I wanted to keep the strains. Just today I noticed on only 1 of the plants that was brought in that there is a small amount of mite damage on one leaf. I checked the whole garden and it seems to be the only one consisting of three or four mites. These infected plants were with my babies for about a week or two now. How easy is it for them to spread in that short amount of time and is it possible the others are not infected if nothing at all can be seen?

Like I sayed, the damage is only to one leaf and it consists of only 3 small dots, so looks like I caught it extremely early. No other damage exists on any of the other plants. Another thing is they were spaced out well and never touching. Luckily this infected plant was the furthest from the fan too.

The thing I am worried about is the clones that are vegging are ready to be brought to the other location for budding. I don't want to infect my operation. Whats the best preventative measure to take?

Thank in advance and I hope some good advice can be given. A lot is riding on these clones and they are the only ones ready to be used. If I were to use another batch it would set be back more than a month.

TGT

 

[Core]

hia TGT

got a small outbreak myself and i did some research on'm..
Spider mites feed by piercing plant tissue with their mouthparts and removing plant fluids. Each adult female can produce 100-200 eggs (varies with the host plant), which hatch in a few days into tiny larvae. Following a brief larval stage, several nymph stages occur before adults appear. The typical egg to adult cycle takes 1 to 3 weeks, but can vary considerably depending on temperatures. A diagram of the life cycle is shown in (pic below) All developmentel stages occur on the plant. Hot and dry conditions favor spider mite development.

Control Strategies
Early detection of spider mites, before damage is noticed, is important. The tiny spider mites can be detected by taking a piece of white paper or cardboard and striking some plant foliage on it. The mites can be seen walking slowly on the paper. If 10 or more mites per sample are common, controls may be needed.

Option 1: Cultural Control - Syringing Since rainy weather seems to knock off spider mites, using a forceful jet of water from a hose (syringing) can perform the same task. A regular syringing can keep spider mites under control on most ornamental plants in the landscape. This technique also helps conserve natural predators.

Option 2: Cultural Control - Quarantine and Inspection The twospotted spider mite is often introduced on infested bedding and house plants. When purchasing new plants, carefully inspect the lower leaf surface for any signs of mite activity. New house plants should be quarantined from other plants until you are sure that no mites are present.

Option 3: Biological Control - Predators There are numerous insects (lacewings and lady beetles) that prey on spider mites. However, the most commonly sold predators are other types of mites. Predatory mites (usually Phytoseiulus spp., Amblyseius spp. or Metaseiulus spp.) can be purchased and released onto infested plants. Be sure to check listings to determine which species is appropriate. Some species are host specific and each predator works better under different weather conditions. If predators are used, do not apply pesticides that will kill them.

Option 4: Chemical Control - "Soft Pesticides" Most spider mites can be controlled with insecticidal oils and soaps. The oils, both horticultural oil and dormant oil, can be used. Horticultural oils can be used on perennial and woody ornamentals during the summer at the 1 to 2 percent rate. Higher rates of horticultural oil (3 to 4 percent) or dormant oil are useful for killing mite eggs and dormant adults in the fall and spring. The insecticidal soaps are useful in the warm season. Remember that mites are very tiny and soaps and oils work by contact only. Therefore, thorough coverage of the plant is necessary for good control.

Option 5: Chemical Control - Miticides Spider mites are usually not killed by regular insecticides, so be sure to check the pesticide label to see if "miticide" is present. Pesticides claiming "for mite suppression" are usually weak miticides and will not perform well. There are few products available to the homeowner. Dicofol (=Kelthane) is registered for over-the-counter use but is difficult to find. Acephate (=Orthene), dimethoate (=Cygon), chlorpyrifos (=Dursban), diazinon, disulfoton (=Di-syston), and malathion have over-the-counter product labels but are considered weak miticides.

did some copy and pasting on the last part but its quite good info hence the pasting :smile:

 

[TGT]

Thanks for the great advice - exactly what I was looking for!

TGT

 

[romdog11]

i had mites as well. everyone on this site said go buy hot shot pest strips. you can get them at most hardware stores wal mart etc

 

[Guest]

Well said.Before you waste big money on triple threat predator mites or other remedies listen to those who've been through it and get yoursaelf a 5 dollar hot shot or spectracide no pest strip.

 

[TGT]

Ya, I think the pest strips should work well as I caught the infestation very quickly. I have learned my lesson never again to bring in plants from outside without quarentining them first. Oh well, live and learn. I have grown for years but have not had mites for over seven years now so they scared me probably more than they should. The last infestation I had I didn't catch on to them quick enough and they totally made my yeild miserable. Thank all for the info, I'll be heading to the store tomorrow.

TGT

 

[s0cK3y3]

I am tellin ya Zero Tolerance is the way to go. 7 days, 3 applications, no more mites...PERIOD. Organic too. You dont even have to wash it off!!

Oh, this is made by Ed Rosenthal by the way.

Website for Zero Tolerance here