Spider mites at early stage with mid flowering plants

[BHAM!]

there are sooo many other choices besides oil which are extremely effective. Why on earth would anyone continue to use neem on cannabis plants is beyond me. Even a simple soap which washes off easily, is effective against against mites.


Oil clings, does not wash off easily and tastes/feels gross when smoking. Even light applications. I won't take a second toke on a bowl of oiled cannabis.


Work with clean tools and produce a clean product. Your body and those you share your cannabis with will thank you.

Is neem that? I read in many website and forum people saying you could even go spraying until 2 weeks to harvest
Personally I never used before in any plants
Don't you think that if I put some mL of even an ecological dish soap is worse than an oil? In my mind it is, but again, I have no experience in any of them or even with spider mites...

The only problem is that the spider mites don't just stay on the plants! They travel! They lay their eggs all over the place in the grow area! Eggs and nymphs are on the floor, walls, carpets anywhere that's warm dry area.

As far as neem goes, it will take a few app. in veg. with bugs. However when you get rid of them then it only takes maybe 1 app to stay bug free!

You can get pyrethrims bombs from green house supple. You only have to spray 3 sec bursts in the tent! When you come back then all adults are dead. About 3 days later check for adults. If you see any then spray another time. Don't spray the plants, just the space in the tent or room. I know its drastic but that's what it takes to kill those bastards! I known of people fighting with spider mites for years! You can't be nice to those bugs bro.! You better use a super kill and then use neem up to 2nd week of flowering.

I
don't even know if they sell those bombs in my country
I already started to clean the flowering box, starting a few days ago and I'll do again evey week, is not that much work for me that
Unfortunately I already read that those bastards travel, walk, infiltrate everywhere they can, have many grow cycle from eggs to final spider mite
I'll not surrender ehehe
Did you use neem on your flowering plant? Does it change the taste/feeling?

 

[Mr. Greengenes]

Like St. Phatty says, it's the mechanical action of the water that makes dipping work. Plants in gallons or smaller can easily be held upside down by one person. Big plants can be dipped in a rubbermaid trough, or big cooler by two. One person holds the container with the plant out horizontal over the trough, the other gives it a shampoo. He's also correct in saying that it doesn't really wipe them out, just sets them back real bad. That's because water dips don't get all the eggs. The solution (no pun intended) to that is double dips. Super strong soap and/or neem oil first. Let sit in the dark an hour then rinse off. Double dips not only wash off all the adult mites but all the eggs too. If you disinfect the room it will be weeks before they show again, if at all. If you don't want to do chemicals at all, straight water dips every 3 days will knock them so far back you'll think they're gone (they're not). You can water dip right up to harvest time. In fact, it's a nice way to wash all the dead critters and litter off a freshly harvested outdoor plant before drying. A plant can just be held upside down in the shower a few minutes.

 

[BHAM!]

Like St. Phatty says, it's the mechanical action of the water that makes dipping work. Plants in gallons or smaller can easily be held upside down by one person. Big plants can be dipped in a rubbermaid trough, or big cooler by two. One person holds the container with the plant out horizontal over the trough, the other gives it a shampoo. He's also correct in saying that it doesn't really wipe them out, just sets them back real bad. That's because water dips don't get all the eggs. The solution (no pun intended) to that is double dips. Super strong soap and/or neem oil first. Let sit in the dark an hour then rinse off. Double dips not only wash off all the adult mites but all the eggs too. If you disinfect the room it will be weeks before they show again, if at all. If you don't want to do chemicals at all, straight water dips every 3 days will knock them so far back you'll think they're gone (they're not). You can water dip right up to harvest time. In fact, it's a nice way to wash all the dead critters and litter off a freshly harvested outdoor plant before drying. A plant can just be held upside down in the shower a few minutes.

This seems yummy to me!
I have 4 "big" plants, multi topped, all are about 70cm (2.29 feet - 27.5 inch), one has 3 main colas, two have 4, one has 6ish
if i put them in the bathtub, maybe horizontal and i shower them or maybe:
put first in the tub
spray or with a brush every leaf with neem or soap (Any kind? better hand soap eco-natural? or dish soap eco-natural?)
put first on the floor and put other in tub and repeat for everyone
then maybe some hours after it, i shower inside the tub?
or i fill the tub with water and put the whole plant inside?
thank you!

 

[Mr. Greengenes]

BHAM! I think you can just hold plants that size pretty much upside down with your hand over the root ball? I usually tip the plant upside first in case some boulders and top soil fall out, then hold over the water and dip away! For plants the size you're talking about, I use a 5g bucket. For double dipping, I use a commercial neem concentrate a bit stronger than recommended, and about 1/8-1/4 cup of palmolive dish soap (I don't measure, I just squeeze). It's about enough to make bubbles that last on the leaves a few minutes after you dip the plant. I'm sure you could substitute any kind of soap as long as it makes nice suds in your water. My water is hard, so you may be able to use much less soap and still wash off all the eggs.

Swoosh, swoosh. Just ruins their day. I mean, mites HATE humidity just imagine what kind of mood a good bath puts them in. Take that you....grrrr! It really is very satisfying I think you'll find.

 

[mack 10]

Dip dip ftw!

 

[THC123]

About using predators: I have found that predatory mites do nothing or close to nothing on cannabis plants!!

They are not mobile enough and get stuck in the resin. The solution for my situation was changing predators.

I have now been using Chrysopa Carnea for a few years and I havent had to spray insecticide since!!

Google Chrysopa Carnea!!

It is a very fast, voracious and mobile insect that has no trouble navigating every part of your plant. I have even used it on a big greenhouse grown cheese plant in week 3 of flower that was infested they got rid of the mites!!

 

[BHAM!]

BHAM! I think you can just hold plants that size pretty much upside down with your hand over the root ball? I usually tip the plant upside first in case some boulders and top soil fall out, then hold over the water and dip away! For plants the size you're talking about, I use a 5g bucket. For double dipping, I use a commercial neem concentrate a bit stronger than recommended, and about 1/8-1/4 cup of palmolive dish soap (I don't measure, I just squeeze). It's about enough to make bubbles that last on the leaves a few minutes after you dip the plant. I'm sure you could substitute any kind of soap as long as it makes nice suds in your water. My water is hard, so you may be able to use much less soap and still wash off all the eggs.

Swoosh, swoosh. Just ruins their day. I mean, mites HATE humidity just imagine what kind of mood a good bath puts them in. Take that you....grrrr! It really is very satisfying I think you'll find.

Eheheh yeah they really hate humidity
I'm doing this today
i just have to find a decent high bucket to get a full immersion
the only thing that sets me back a bit is the fear of bud rot/botrytis after the full immersion and keeping in the bath for like 2 hours, before the second full immersion in plain water and only then return to their box

Dip dip ftw!

yeah! i really hope ftw

About using predators: I have found that predatory mites do nothing or close to nothing on cannabis plants!!

They are not mobile enough and get stuck in the resin. The solution for my situation was changing predators.

I have now been using Chrysopa Carnea for a few years and I havent had to spray insecticide since!!

Google Chrysopa Carnea!!

It is a very fast, voracious and mobile insect that has no trouble navigating every part of your plant. I have even used it on a big greenhouse grown cheese plant in week 3 of flower that was infested they got rid of the mites!!

I didnt know the could be stuck in the precious resin!!
i saved that name that i didnt know, thank you man!
The only problem, predator mites is pricey and low available in my country...
I really hope in this water dips ehehe

 

[BHAM!]

Hi guys
yesterday i was about to make a full immersion of the plant but.. i couldnt do it... i was too worried of ruining all my main colas..
So first with a sponge i cleaned all the leaves, affected by mites and not
then i put plant and pot inside the bathtub and i showered them without watering the main colas (And then with clean hand i "opened" all the main colas to let breath the steam)
this is a photo to let you understand at which point i am
(36 days of flowering)

View image in gallery​

and these are the 2 leaves more affected by the mites

View image in gallery​

 

[cjs]

Hello everyone guys!
I always have some problems, lucky me!!
This time i got spider mites
noticed them saturday night in veg box (Veg and bloom box are NEXT to each other but not directly connected by holes or something)
a bit of webbing in a newly rooted clone
sunday i cleaned with 96°C alcohol in low concentrations and water and some ice to keep things cold for flowering box
and did i think mostly nothing
and for veg box i used garlic with pepper in a liter of water, followed by a nice shower and this seemed to resolved the problem in veg box




so i searched better in flower box and found more spider mites


then yesterday i bought and used a bio product, potassium soap with cinnamon,orange and diatomaceous earth, but after just some hours i could see them in a few leaves, the little bastards walking and eating like assholes, damn


i dont want use anything that could end in the finish product
(Like pyrethrin based product, that i have and used but only for outdoor and at least a month before harvest), reading here and there i think i could use product with neem oil, or SMC spider mite control


or go even further into bio/organic and buy predator mites, i think i could get my hands on 2000x Phytoseiulus persimilis, anyone used them?
My indoor space for flower is less than 1 square meter.. and they say: use from 10 to 30 in a single square meter.
So i'll have to use around 1000 on flower and the leftovers in veg and they dont last long? or could i use a few this week, store in fridge and use them a week or 2 later?


Thank you guys

You need good ole Persimilis, this lil orange terminator will kill up too 20 young Spider mites or 7 large adults a day, he's a machine bro, there about $17 for 1,000 Mites

Enjoy

 

[THC123]

Persimilis does not work very well on cannabis...

 

[paradoxlost]

Persimilis does not work very well on cannabis...

persimilis works AMAZING in veg.

 

[Creeperpark]

Thanks bro

Thanks bro

Thanks for the tip THC, I didn't know that. I know you have been around and know what you're talking about.

 

[BHAM!]

Another predator that i read about that should work is "Beauveria bassiana" but also this is difficult and not cheap to get in my country...
So in the end, 30-31 october i showered them, everything but the main colas, tried also massaging with a sponge, front and rear of leaves
and for now this is the most effective thing i done
i have seen only 2 spider mites that i was able to simply DESTROY WITH MY BARE HANDS lolz
i think i'll give another nice shower in the next days


(Also when showering, i try clean well the box...)

 

[Mr. Greengenes]

BHAM! I had a few more thoughts in the last few days about the very real fear of water dips (or showers) causing moldy buds.

Tap water in my part of SoCal is very hard and alkaline, and more than a few growers have noticed that it fights PM as is. Maybe PM is only encouraged by neutral PH water like morning dew, and alkaline tap water discourages it? I know bud rot is caused by other stuff like botrytis, but maybe it and other fungi are sensitive to PH changes.

In either case, I've been doing water dips on nearly finished plants with dense, coke bottle size buds for years and never got a case of bud rot. I'm not suggesting it's full proof, but if you live in an area with hard alkaline water like me, you may be somewhat protected against it if my theory is at all sound.

Anyway, just some thoughts!

 

[BHAM!]

BHAM! I had a few more thoughts in the last few days about the very real fear of water dips (or showers) causing moldy buds.

Tap water in my part of SoCal is very hard and alkaline, and more than a few growers have noticed that it fights PM as is. Maybe PM is only encouraged by neutral PH water like morning dew, and alkaline tap water discourages it? I know bud rot is caused by other stuff like botrytis, but maybe it and other fungi are sensitive to PH changes.

In either case, I've been doing water dips on nearly finished plants with dense, coke bottle size buds for years and never got a case of bud rot. I'm not suggesting it's full proof, but if you live in an area with hard alkaline water like me, you may be somewhat protected against it if my theory is at all sound.

Anyway, just some thoughts!

Hello Mr.Greengenes
Thank you for having a few more thoughts about water dipping!
Sincerely, if you say so, and you do this for years, i believe you and i'll try to do that then!
For now, as i said, i just put the ladies in the bathtub, and i shower them, while massaging with other hand, already this helped a lot but not eradicated the problem


I have not a problem with pm or other bud rot
but also, this is my only 2 grow, and in a different space than last year (Yeah, made a cycle last year and only now another one)
but yeah, maybe they are sensitive to water
and if i have a decent/good ventilation in all the grow box, my theory is i'll have nothing to very little problems with fungi


P.S. After you made the dip, you just put the plant in some place dripping? of you place in front of like a fan? or something? do you move the branches to help the water fall off? or nothing?
Yesterday i did another shower, but the colas were too heavy and one brake, snapped 90 degrees damn, but no external tissue broken so a bit of luck

 

[theroadwarrior]

I fought spider mites for years ... azamax, dr. Doom fogger, dr. Doom knock out, neem, temp + humidity variations, various other natural remedies. Basically accepted i was going to have some forever so i just tried to keep them from being too much of a nuisance.

Bought 6 no pest strips and have not seen one since. Put a bunch in your room until you've went through a few life cycles. Keep temps up at night so eggs continue to hatch. I think these things actually kill eggs as well but I did leave them for 3 weeks. Hands down the best spider mite product. If your unwilling to use it in flower give it a shot after harvest and you will eradicate them and be good to go.

 

[theroadwarrior]

BHAM most predators will do a marginal job at best. You could put a 100k in a room and you will still be left with mites. I'm telling you I used 6 hot shots in 600 as ft with 8' ceilings. 80 temp + try to kill the exhaust , circulate air with fans as much as you can and they will start dying next day. I swear by those things. I've spent thousands fighting them and $30 dollars at Wal-Mart solved my problem. Go get some.

 

[BHAM!]

Cant find those in my country, but i'll keep in mind that! If nothing works in next weeks with new plants in flower box i'll have to nuke them! eheh
Thank you for stopping by!

 

[zachrockbadenof]

just finished a grow in a small 4x3.5' tent in a garage loft with mites- no webbing, but no doubt they were present- i cleaned the tent and surrounding area well, then used a doktor doom bomb- yesterday i sprayed the tent/area with floramite - today i hung a no pest strip in the tent - i will leave the NPStrip in the tent for a few days, then set off another dr doom bomb, n then bring my plants into the tent- i also have neem, safers soap , rosemary n clove oil - i will mix up a batch n spray the area n plants up till i go to flower - hopefully that will keep the population in check thru the 65/70 days of flowering...

 

[Douglas.Curtis]

I strongly advise spending some time making sure you know where they came from. If the plants in your yard have mites, you're going to continually bring them in.

* Eliminate the source
* Clean the room without plants
* HEPA filter intake air (most effective)
* Shower and wear clean clothes before checking flower

These steps will eliminate 80% of your mite issues. Infestations will be few and far between, and on a very small scale. Unless your temps are in the 80's, the mites won't breed fast enough to cause an issue by harvest.

No need for neem, non-cannabis 'essential' oils or any of the other methods described. Mites are slaves to their breeding cycle. Break it with insecticidal soaps and you're done. Diligence and thorough application is what's needed.

Good luck on the next run