Neem-Oil? Habernera Spray? Spinosad? Sum'n Else?

[Brother Sweetleaf]

Thanks for helping out here... So what do you use to eradicate spider-mites? How well had it worked?

Have you tried other remedies, and compared? What have you learned?

I just discovered that my green girl has spider-mites... A lot of them... And I must act quickly, and as close to organically as possible.

I've been reading up on this stuff for years, and wrestling every crop with either catepillars, mold, Botrytis, etc, but this is my first bout with the dreaded spidermite.

The primary pinned post here speaks of a 'Calicleaner' Habernera Spray that sounds quite awesome, but I still hear lots of suggestions for cold-pressed Neem-oil, Spinosad, etc.

Anything is better than nothing, and I'm getting on it just as soon as I can. But in the meantime, please offer your experience & insights here-- especially if you have experience with multiple methods through your years of growing. I'd love to hear the differences between the methods. I'd really love to see sum'n like a multi-varied analysis, rating the different aspects in spidermite-treatment (like Bug Death-Toll, Effectiveness on Eggs/ Larvae, Cost, Ease of Use, Safety to Pets, etc) maybe on scale of 1 - 10, and comparing side-by-side the results from our most-popular treatment-methods.

But until someone does such an experiment, I'm happy just hearing the wisdiom you fellow growers have to offer. Thanks!

 

[thumper60]

Thanks for helping out here... So what do you use to eradicate spider-mites? How well had it worked?

Have you tried other remedies, and compared? What have you learned?

I just discovered that my green girl has spider-mites... A lot of them... And I must act quickly, and as close to organically as possible.

I've been reading up on this stuff for years, and wrestling every crop with either catepillars, mold, Botrytis, etc, but this is my first bout with the dreaded spidermite.

The primary pinned post here speaks of a 'Calicleaner' Habernera Spray that sounds quite awesome, but I still hear lots of suggestions for cold-pressed Neem-oil, Spinosad, etc.

Anything is better than nothing, and I'm getting on it just as soon as I can. But in the meantime, please offer your experience & insights here-- especially if you have experience with multiple methods through your years of growing. I'd love to hear the differences between the methods. I'd really love to see sum'n like a multi-varied analysis, rating the different aspects in spidermite-treatment (like Bug Death-Toll, Effectiveness on Eggs/ Larvae, Cost, Ease of Use, Safety to Pets, etc) maybe on scale of 1 - 10, and comparing side-by-side the results from our most-popular treatment-methods.

But until someone does such an experiment, I'm happy just hearing the wisdiom you fellow growers have to offer. Thanks!

View attachment 4382884 View attachment 4382885

I have had good results with spinosad fighting mites.

 

[OldMedUser]

I just got free of the little buggers after 2 years of hell using Safer's End All concentrate mixed according to directions and adding 10ml/L canola or neem oil.

The trick no matter what you use is to be consistent with the treatments. Every 3rd or 4th day for 3 or more treatments. I lalways dropped the ball on that and kept getting them back.

Make sure to get rid of them before flowering or you'll be cursing the god that made you if you don't!

 

[Rob Roy]

I have had good results with spinosad fighting mites.

Curious if you mix at the suggested ratio or use it stronger? How often spray ?

Any experience using it in flower or is it something you only use in veg ?

 

[Rob Roy]

The trick no matter what you use is to be consistent with the treatments. Every 3rd or 4th day for 3 or more treatments.

That's good advice.

I suggest weekly spraying with something even if you don't think you have any mites. It's easy for a clean indoor garden to get infected with mites this time of year, especially if you spend any time in an outdoor garden.

 

[thumper60]

Curious if you mix at the suggested ratio or use it stronger? How often spray ?

Any experience using it in flower or is it something you only use in veg ?

I mix an spray according to label every 3-4 days for 2 weeks never after the stretch. I have not seen a mite in over a yr now. never had them before in my life! well buddie brought over a few clones one day dumb me tossed them right into the veg room took me a yr to get rid of them never again

 

[GreenApple]

I mix an spray according to label every 3-4 days for 2 weeks never after the stretch. I have not seen a mite in over a yr now. never had them before in my life! well buddie brought over a few clones one day dumb me tossed them right into the veg room took me a yr to get rid of them never again

I feel that. I quarantined for a month with treatments before veg tent exposure. The borg population exploded after one day having a humidity spiked. It took predator mites and lady bugs to rid tents and houseplants as well. The “buddy” was like oh yeah I forgot to mention I had a mite issue. Positive note for several years I’ve been growing Purple Kush plants that grow crazy and smoke awesome.

 

[OldMedUser]

That's good advice.

I suggest weekly spraying with something even if you don't think you have any mites. It's easy for a clean indoor garden to get infected with mites this time of year, especially if you spend any time in an outdoor garden.

I don't spray anything unless I see problems but am damn diligent about clean clothes in the grow room at all times. I don't do a lot of yard work but even going out in the yard means a change of socks, shoes and pants at least.

Already getting cool enough out there that the f'n mosquitoes are near gone and slow as shit when they do show up.

 

[SCJedi]

The trick for spider mites at your level is to just control the infestation. The best way to do that is to spray every 3 days with something different. Flying Skull one day, Spinosad, neem/Karanja/essentials, pyrethrins, etc. Again, all you can do now is control them.

You will completely negate the use of beneficials if you keep dosing your plants.

 

[Brother Sweetleaf]

Thanks to everyone for sharing their insights here on this thread. I've been mostly off the site for a while & unable to respond.

My local grow-shop guy spoke with me about a product of concentrated Neem-seed oil, called Azamax. I read-up on it, and it's an insanely unnatural amount of highly active ingredients derived from Nature that kills the spider-mite, as well as a whole bunch of other bugs, and messes them up pretty badly on a multitude of levels, in a plethora of different ways, regardless of the life-cycle of the bug. As is mentioned above, following directions and respraying a week after the first treatment (maybe earlier, depending on the product used) helps ensure that the new mites hatched from eggs (or Conan the Bugbarian) doesn't appear a week after treatment and begin a new colony. The stuff worked fantastic. I even went a bit crazy and propped my plant upside-down to be sure all the undersides of the leaves (where the spidermites love to dwell) were fully sprayed.

Also, FYI-- although it did nothing to repel the dreaded spidermite, do know that insect-netting has been a tremendous ally at keeping the bug-population low.

(I literally took this picture with you guys in mind-- & the community here at Roll It Up. It can be pretty bad when your plants have a problem, but it feels really damn good to listen to the opinions & offerings that others share, then discern what sounds best for you, get the help you need from the community, and put it that into action to achieve success at saving your crop... Yup, feels really damn good. Thanks!)