Can Anyone Take 2 Minutes To Help A Newbie? I Feel Like I'm About To Lose My Whole Crop!

Really hoping this is clear cut to others that have experience out there.

Came home from a 5 day trip, and the babysitter failed to mention some unfortunate circumstances…

I came back to find a few of my buds had turned brown, and when touched, basically turned to dust. Other spots are also looking brown and fragile.

Upon closer inspection, I found these small round black spots. I don’t know if they are insects (they don’t seem to be moving when I touch them) or maybe eggs? Droppings?

I say maybe eggs, because I have also found some caterpillars/worms sitting on buds. I think they are cabbage worms maybe?

I really have no idea what they are, but considering the progress that was made destroying my plants in the last 5 days, I’m pretty petrified of what could happen in another 5.

Looking to hop on top of this as soon as possible.

To give a little background, these are outdoor, and I live in the northeast. It’s been very dry here throughout the summer. Not sure if its relevant, but I could see the baby sitter under watering while I was away, as I came back to find the plants pretty darn dry.

Any questions, I will be sure to answer as quickly as possible. Pictures are attached.

If anyone has any resources, I have no problem reading on my own, I just don’t even know where to start as I am not having an easy time identifying the true issue here.

That's poop.

Yup, it's botrytis from caterpillar shit

Ugh oh! Are these outdoors? How far into flowering are you?

Nope_49595933949 said:

That's poop.

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Literally, correct? Not just a shit situation? lol

mbrowne1620 said:

Literally, correct? Not just a shit situation? lol

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It's definitely both literal and metaphorical.

pahpah-cee said:

Ugh oh! Are these outdoors? How far into flowering are you?

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Can't say I'm liking that response, this one plant is 4.5 weeks in and yes outdoors

Billy the Mountain said:

Yup, it's botrytis from caterpillar shit

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Any advice or information you could share on best way to handle this?

How come the buds are drying out, turning brown and disintegrating into dust? Are they eating them from the insides out or something?

Hoping there's a solution...

mbrowne1620 said:

Any advice or information you could share on best way to handle this?

How come the buds are drying out, turning brown and disintegrating into dust? Are they eating them from the insides out or something?

Hoping there's a solution...

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Unfortunately not

Botrytis (aka bud rot) is terminal

Chop all the infected buds and check what's left if anything

They are molding . Most likely caused by the catapilor and the catapilor poop.. cut out as much as you can. And watch the rest carefully... the dust could be full of spores.. the spore will affect the other buds causing more bud rot

Sorry …. That sux.
Nothing worse than HighAF Caterpillars .

Sorry buddy, I hate to see these pics every year. This is a bit early too, just wait for the next couple of months. Filthy beasts.

Rurumo said:

Sorry buddy, I hate to see these pics every year. This is a bit early too, just wait for the next couple of months. Filthy beasts.

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Extremely heart breaking, really great looking plant with beautiful buds otherwise.

Is there anything I can do to avoid the situation next year? Precautions to help keep them away?

Even tho they become butterflies …. Continue to tweeze the bastards off.
BT sprays are available for “ garden use “ like safer brand and Bonide.
But please read all labels for use from anything you decide to use.

Budzbuddha said:

Even tho they become butterflies …. Continue to tweeze the bastards off.
BT sprays are available for “ garden use “ like safer brand and Bonide.
But please read all labels for use from anything you decide to use.

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Yeah, local shop suggested BT... but what are the expenses of that on my bud?

This grow is 100% organic, and I believe i have read that BT can impact flavor of the bud? and shouldn't be used close to harvest?

farmerfischer said:

They are molding . Most likely caused by the catapilor and the catapilor poop.. cut out as much as you can. And watch the rest carefully... the dust could be full of spores.. the spore will affect the other buds causing more bud rot

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I have 2 other plants, only one of them is flowering right now, but they are close proximity.

Moving them is no small task, they are in 27 gal cloth pots, so heavy.

I plant on using rubber gloves to tightly grasp the bud and clip below the rot.

There is still shit visible though... how should i handle that?

This grow is 100% organic, and I believe i have read that BT can impact flavor of the bud? and shouldn't be used close to harvest?

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If you have no buds, there's going to be no impact on flavor, and you have no viable buds. You got to chop 'em, there's no other way. What I see in those photos cannot be treated.

I am not a newbie and that has happened to me within the last couple of years, so don't beat yourself up. Believe me, I feel your pain.

Pick yourself up, wipe yourself off and get back in the game.

Charles U Farley said:

If you have no buds, there's going to be no impact on flavor, and you have no viable buds. You got to chop 'em, there's no other way. What I see in those photos cannot be treated.

I am not a newbie and that has happened to me within the last couple of years, so don't beat yourself up. Believe me, I feel your pain.

Pick yourself up, wipe yourself off and get back in the game.

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appreciate those words. I will follow your advice.

mbrowne1620 said:

Yeah, local shop suggested BT... but what are the expenses of that on my bud?

This grow is 100% organic, and I believe i have read that BT can impact flavor of the bud? and shouldn't be used close to harvest?

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BT may have saved your crop. The only thing BT affects are leaf eating worms. It's a matter of do you want a little off organic or do you want to feed your worms organic bud. Besides, I think BT is organic. It's a bacteria that keeps the worm from eating. One bite and its all over for them.

The big key is to get and stay ahead of them with prevention. It's too late this time but for the next crop you want to have a preventative program of stuff like BTI and three in one to put off bugs and powdery mildew as long as possible. Citric acid is a good organic pesticide you can look into as well. Sorry to see the loss, but it's happened to many if not all of us if we've grown outdoors. Watch out for the spread of the bud rot spores as you get rid of the infection and burn or trash it away from the rest of your plants.