Mites? Solution?

Hi all. I’m desperate for some advice. I have four plants. “Legal now in VA”.
-60% coco 25% perilite 15% lava rock.
-Small flood table 4x feed a day on timer.
-General Hydro nutes.
-Temps 81degrees F max at night 70F max.
-Pest control. Horticulture oil in half gallon sprayer.

I THINK I HAVE SPIDER MITES.
I thought I was spraying enough in early veg.
i notice white specs a week ago and narrowed it down to mites. Not 100% sure. Second indoor grow. Never had bugs. Usually grow outdoors so I spray the shit out of the area early on.
I have read that if this isn’t handled early on I’m screwed. I’m into flowering stage 9 days. I have ordered ladybugs but they will not be here for a week and a half. I have two products that are extremely potent but I am worried about causing harm to the product. I’m desperate at this point. Do you think it’s too late into flower to spray this stuff. I can’t find a lot of information about it online in regards to cannabis. I know you’re gonna have some guys out there that are super organic tree loving hippie types. Which is cool and I understand totally about chemical free cannabis. But what I am asking is will the bud be ruined if I spray this now? I’m thinking that the bud will be fine but the trimmings should be thrown away. Not sure . Please help!!!!

Welcome to RIU.

I think I see spider mites on the underside of the leaf, the tiny orange/brown balls. They don't look like they move at first, but if you pay close attention, they move very slowly because they're so tiny.

I spray and root drench my plants with neem or azamax, spinosad, and BT once a week all the way through veg, I stop spraying when flowers start forming outdoor, and the second or third week of 12/12 indoor. I never spray stuff in my buds.

I've never used any other products, but I've read here that Pyrethrin is very effective to kill them off. Whatever you do, if your 9 days in 12/12 now, you've got about a week to a week and a half to knock them out with sprays.

Lady bugs won't help with spider mites, personally I would hang a hot shots no pest strip during lights off & vent off. No spraying needed. 2 weeks and they are gone. When you harvest your buds you can wash them and dry.
Many members disapprove the use of the pest strips because it has poison and could cause cancer. So don't use where you spend a lot of time.

you can try grain alcohol with water look that up it worked for me

Nixs said:

Lady bugs won't help with spider mites, personally I would hang a hot shots no pest strip during lights off & vent off. No spraying needed. 2 weeks and they are gone. When you harvest your buds you can wash them and dry.
Many members disapprove the use of the pest strips because it has poison and could cause cancer. So don't use where you spend a lot of time.

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Poison cancer weed eh? Naw, I'd pass on that.

PJ Diaz said:

Poison cancer weed eh? Naw, I'd pass on that.

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I hang a strip on my rear view mirror in my car with the windows rolled up

Nixs said:

I hang a strip on my rear view mirror in my car with the windows rolled up

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I bet you use ‎Myclobutanil to prevent PM too.

PJ Diaz said:

I bet you use ‎Myclobutanil to prevent PM too.

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Never had PM.


List of known side effects
Myclobutanil is harmful if swallowed, and it can cause serious eye irritation. It is also suspected of damaging fertility or the unborn child. Prolonged or repeated exposure to myclobutanil can cause damage to the organs. Myclobutanil is toxic to aquatic life, with long-lasting effects.
Myclobutanil is highly toxic and may be fatal if inhaled, swallowed, or absorbed through the skin. The effects of contact or inhalation may be delayed.

VAjohn said:

But what I am asking is will the bud be ruined if I spray this now? I’m thinking that the bud will be fine but the trimmings should be thrown away. Not sure . Please help!!!!

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Don't use the first one on your plants...read the label.
It does work well on clothing, tents, yard areas for mosquito deterrence
"BUG BLASTER BIFENTHRIN 2.4 CONCENTRATE "
FOR OUTDOOR USE ONLY DO NOT USE INSIDE DWELLINGS
NOT for Food & Vegetable Gardens

You should have time to do 2 applications of Pyrethrin, then switch to Citric acid knockdown spray, like Dr Zymes for flower.
Mix with your horticultural oil, it helps shield against UV breaking down the permethrin.

Thanks all. I guess I’m going with the tiger brand permethrin. I’m going to pull them out to try to spray the underside of the leaves. I’m not sure but I heard that’s where the eggs stay and sometimes they hide their.
it just sucks because the plants are settled and check it out.
Buds are small. Ughh…. Didn’t want to use Chems…..
Anybody got more recommendations for treatment deep into flower?

Pistils are just starting to show, maybe skip the hort. oil.
just stick with citric acid sprays, alcohol mixes, maybe venerate /grandevo for a infestation in flower

So I spoke to some people in the VA growers community And they’ll suggested this. I mixed 2 ounces to 1 gallon and a squirt of dish soap. Kept mixing while I sprayed the undersides of the plant upside down. What does did was leave a light film of powder on the horsI mixed 2 ounces to 1 gallon and a squirt of dish soap. Kept mixing while I sprayed the undersides of the plant upside down. What does did was leave a light film of powder on the leaves and stalk. Apparently you can use the stuff a week out from harvest. If this works this may be a game changer. I’ve researched everywhere and there’s hardly any solutions to mites when in flower. At least that are very safe. I’m not the type to care about whether something is organic or not but I definitely don’t want to be consuming harbor chemicals.

I wouldn't use those first 2 products or the one you decided to use on any of my cannabis plants. I could care less if it says organic. That's for flowers and vegetables that you don't smoke and can wash off under the sink and as far as I'm concerned spinosad should be banned as it is highly toxic to bees and other beneficial insects.

And whatever you do don't use those toxic no-pest strips. I know people use them but just because someone else doesn't have a problem introducing toxins into their cannabis doesn't mean you should do it.

A simple citric acid spray will kill the mites and is completely non-toxic. I just don't understand how so many growers are ready to use poisons on their cannabis plants. From seeing what some people use on their cannabis plants there are very few growers on this site that I'd smoke anything they grew. I'll deal with a few bugs before I use poison on plants I'm going to smoke. Some people obviously don't care and they can smoke all the contaminated crap weed they want.

I've recently dealt with Spider mites, they are a tough pest to get rid of. The best you can do is control them if you have any pistils by vacuumimg it off with a narrow nozzle. Do this every day or other day, yield will suffer but you can make it to harvest.
Once hung upside down, the mites arrive at the top most point like clockwork as the plant dries. Use some napkins or wtv to keep them from walking away from the top (bottom) of the plant. I hang the plant off of a clothes hanger and you can see specks of them walking around when they bunch up at the top.
Crush and wipe in one swipe multiple times a day until you dont see them anymore.
I've tried direct 99% iso, h202, they don't seem to help as much as vacuuming.

VAjohn said:

Hi all. I’m desperate for some advice. I have four plants. “Legal now in VA”.
-60% coco 25% perilite 15% lava rock.
-Small flood table 4x feed a day on timer.
-General Hydro nutes.
-Temps 81degrees F max at night 70F max.
-Pest control. Horticulture oil in half gallon sprayer.

I THINK I HAVE SPIDER MITES.
I thought I was spraying enough in early veg.
i notice white specs a week ago and narrowed it down to mites. Not 100% sure. Second indoor grow. Never had bugs. Usually grow outdoors so I spray the shit out of the area early on.
I have read that if this isn’t handled early on I’m screwed. I’m into flowering stage 9 days. I have ordered ladybugs but they will not be here for a week and a half. I have two products that are extremely potent but I am worried about causing harm to the product. I’m desperate at this point. Do you think it’s too late into flower to spray this stuff. I can’t find a lot of information about it online in regards to cannabis. I know you’re gonna have some guys out there that are super organic tree loving hippie types. Which is cool and I understand totally about chemical free cannabis. But what I am asking is will the bud be ruined if I spray this now? I’m thinking that the bud will be fine but the trimmings should be thrown away. Not sure . Please help!!!!

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If your only 9 days in, just hit them with sulfur and your mite problems are over. Just follow the package directions. Amazon can have this delivered in less then 2 days.

xtsho said:

I wouldn't use those first 2 products or the one you decided to use on any of my cannabis plants. I could care less if it says organic. That's for flowers and vegetables that you don't smoke and can wash off under the sink and as far as I'm concerned spinosad should be banned as it is highly toxic to bees and other beneficial insects.

And whatever you do don't use those toxic no-pest strips. I know people use them but just because someone else doesn't have a problem introducing toxins into their cannabis doesn't mean you should do it.

A simple citric acid spray will kill the mites and is completely non-toxic. I just don't understand how so many growers are ready to use poisons on their cannabis plants. From seeing what some people use on their cannabis plants there are very few growers on this site that I'd smoke anything they grew. I'll deal with a few bugs before I use poison on plants I'm going to smoke. Some people obviously don't care and they can smoke all the contaminated crap weed they want.

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Thanks for your input.

Plutonium said:

If your only 9 days in, just hit them with sulfur and your mite problems are over. Just follow the package directions. Amazon can have this delivered in less then 2 days.

Amazon.com: Hi-Yield (32188) Dusting Wettable Sulfur (4 lb.)

Amazon.com: Hi-Yield (32188) Dusting Wettable Sulfur (4 lb.)

smile.amazon.com

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Thanks. Look like the treatment I did is working. Probably the last “chemical” spray I will do during flower. Can sulfur be used during flower?

VAjohn said:

Can sulfur be used during flower?

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your buds might smell and taste like fireworks