Spider mites

Isoreign

Member
How do I get rid of spider mites or at least hold their level to a minimal level during flower….im growing organically so I would love to keep it a little more natural. I heard that neem oil can mess up the taste of your bud so I’m not to sure if I want to use it.
 

jondamon

Well-Known Member
How do I get rid of spider mites or at least hold their level to a minimal level during flower….im growing organically so I would love to keep it a little more natural. I heard that neem oil can mess up the taste of your bud so I’m not to sure if I want to use it.
Have a read about citric acid as a contact killer.
 

DCcan

Well-Known Member
How do I get rid of spider mites or at least hold their level to a minimal level during flower….im growing organically so I would love to keep it a little more natural. I heard that neem oil can mess up the taste of your bud so I’m not to sure if I want to use it.
You still need to sterilize the grow area after harvest, and figure out a IPM plan going forward.



Day 1: Citric acid product knockdown

Dr Zymes: citric acid, alcohol
Nuke Em: citric acid, also contains insecticidal soap
Plant Therapy: citric acid, isopropyl alcohol, oils

Day 2: Do a second knockdown spray

Day 3: (when dry) Release predatory mites

Day 16: Citric acid knock down, repeat if needed

Day 17: (when dry) Release Predatory mites
 

Roadblock007

Well-Known Member
What I did once was to roll a bit of rag around the end of a 4ft stick and sprayed it with mite spray the rag was a little fluffy, I then wiped the colas with the stick and loads of mites and their web stuck to the rag keeping them pretty clean , got me through to the end of the grow, I had loads of problems with them, as Ive dialed in the room and now the plants a really healthy with no issues at all and I have no spider mites.
 

Rurumo

Well-Known Member
One treatment won't get them all, try treating with citric acid every other day for 10 days, or every 3rd day for 2 weeks-both schedules worked for me. One thing is, you don't want to spray the soil surface with much if any of it because the PH will be around 4, so I like to do a neem soil drench when I treat the leaves with citric acid, jus to get any of the creeps hiding in the soil. Neem soil drench=5 ml per quart (I like to add some yucca extract to this.) Citric acid spray=2 tsp per quart (plus yucca or a few drops of detergent.) This is a much stronger mix than the commercial citric acid products and it works much better as well, but it can damage some of the tender leaves, so you might want to test a branch before you spray everything. For a weekly IPM spray, once you eliminate them, I use a less concentrated citric/neem spray= 300 mg citric acid and 5 ml neem to 1 quart water. This dose of citric acid has biostimulant properties and the low PH enhances the effect of the neem foliar spray (I add yucca to all foliars because it has potent anti-fungal properties by itself). Keep in mind those commercial products are only about .05% citric when used according to instructions-if you want to replicate that # exactly, just add 500 mg citric to 1 liter of water, this is MUCH milder than the 2 tsp/quart that I've used in the past. Citric acid is one of the most useful and underrated products for growing! Good luck!!
 

Isoreign

Member
You still need to sterilize the grow area after harvest, and figure out a IPM plan going forward.



Day 1: Citric acid product knockdown

Dr Zymes: citric acid, alcohol
Nuke Em: citric acid, also contains insecticidal soap
Plant Therapy: citric acid, isopropyl alcohol, oils

Day 2: Do a second knockdown spray

Day 3: (when dry) Release predatory mites

Day 16: Citric acid knock down, repeat if needed

Day 17: (when dry) Release Predatory mites
Appreciate it bro
 

Isoreign

Member
One treatment won't get them all, try treating with citric acid every other day for 10 days, or every 3rd day for 2 weeks-both schedules worked for me. One thing is, you don't want to spray the soil surface with much if any of it because the PH will be around 4, so I like to do a neem soil drench when I treat the leaves with citric acid, jus to get any of the creeps hiding in the soil. Neem soil drench=5 ml per quart (I like to add some yucca extract to this.) Citric acid spray=2 tsp per quart (plus yucca or a few drops of detergent.) This is a much stronger mix than the commercial citric acid products and it works much better as well, but it can damage some of the tender leaves, so you might want to test a branch before you spray everything. For a weekly IPM spray, once you eliminate them, I use a less concentrated citric/neem spray= 300 mg citric acid and 5 ml neem to 1 quart water. This dose of citric acid has biostimulant properties and the low PH enhances the effect of the neem foliar spray (I add yucca to all foliars because it has potent anti-fungal properties by itself). Keep in mind those commercial products are only about .05% citric when used according to instructions-if you want to replicate that # exactly, just add 500 mg citric to 1 liter of water, this is MUCH milder than the 2 tsp/quart that I've used in the past. Citric acid is one of the most useful and underrated products for growing! Good luck!!
Thanks man I love Comin on these forums the weed community has the best people I swear appreciate all the advice I feel like I caught it early and sprayed them down wit 3 in 1 for organic gardening before I came on here….and I’m planning on releasing some mites tomorrow
 
Glad to know about citric acid, in case this ever happens again. I’ve had thrips, spider mites, and whiteflies outdoors. You have to be careful indoors, too! Creatures can come in on vegetables. I use Spinosad, if there are no buds. But, what to do when they get on the buds with only a few weeks to go? Ahhhhrg!
 

RIS

Well-Known Member
Glad to know about citric acid, in case this ever happens again. I’ve had thrips, spider mites, and whiteflies outdoors. You have to be careful indoors, too! Creatures can come in on vegetables. I use Spinosad, if there are no buds. But, what to do when they get on the buds with only a few weeks to go? Ahhhhrg!
This forum has a timeline history of my constant battle with pests. lol, you could find all you need just by looking at what responses I got from this group.
 

calvin.m16

Well-Known Member
Spinosad, unknown if safe to spray on flowers though. Spinosad also will knock out fungus gnats, thrips, aphids and has a good lifespan in coco especially I've noticed. I apply only as needed because within 24 hours of application they are GONE.
 

King Dude

Active Member
A 1:1 ratio of 3% hydrogen peroxide and distilled water will work fine if you put the solution in a spray bottle. The hydrogen peroxide is food safe, and it will not ruin the flowers.

Apply it to the plant daily for about a week or two. It will kill the mites and destroy any fungus you might have growing on leaves. It might also be helpful to spread diatomaceous earth around the base of the plant from time to time.
 
Last edited:

calvin.m16

Well-Known Member
A 1:1 ratio of 3% hydrogen peroxide and distilled water will work fine if you put the solution in a spray bottle. The hydrogen peroxide is food safe, and it will not ruin the flowers.

Apply it to the plant daily for about a week or two. It will kill the mites and destroy any fungus you might have growing on leaves. It might also be helpful to spread diatomaceous earth around the base of the plant from time to time.
Mites leave eggs in the plant tissue, h2o2 would be a good knockdown but it isn't going to cure it. I would do a knockdown spray with h2o2 or zerotol (stabilized h2o2) and then fully saturate roots and plants with Spinosad solution (Captain Jacks etc).

h2o2 will execute the adult mites and spinosad will suppress the eggs and any survivor adults from maintaining life on the plant. When they consume spinosad the bacteria blows up their guts to my understanding, in layman's terms.
 

King Dude

Active Member
Mites leave eggs in the plant tissue, h2o2 would be a good knockdown but it isn't going to cure it. I would do a knockdown spray with h2o2 or zerotol (stabilized h2o2) and then fully saturate roots and plants with Spinosad solution (Captain Jacks etc).

h2o2 will execute the adult mites and spinosad will suppress the eggs and any survivor adults from maintaining life on the plant. When they consume spinosad the bacteria blows up their guts to my understanding, in layman's terms.
Spinosad is not water soluble, and it does not wash off easily during typical post-harvest processing. The effects of smoking spinosad contaminated cannabis flowers are currently unknown.
 

Synchronicity

Well-Known Member
I grow in the winter so as not to bring them in and inspect the plants for them just before flower. After flower I just smoke em................

Finding them in buds really disturbs me and puts me at a loss

:confused:
 

TabbyDee

Active Member
A 1:1 ratio of 3% hydrogen peroxide and distilled water will work fine if you put the solution in a spray bottle. The hydrogen peroxide is food safe, and it will not ruin the flowers.

Apply it to the plant daily for about a week or two. It will kill the mites and destroy any fungus you might have growing on leaves. It might also be helpful to spread diatomaceous earth around the base of the plant from time to time.
Do you spray the entire plant even on the flowers? Or just the underside of the leaves?
 
Top