Got some mites, will dish soap work?

Pureblood89

Well-Known Member
dish soap doesn't really kill anything, it makes the leaves less appetizing to pests so they leave. and, no, once spider mites have fully colonized a plant it's almost impossible to get rid of them 100%. Neem oil seems to work the best I've found out, 1tsp per quart of water, spray under each leaf thoroughly, repeat this 2 or 3 times more every 6 days (mite eggs hatch every six days).
 

209 Cali closet grower

Well-Known Member
dish soap doesn't really kill anything, it makes the leaves less appetizing to pests so they leave. and, no, once spider mites have fully colonized a plant it's almost impossible to get rid of them 100%. Neem oil seems to work the best I've found out, 1tsp per quart of water, spray under each leaf thoroughly, repeat this 2 or 3 times more every 6 days (mite eggs hatch every six days).
well I know if you spray ants they suffocate from not breathing from the soapy water.Well if this don't work i'll try the oil thanks.
 

roidrage152

Active Member
From my research and understanding, dish soap is used with water and oils as an emulsifier. I'm not sure what soap alone would really do to any quality effect. Mites can be resilient to seriously harsh chemicals, what can dish soap really do other than maybe make the environment slightly less ideal for whatever chemical reason. There are however insecticidal "soaps.". I don't know the exact make up, but I know there are DIY options, perhaps with dish soap. I would venture that there are more quality options than this though. Even on a budget, I think just hosing off the leaves with plai. Water would be more effective.
 

209 Cali closet grower

Well-Known Member
what the soap dose is just suffocate them and they cant breath

most insects breath threw there skin, so when you hit them with the soapy water it suffocates them.

Dawn soap is the best for this.jmo
 

209 Cali closet grower

Well-Known Member
got some gnate s too, Add all I did was spray every othere day, and I have not seen any mites or them DAMN gnats in 2 days................... mites in 4 days
 

roidrage152

Active Member
Not sure if you are trying to stay organic or not but I caught a Mite problem fairly early about 5 days ago, 4 days ago added HotShot pest strips (these are not the sticky traps). Within 24 hours I no longer could see any live activity from the mites. However even even now about 5 days later I am still seeing eggs. It's my understanding eggs take at least 5 days to hatch given idea growing conditions of about 80 degrees I think, somewhat slower in lower temps. I still can't find any live mites, so I think they are dying as quick as they are hatching, I will keep this up until I can't find anymore eggs, I'm hoping within another 7 days. The HotShots are kinda strong, so possibly dangerous in a room you plant to occupy for any extended period of time, but are working in my case.

Definitely don't exhaust your room if you use these, you have to let them permiate into the air and settle in, I have left my circulation fans on. In fact I attached one to a fan, I've heard it helps if it is in direct air flow. I have 2-spotted mites btw.

I also have done 2 mighty wash rinses, have heard good things about this product. My plants however are very large and bushy, so I don't know how effective it is for me, I can't get perfect coverage under my leaves. I think the HotShots were probably good on their own. I also plan to do a fogger bomb once I no longer see any eggs just as another preventative measure.

On a side note, I also had some amount of gnat issue, the gnats seem to be surviving somewhat as I find them in my Dehum run-off bucket a few a day. The population definitely isn't at problem levels, as I also have other treatments going for them as well, I would have expected these Hotshots to irradicate the gnats as well, but they still linger.
 

KUShSOurSMOKEr

Well-Known Member
these gnat fuckers..i saw some walking slow as fuck not flying slow as snails ? what do u think is causing this i have about ten dead aday
 

KUShSOurSMOKEr

Well-Known Member
Sup wit u rage..ya but I'm talkin bout there walkin super slow not normal speed I c some movin fast as fuck but I have like a few dead one and ten like super slow walking on my floresent bulbs every time I check but I have barely any if my soil maybe a few but not seeing any larvae or slow growth?I'm letting my soil let a little dry one time and then flush with hygrozyme hopefully this will kill the larvae?I've noticed I watered a litttttttle to much but nothing my plants didn't like but I think that's y I had moreI think letting it dry will help a lot becuz I have so many I'm killing everyday not to many like ten there walk slow as fuck again I state this..
 

roidrage152

Active Member
Ive tried letting the soil get extra dry, even to the point of limp plants, but i didn't feel like that did anything noticable to the population. I think management through sticky traps, and products like Gnatrol and nematodes in the soil for the Larvae are the best option. If you can control the population with these options, then only your tiniest girls will really be at risk. I can't seem to get rid of them completely, but i never see more than 1 or 2 at a time if I'm looking for them.
 

GrnMn

Active Member
Watering with a neem oil mixture with added dish detergent works well to stave them off.
 

209 Cali closet grower

Well-Known Member
I put about tbs spoon of Dawn in a 20 ounce bottle sprayer.Spary any bugs you see.

Then do what roidrage said.Dry out the soil on top, then spay the dawn soap all in the pot till wet.
  • In a day or two you should see a decline...

    I have no bugs in my grow room now.
 

roidrage152

Active Member
I actually said letting the soil get extra dry didnt work very well :p. It do have several plants, and it is difficult to keep them all on the exact same watering schedule. I however let my soil fluctuate alot usually. I water heavy, and let it dry out 90% before watering again. Unless I'm having a lazy day, then I just put in a little water so I don't have to clean up what spills through. I've not messed with the soap, and heard various reasons why it may or may not be good, but I think you should rinse that off soon after with plain. Can't imagine that film on the leaves is terrible healthy for leaf pores.
 

KUShSOurSMOKEr

Well-Known Member
I actually said letting the soil get extra dry didnt work very well :p. It do have several plants, and it is difficult to keep them all on the exact same watering schedule. I however let my soil fluctuate alot usually. I water heavy, and let it dry out 90% before watering again. Unless I'm having a lazy day, then I just put in a little water so I don't have to clean up what spills through. I've not messed with the soap, and heard various reasons why it may or may not be good, but I think you should rinse that off soon after with plain. Can't imagine that film on the leaves is terrible healthy for leaf pores.
Sup wit u rage..ya but I'm talkin bout there walkin super slow not normal speed I c some movin fast as fuck but I have like a few dead one and ten like super slow walking on my floresent bulbs every time I check but I have barely any if my soil maybe a few but not seeing any larvae or slow growth?I'm letting my soil let a little dry one time and then flush with hygrozyme hopefully this will kill the larvae?I've noticed I watered a litttttttle to much but nothing my plants didn't like but I think that's y I had moreI think letting it dry will help a lot becuz I have so many I'm killing everyday not to many like ten there walk slow as fuck again I state this..
 

roidrage152

Active Member
Not sure what the slow walking would indicate. Dont remember if you said you used the yellow sticky traps, if not I would reccomend it. Also don't know the effects hygrozyme has on larva, but would definitely use something. I like mosquito dunks in my water rez for the value. Costs about $10 for 6 of them. I put 2 dunks in panty hose and hang in the rez, panty hose keeps debris from collecting. Lasts for weeks. My population seems pretty well managed at this point, I only see one now and then. Letting your soil dry extra is supposed to help manage populations, but I've seen no noticable effects of doing so. I don't know that I could get rid of them completely without going with some drastic pesticide bombing route. Not to add extra worry, but make sure what you have is actually fungus gnats. It's my understanding that people often will confuse aphid for gnats, which usually come in a population mixed of walkers and flyers. The gnats if you look closely (magnification helps) look like tiny mosquitos. Distinctly long legs, and all have wings.
 

KUShSOurSMOKEr

Well-Known Member
Yes i roid i no 100 percent there fungas gnats i looked it up and everything its those fuckers !!
So i have 2 floresent tubes on the floor for bottom lighting i think there all going there and i kill ten everyday..i wonder if im killing all of them off i barely have any on my plants i only see them on the fucken tubes and i smack the fuck outta them.. ?? What u think roid ??
 
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