Foxfarm or general organics?

Pattahabi said:

Yes, I actually have.

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I've seen you on a number of cannabis sites, and you always seemed to have a mite issue... last I saw predator mites weren't working.

What was your final eradication solution? I ask because I have an ongoing battle with them.

FlakeyFoont said:

I've seen you on a number of cannabis sites, and you always seemed to have a mite issue... last I saw predator mites weren't working.

What was your final eradication solution? I ask because I have an ongoing battle with them.

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The predator mites were to help with a few mites mid flower. I have heard others advocate predators, I wouldn't spend my money on them again. I actually saw an increase in mite population after I applied them.

The neem/karanja works excellent, but not during flower. I'll use it inbetween rounds and that will take care of them. There are a couple of points in controlling mites, you have to spray every 3 days for 3-4 sprayings, and you have to soak every leaf top and bottom. I've done some experimenting with spraying different things on leaves and scoping them to see the efficacy. Even cilantro and water is an excellent pesticide. I've sprayed light mint and aloe mid flower to knock them down. Make sure you spray at lights out.

hth

P-

Pattahabi said:

The predator mites were to help with a few mites mid flower. I have heard others advocate predators, I wouldn't spend my money on them again. I actually saw an increase in mite population after I applied them.

The neem/karanja works excellent, but not during flower. I'll use it inbetween rounds and that will take care of them. There are a couple of points in controlling mites, you have to spray every 3 days for 3-4 sprayings, and you have to soak every leaf top and bottom. I've done some experimenting with spraying different things on leaves and scoping them to see the efficacy. Even cilantro and water is an excellent pesticide. I've sprayed light mint and aloe mid flower to knock them down. Make sure you spray at lights out.

hth

P-

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I'm pretty good at keeping them at bay, but I can't claim to do any more that that, LOL! Predator mites help a lot if I knock the population down some with neem extract or azamax before I go to flower. And, yes, I have a sizable stash of "organic" diy concoctions that did little but make the garden smell great!

But eradication, I wish!

Don't take this the wrong way, but it seems most folks on the boards telling others how to get rid of mites, still have them.

Pattahabi said:

No, because if it not organic then... it's not organic. But thanks for the zing again... Classy as always.

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Except that it is totally conducive to a living soil, is made from natural ingredients, and unlike the FF trio lacks EDTA or ammonia salts.

What's the big issue with it, then? It comes in a bottle instead of a bag so you think it kills microbes right? Because it doesn't. Or is it just that it doesn't seem to fit into your narrow-wee world view? I know, it's oh so shocking that different people do things differently.

Pattahabi said:

Keep in mind soap is not discriminatory. It kills beneficials just as readily as it does pests. Emulsified neem/karanja and essential oils are far better options imo.

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I've actually attained control of mites with Dr. Bronners peppermint soap, yes. It works prior to the point of infestation, but is best used preemptively. Potassium salts of fatty acids (insecticidal soap) may be more effective. And neither Dr. Bronners or insecticidal soap or Spinosad is very harmful to beneficials if at all. I have used all three of those, routinely, and not only do they not kill predatory mites (soil dwelling); they don't seem to have much effect on lady bugs either (unlike pyrethrin).

Spinosad may be toxic to bees, outdoors, as is pyrethrin.

BTW the problem with spider mites, and what makes them such a bitch indoors is that [many species of] adult females can virtually shut themselves down (stop eating\mating) and go dormant. This is called diapause and it is their overwintering strategy. They can remain in diapause for several months.

Temperature and photoperiod are major factors that trigger spider mites to enter diapause, but other factors at play ensure that they don't all go dormant at once. But, for instance, cool temperatures and less than 13 hours of light per day can cause them to go dormant (inside or out). Once it gets warm and the days get longer, or thanks to indoor lighting, they'll come out again.

Because of this, indoors they can seem to come out of nowhere just when you thought they were gone. The best thing to do is start over again after you've cleaned your space\house the best you can. Small plants, donors or cuttings you want to save should be treated and quarantined and then everything should be cleaned. Then use diatomaceous earth on carpeted areas and perimeters.

I also find it a tad ironic that some folks who continually pester others about sustainability, getting local this or that and 'supporting your local economy' are themselves using and promoting the use of ingredients that undoubtedly came from halfway across the globe. It's okay though, because that stuff comes in pouches and bags as opposed to bottles.

Nullis said:

BTW the problem with spider mites, and what makes them such a bitch indoors is that [many species of] adult females can virtually shut themselves down (stop eating\mating) and go dormant. This is called diapause and it is their overwintering strategy. They can remain in diapause for several months.

Temperature and photoperiod are major factors that trigger spider mites to enter diapause, but other factors at play ensure that they don't all go dormant at once. But, for instance, cool temperatures and less than 13 hours of light per day can cause them to go dormant (inside or out). Once it gets warm and the days get longer, or thanks to indoor lighting, they'll come out again.

Because of this, indoors they can seem to come out of nowhere just when you thought they were gone. The best thing to do is start over again after you've cleaned your space\house the best you can. Small plants, donors or cuttings you want to save should be treated and quarantined and then everything should be cleaned. Then use diatomaceous earth on carpeted areas and perimeters.

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From what I understand, mites can go into diapause for over a year! Another thing that triggers it is trying to get rid of them... kinda like my sister-in-law, lol!

FlakeyFoont said:

I'm pretty good at keeping them at bay, but I can't claim to do any more that that, LOL! Predator mites help a lot if I knock the population down some with neem extract or azamax before I go to flower. And, yes, I have a sizable stash of "organic" diy concoctions that did little but make the garden smell great!

But eradication, I wish!

Don't take this the wrong way, but it seems most folks on the boards telling others how to get rid of mites, still have them.

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I keep up a weekly ipm routine. I'm surrounded by trees and fields and there are a lot of bugs around here. If I slack on my routine, bugs creep back in - mainly mites and thrips around here.

Exactly what 'concoctions' have you tried? Did you spray every 3 days? Are you soaking the leaves top and bottom?

P-

Pattahabi said:

I keep up a weekly ipm routine. I'm surrounded by trees and fields and there are a lot of bugs around here. If I slack on my routine, bugs creep back in - mainly mites and thrips around here.

Exactly what 'concoctions' have you tried? Did you spray every 3 days? Are you soaking the leaves top and bottom?

P-

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That's my excuse, too, well, except for the thrip part, lol!

I have tried various emulsified and not so emulsified potions of sesame, rosemary, geranium, peppermint, citronella, clove, thyme, karanja, and neem... to name a few!

The longest lasting has been a neem oil extract, and good ol Azamax.

I've sprayed 3x/9 days, 4x/12 days, and 5x over 15 days... 3x9 has seemed to work as well as any. In the summer, it takes about 8-12 weeks to re-infest, so I'm on a 7 week program. Winter 12-16 weeks.

I hate spraying, so as soon as I can afford 3 predator treatments about 6 weeks apart, I'm going to see what that does. If 3 work, I may go for a year's worth of treatments and try and beat the diapause.

I got my 1st mites from the first clones I was gifted. If I hadn't gotten those clones, I may not be growing anything, so mites are just an aggravating part of doing business... and, are lot better than some of the pests I deal with in my real business world!

I have not figured out how to soak only one side of the leaves yet, should I work on that?

Unless you are either keeping a regular ipm schedule or sealing your area and taking precautions, chances are the mites will come back. Make sure you soak both sides of all leaves when spraying.

P-

Give nutrifield a run if you want organic/synthetic base nutrients

Pattahabi said:

Unless you are either keeping a regular ipm schedule or sealing your area and taking precautions, chances are the mites will come back. Make sure you soak both sides of all leaves when spraying.

P-

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Thanks for the tips, lol!

FlakeyFoont said:

good ol Azamax.

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I will always have a bottle of this in the pantry. Love it! I've really only ever had to battle mites and thrips, and Azamax was what eliminated both.