Mites in my soil, but not on my plant? should i be concerned?

Jaredbc

Active Member
So I was going through my soil and I saw a couple of these tiny clear, golden brownish mites, they are in the soil!!! agh. Although there are no signs of damage on the plants, nor are they actually climbing on on my plants. they are just hanging out in the soil....

Is this a concern?
 

OregonMeds

Well-Known Member
Spider mites hang out and lay eggs on the underside of leaves not in the soil. I think you have some other kind of bug if you see none on the leaves.
 

CustomHydro

Well-Known Member
that info is all over the net. just google "cannabis pest in soil" and shit like that until u find what u need.
 

Jaredbc

Active Member
Now I have done a little research and apparently the "mites" I speak of are of a type which breaks down dirt and shit into humus. I have no clue where they came from as Im a over clean person (including in the grow room).

I am out in the woods lots, passing oput randomly, so Im sure bugs could crawl somewhere...

Im not confirming saying these buggers are exactly what i speak of but they have been there close to 2 weeks and well... no damage.
 

ickybiker

Active Member
You need to be careful about going into your room after being in the woods, doing yard work, etc......to keep the "hitchhikers" to a minimum.
 

jordisgarden

Well-Known Member
i find that if once a month i clean out the entire grow room. i still get bugs. wtf. im spraying, sanding, dropping temps, even leaving these bastids beer to drink. i hate bugs. they desroy yor hard work if you get the bad ones
 

Jaredbc

Active Member
okay so I bought tape for the thrips, (caught a few) over the past 4-5 days No more thrips! Also The little bugs in the soil are well.... still there! But they plants are growing almost exponentially.. So I'm gonna let them stay... (i rather leave all critters alone, but fuck with my plants and I'll eat you!)

As too the temperatures, Mines at 69-71f lights on. 64-67f lights off. Humidity is lowish (wish I had numbers).

I vaccum and wash the grow area out ever month as well. But If i spill soil or water I'll clean it up right away, actually though, during most clean ups i find nasty fat spiders.... often referred to a "wolf" spider here (NW North America)
 

Where in the hell am I?

Well-Known Member
I had the exact same little buggers in my first mother plant's soil. I went all of the way through, the never got onto her, and there was no snap crackle pop in any of the 2.5 oz's I got outta her!
Tonight I'm just hoping that the tobacco tea will kill off my spider mites!
Best of growin to ya!
 

Where in the hell am I?

Well-Known Member
Its probably gnats....they hang out in the soil. Get some "no pest" strips
I did that when I had the same thing he's describing and all I ended up with was a couple of gnats. However, those little buggers in the soil never went enywhere, and I had A LOT of 'em!
But, pests strips are always very Tre' Chic!
 

Elove11

Well-Known Member
i got those motha fers too they just fly around and sit on the soil...

i kill them everytime i see one!

so pest strips work...harmless to the ladies...
 

natrone23

Well-Known Member
I have those little guys in my soil too, I forget what there called but they actually good for your soil, they break down organic matter
 

phishsurfer

Active Member
ok i got these fuckers too they will fuck up you plant not right now but soon here is a little info on them.

Small pests that are tan to white colored and look like centipedes. They are very deadly to the plants, because they burrow down into the roots and damage them by feeding of them. Your plants leaves will begin to die off. They are found mostly in soil composites that have not been cleaned, like soil that has additives in them such as animal manure.
(I know it will smell funny but sterilizing the soil in the oven for 30 min can kill any pests in the soil, heat to 350 for 30 min.) They are easy to tell if you have them, because they come to the top soil when your plant is being watered, if you find you do have them, use Fungus Gnat Killer (“B.T." a non chemical,biological control) in the powdered form. One application should kill it, just to be safe repeat every 7 days to kill off the larvae. Tobacco juice kills them as well! And nematodes.

Picture 2 shows the Symphilids look like..

(photo provided by Diels Alder)

 
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