Why b00z00 will NEVER be using miracle gro organic products again

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b00z00

b00z00

Member
While a few of you may already have come to this conclusion, I find it necessary to at least reiterate why MG organics are bad news. My last grow did ok, but developed root aphids during flowering (or so I though) so I had to cut it 5 weeks early or start to lose bud.

Well I did that and completely cleaned up shop for a while.

I decided to give it another go because I really wanted to see sleestack (free beans I got my my lsd beans) flourish. So here I am 2.5 weeks later.

I've only used MG organic soil, MG bone meal, MG blood meal, dolomite lime, molasses and epsom salt. I keep all my soil and ferts sealed and away from my grow box so there is no way the previous grow could have contaminated this grow. I used new everything.

As you can see in the picture, they're still very young (planted popped beans 7/7), and the infestation is already pretty bad...as bad as it was when I cut the last grow. Do they intentionally plant eggs in their product? Maybe, maybe not. All I'm saying is MG makes pesticides as well so I wouldn't surprised.
 

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Pattahabi

Pattahabi

Well-Known Member
B00z00, can I ask how you determined you had root aphids? The reason I ask is because I had a hydrostore guy (horticulture grad - yeah right) tell me over and over that hypoaspis miles were root aphids. In fact, he thought pretty much everything was a root aphid (He tells me, oh yeah, they come in different colors shapes, sizes, sometimes you can't even see them). What I found is pretty much everything isn't a root aphid. There are tons of little arthropods in the soil, the vast majority of them are beneficial.

Just don't want you to nuke your plants if not needed! ;)

P-
 
b00z00

b00z00

Member
Pattahabi said:
B00z00, can I ask how you determined you had root aphids? The reason I ask is because I had a hydrostore guy (horticulture grad - yeah right) tell me over and over that hypoaspis miles were root aphids. In fact, he thought pretty much everything was a root aphid (He tells me, oh yeah, they come in different colors shapes, sizes, sometimes you can't even see them). What I found is pretty much everything isn't a root aphid. There are tons of little arthropods in the soil, the vast majority of them are beneficial.

Just don't want you to nuke your plants if not needed! ;)

P-
Click to expand...

I guess I can't be 100% because I don't have a magnifier but white clumps turn up in the soil so I thought that was a giveaway? Either way it's the same thing that was chomping down on the roots of my last grow and leaving dead spots on leaves and flowers. Also I find little black flying bugs too big for fungus gnats flying around from time to time.

DonPetro said:
You should have also grabbed a bag of MG perlite. No aeration=problems.
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I have perlite in it but I added soil without some so its just the top layer. I know I still should have put more but last time I didn't use any and still got good buds so I just went ahead anyway.
 
Deusracing

Deusracing

Well-Known Member
Pattahabi said:
B00z00, can I ask how you determined you had root aphids? The reason I ask is because I had a hydrostore guy (horticulture grad - yeah right) tell me over and over that hypoaspis miles were root aphids. In fact, he thought pretty much everything was a root aphid (He tells me, oh yeah, they come in different colors shapes, sizes, sometimes you can't even see them). What I found is pretty much everything isn't a root aphid. There are tons of little arthropods in the soil, the vast majority of them are beneficial.

Just don't want you to nuke your plants if not needed! ;)

P-
Click to expand...
CAN YOU HELP ME
http://rollitup.org/t/bugs-or-some-sort-of-alien-species.839043/#post-10731683
pass this around its not root aphids there living in my medium. NO TELLING WHERE FROM those plants in that table came from everywhere it was my food table
 
Pattahabi

Pattahabi

Well-Known Member
b00z00 said:
I guess I can't be 100% because I don't have a magnifier but white clumps turn up in the soil so I thought that was a giveaway? Either way it's the same thing that was chomping down on the roots of my last grow and leaving dead spots on leaves and flowers. Also I find little black flying bugs too big for fungus gnats flying around from time to time.
Click to expand...
Winged root aphids are smaller then fungus gnats, and white clumps would not be enough for me to assume root aphids. Imo root issues tend to show up in the same manner whether it's a bug or a soil problem. If you have the cash, a cheap little usb microscope can be really nice to have around the house.

I believe the top one to be a fungus gnat and the bottom one to be a winged root aphid (these are both from the usb microscope). Edit: my distinction is made from the body length to wing span ratio, the protrusions extending from the abdomen, and the segmented heavy antennae. I'm not an expert I could be wrong.

gnataphid.jpg

Also look for these:

rootaphid.jpg

But be mindful, there are a couple of mite decomposers that look similar. H. Miles and another I can't think of off the top of my head come to mind.

If you want some more reading see attached.

Peace!
P-
 

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Last edited:
b00z00

b00z00

Member
Pattahabi said:
Winged root aphids are smaller then fungus gnats, and white clumps would not be enough for me to assume root aphids. Imo root issues tend to show up in the same manner whether it's a bug or a soil problem. If you have the cash, a cheap little usb microscope can be really nice to have around the house.

I believe the top one to be a fungus gnat and the bottom one to be a winged root aphid (these are both from the usb microscope). Edit: my distinction is made from the body length to wing span ratio, the protrusions extending from the abdomen, and the segmented heavy antennae. I'm not an expert I could be wrong.

View attachment 3212921

Also look for these:

View attachment 3212924

But be mindful, there are a couple of mite decomposers that look similar. H. Miles and another I can't think of off the top of my head come to mind.

If you want some more reading see attached.

Peace!
P-
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Awesome thanks for the info. It look much more like the bottom one and the mites crawling around the soil look more smooth than ridged on their backs.
 
Pattahabi

Pattahabi

Well-Known Member
b00z00 said:
Awesome thanks for the info. It look much more like the bottom one and the mites crawling around the soil look more smooth than ridged on their backs.
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Ok, the smooth ride ones are most likely a beneficial decomposing mite. Take a deep breath, I found this real quick. Skim through it, look for Oribatida I have ones that look just like this all over in the leaf litter in my soil. They break down organic matter, they're your friends.

http://soilbugs.massey.ac.nz/acari.php

I think there is such a hysteria about root aphids, and such a desire to sell pesticides people are nuking first and researching later. Me having been one of these growers, it really freaked me out to see so much soil life going on.

P-
 
b00z00

b00z00

Member
WOW

http://www.fcps.edu/islandcreekes/ecology/soil_mite.htm

Yup, those are it. You sir, although making me look like an ass clown in the process, are awesome.

So now seems how the pots smell like mildew I'm assuming it's from lack of perlite and that's what's bringing the gnats in. I don't know what kind of gnats they are but they sure like my moist soil. I'll transplant into better aerated soil mix.

Thanks again!
 
Pattahabi

Pattahabi

Well-Known Member
b00z00 said:
WOW

http://www.fcps.edu/islandcreekes/ecology/soil_mite.htm

Yup, those are it. You sir, although making me look like an ass clown in the process, are awesome.

So now seems how the pots smell like mildew I'm assuming it's from lack of perlite and that's what's bringing the gnats in. I don't know what kind of gnats they are but they sure like my moist soil. I'll transplant into better aerated soil mix.

Thanks again!
Click to expand...
Pfft... You don't look like an ass clown. How you think I learned this stuff? Some ass clown at the hydrostore had me nuking my freaking plants! Even after I figured out what was up, he held to his guns. He said they are root aphids, and that's why my plants were suffering. No, they were suffering cause of the jacked up soil recipe I was using and the constantly killing my beneficial bugs! lol.

Peace,
P-
 
Mr.Head

Mr.Head

Well-Known Member
You're not an ass clown for trying to address a problem by seeking advice, an ass hat would go on with the same problem for a year then get on here rant about how they are done growing and they don't know why anyone puts up with the shit all while blaming it on the genetics and the seed company and femenized seeds :)

That's what assclowns do :)

You just want to grow good weed, you might get razzed a bit, but everyone here respects that :)
 
DonPetro

DonPetro

Well-Known Member
Yea man big ups to you for going against the grain and actually trying something different. As long as you keep an open mind its only going to make you a better grower.
 
chuck estevez

chuck estevez

Well-Known Member
b00z00 said:
WOW

http://www.fcps.edu/islandcreekes/ecology/soil_mite.htm

Yup, those are it. You sir, although making me look like an ass clown in the process, are awesome.

So now seems how the pots smell like mildew I'm assuming it's from lack of perlite and that's what's bringing the gnats in. I don't know what kind of gnats they are but they sure like my moist soil. I'll transplant into better aerated soil mix.

Thanks again!
Click to expand...
 
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