Absolutely massive aphid infestation. To organophosphate or not to organophosphate?

[TrippleDip]

I have huge indoor aphid problem that I have been trying to solve using soap alcohol and essential oils. It has helped, but not a lot.

Should I continue using soap and alcohol or should I just dust everything with organophosphate pesticides? It is affecting 7-8 plants (not all cannabis) to the point that many branches on each plant look like pic related.

 

[Lizard0420]

Damn that’s sum bugs

 

[Lizard0420]

I’m scared

 

[thumper60]

I have huge indoor aphid problem that I have been trying to solve using soap alcohol and essential oils. It has helped, but not a lot.

Should I continue using soap and alcohol or should I just dust everything with organophosphate pesticides? It is affecting 7-8 plants (not all cannabis) to the point that many branches on each plant look like pic related.

View attachment 5018861

I would bring out the big guns if in veg if that plant is in flower trash it an start over.

 

[Dank Bongula]

That's scary

 

[C. Nesbitt]

If that was my indoor grow, I’d trash it, clean the room thoroughly, wait a month, clean it again and start over.

You could probably get that under control with the big gun pesticides, but then you are exposing yourself to those compounds, indoors.

I grew up with gardening using sevin, malathion and the like in the 1980s but choose not to use those today for cannabis or veggies. The science and warning labels will tell you that It’s not just the state of California “suspecting” that they are bad for you now…

 

[hotrodharley]

I have huge indoor aphid problem that I have been trying to solve using soap alcohol and essential oils. It has helped, but not a lot.

Should I continue using soap and alcohol or should I just dust everything with organophosphate pesticides? It is affecting 7-8 plants (not all cannabis) to the point that many branches on each plant look like pic related.

View attachment 5018861

Botanigard. Organic. Takes soft bodied insects right out. Safe for food crops up to day of harvest.

 

[lusidghost]

Good god. That is horrendous. How old are these plants?

 

[Hot Diggity Sog]

Wow. And I thought my gnat problem was severe. Good luck dude. I'd be scared to even enter your grow space. Those little bastards give me the willy's.

 

[T Ray]

I have huge indoor aphid problem that I have been trying to solve using soap alcohol and essential oils. It has helped, but not a lot.

Should I continue using soap and alcohol or should I just dust everything with organophosphate pesticides? It is affecting 7-8 plants (not all cannabis) to the point that many branches on each plant look like pic related.

View attachment 5018861

Dude you need to throw everything out, clean with bleach, and bomb the fuck out of the room and start over.

If that was my indoor grow, I’d trash it, clean the room thoroughly, wait a month, clean it again and start over.

You could probably get that under control with the big gun pesticides, but then you are exposing yourself to those compounds, indoors.

I grew up with gardening using sevin, malathion and the like in the 1980s but choose not to use those today for cannabis or veggies. The science and warning labels will tell you that It’s not just the state of California “suspecting” that they are bad for you now…

This is solid advice. Also my guess is you have to be over watering to get that kind of infestation so take it easy on your watering next go around after you started over.

Also next go around I’d start using preventatives and combing through your plants regularly so you can address the issue before it gets to be a problem like that.

T Ray

 

[SFnone]

I have huge indoor aphid problem that I have been trying to solve using soap alcohol and essential oils. It has helped, but not a lot.

Should I continue using soap and alcohol or should I just dust everything with organophosphate pesticides? It is affecting 7-8 plants (not all cannabis) to the point that many branches on each plant look like pic related.

View attachment 5018861

Ladybugs. It's really the larvae that go to town on aphids, but yeah, ladybugs. They will clean that sucker up so good you won't even believe it. Just don't get the Chinese ones, as they are invasive and harmful to local ladybeetles.

 

[Herb & Suds]

Ladybugs. It's really the larvae that go to town on aphids, but yeah, ladybugs. They will clean that sucker up so good you won't even believe it. Just don't get the Chinese ones, as they are invasive and harmful to local ladybeetles.

I think the non-biting local lady bugs are gone

 

[OG-KGP]

Toss it and start fresh.

Preventing is more important than combating.

IPM is preventative. If you have a good IPM system, you will never get bugs and can concentrate on everything else.

 

[TrippleDip]

Thanks everyone for your replies. I was kinda hoping someone would say you can get through that naturally by rinsing the plant with high pressure water, hand picking and insecticidal soaps, but I guess you can't and it seems like a huge amount of work.

I would bring out the big guns if in veg if that plant is in flower trash it an start over.

Plants were due to be flipped this week, maybe tomorrow.

I grew up with gardening using sevin, malathion

Yeah, malathion is what I may use, I have a bottle of 55% that I use for bug proofing camping gear but I don't think you can buy it anymore here. Forget cancer it is a known neurotoxin, I hate that stuff I always get the worst headaches when using it.

The other (safer) options are maybe pyrethins + neem oil?

Botanigard

I know this is one option but I am not sure it will completely eliminate them or be effective more than a few days, malathion stays on the plant for two to three weeks and on surfaces for months, probably until you handle it all off and ingest it. Neem is systemic and lasts a long time.

Ladybugs. It's really the larvae that go to town on aphids, but yeah, ladybugs.

I would be scared to release a hundred ladybugs indoors. At least they can't leave and have no other food source.

Good god. That is horrendous. How old are these plants?

The pot plants are 2 months old, the other plants range from seedlings to 4 years-ish.

Dude you need to throw everything out, clean with bleach, and bomb the fuck out of the room and start over. ... Also my guess is you have to be over watering to get that kind of infestation so take it easy on your watering next go around

Infestation happened in 2 weeks I swear. All from bringing in overwintering plants - took away their predators. Never had a problem like this before. Can't toss em, I have like 25 peppers, eucalyptus trees, black pepper vines, etc, plus three pot plants which I don't care half as much about.

Preventing is more important than combating.

I will definitely be keeping a closer eye on things next year. They blend in hella well though.

 

[xtsho]

Put it in the shower and wash the bugs off. Using products to kill them just leaves dead bugs behind. Aphids are easy to get rid of.

But this post is a joke anyway.

To those that don't know just spray them off with water. You don't need ladybugs, poison, etc... A stream of water is all it takes.

Another day of stupidity.

 

[TrippleDip]

Put it in the shower and wash the bugs off. Using products to kill them just leaves dead bugs behind. Aphids are easy to get rid of.

But this post is a joke anyway.

To those that don't know just spray them off with water. You don't need ladybugs, poison, etc... A stream of water is all it takes.

Another day of stupidity.

Not a joke, surely there will always be enough left to repopulate? They are everywhere.

 

[Wattzzup]

But this post is a joke anyway.

Another day of stupidity.

It’s his karma. Go read a few posts of his in politics.

 

[waterproof808]

Water won’t do shit for an infestation this bad.

 

[bk78]

Clean your shit, slob.

 

[xtsho]

Water won’t do shit for an infestation this bad.

An infestation that bad needs a damn good shower to rinse all that bug material away. Just killing them and leaving that mess is no go. Might as well just toss them in the trash if you're not going to wash them off and remove the bug material.

This has to be a joke though. Nobody lets their plants get that infested.