white fuzzy spots on leaves

[SmokinTrichs]

Like the title suggests..

I have a few clones each in their own gallon of Fox Farm with plenty of drainage. Every time I bring one home they thrive like crazy for a few weeks then end up with white fuzzy mold spots on random leaves every time. My humidity is average about 40% between 24 hour period but can get up to 60% at night when no lights or fans are on. Is this my problem?
If so, I cannot grow indoors without purchasing a dehumidifier. I don't even think one would fit inside my 2x2 tent!

Any help you guys can provide? Need more info? Using 400w HPS cooltube. Temps 83-85* all day and night never goes over. I hardly water the things at all for fear of moisture. They do extremely well for a few weeks and not a single sign of trouble and then they break out in white fuzzy spots on the leaves. Starting to piss me off. The one that just broke out in spots is the first time I actually got one as far as budding. It has like 15 bud sites on it and I'm PO'd I have to chop it down now. I don't want anything to do with mold! Help me out!

Thanks in advance..

[kerenski]

sounds like mildew, your main option there is ventilation... 24/7! you said your fans are off at night, wouldn't recommend that...
generally, mold needs cold, dark, damp and stale conditions to thrive, also if you have a lot of leaves touching each other they form pockets of moist air which favor mold.

so, as much circulation and ventilation as possible should do the trick for you

also what you could try as a preventive measure or even after an infestation is neem oil, that stuff's harmless to humans but does wonders against most pests and even fungi and mold, and it's 100% organic

good luck

[SmokinTrichs]

I'd like to add,
I have bubble buckets in the same space and those plants in the buckets do not get the white fuzzy spots on them.

edit:
Thanks for the help above =)

[SmokinTrichs]

Bump

You guys think the bubble bucket plants are more immune to humidity / Powder Mildew issues? Or are the plants in my buckets immune because they are a different strain?

Anyways,
I bought some "Safer 3-in-1 garden spray" for mites, fungus and insects from the LHS.
I thought I might have seen a tiny spot of the mildew on a 4" clone this morning that I just took off the desired strain problem plant plant before flowering and put in a bucket this time instead of soil. I sprayed the stuff on the clone and I no longer see PM on the clone for now. I'll know if it works soon but doesn't seem like it will be an end all solution.

I've tried adding fans at the doorway of the room and the humidity doesn't seem to drop too much. Keeping my fans going 24hrs now too. Doesn't seem to help! I saw that one spot on the clone this morning before I sprayed it.

Is it that strain or the mother or what? Argg.

Also I had searched this subject before as "mold" when really it's a mildew. Searching as mold did not help much but a quick search of powder mildew brought up tons of information and even homemade concoctions. Figured I'll just go with the "Safer" spray for a while until flower time and see how that works out.

Once I get past the mildew I think I have the rest pretty much ironed out. Learned too much info on here just from searching.

PS
here she is when we chopped her down. 1 week into flowering. After removing several fan leaves spotted in PM a week prior.

[SlackerBee]

Sounds like powdery mildew ... suck.
Some strains are quite obviously more resistant than others.

I have not dealt with it in a long time, but if you have any flowering plants infected, spraying baking soda/water on the plants is harmless, but will alter the surface ph enough to knock the PM way back until harvest.

PM and mites are the two best reasons I know of to build a quarantine cabinet for new acquisitions.


Good Luck,
Sinc.
SlackerBee


.

[SmokinTrichs]

Yeah I was actually thinking my master bubbas may have picked it up from a raggety casey jones clone I brought home recently. No signs of problems until then.

Well you learn something new every day.

Maybe I can clear up the clones and be back on my way to master bubba happiness.
Got some bagseed bubblin on the back burner that might be done just before then to hold me over. Hopefully I can figure out if those are m/f soon.

Thanks for the tips.

[SlackerBee]

Yeah man, that's how it happens to most people, but PM is ALL OVER the PNW most years. If you do any outdoor gardening or even hiking thru the hills, it's a good idea to change clothes before going into the garden.
In my area I only seem to notice occurrences outdoors from mid to late summer into fall. Outside of that time frame, I'd only be concerned with new clones coming in.

It's beatable tho ... and you've learned a valuable lesson.


Peace,
Sinc.
SlackerBee

[SmokinTrichs]

Humidity is crazy in my room.
I added more fans and I got the humidity outside my grow box down to 55% max last 24 hours from 60% max.

Still has me nervous running so high. I think I might stick one of these tiny things in my 2x2 grow box. Anyone ever tried anything like this before? Worth my $$$?
Sunpentown Mini Dehumidifier - SD-350 : Target

or this
NEW 1 Pint Portable Mini Compact Dehumidifier Air Dryer - eBay (item 190300681165 end time Oct-10-09 12:23:27 PDT)

Seems like something like that could help a tiny 2x2 room ey?
little 2 liter collector?

[kerenski]

if you can spare the money i guess its worth a try