Ants + The dreaded spider mites - this a good schedule?

Discussion in 'Sick Plants and Problems' started by 1sttimegrower, Nov 22, 2011.

  1. So I got mites on my indoor scrog D:
    Not surprising since I have to pass by my outdoor garden to get to my indoor, and they're all infected.
    I doubt I can ever get rid of them 100%, and if I do another set will just piggyback inside, so my aim is control.

    Planning on spraying inside of dark times, or with the lights moved 4-5 feet away from tops.

    So this is my spray schedule now for getting rid of the current infestation
    I picked up a handheld-can pyrithium fogger, doctor doom, that I'm going to use tomorrow. This is day 1
    Day 1 Dr Doom
    Day 3 heavy mist
    Day 4 Neem oil
    Day 6 heavy mist
    Day 7 Spinosad A D
    Day 9 heavy mist
    Day 10 Zero Tolerance
    Day 12 heavy mist

    Following this will be my regular schedule
    Day 1 Doctor Doom if large infestation, Neem if controlled infestation
    Day 6 heavy mist
    Day 7 Zero Tolerance / Neem is Doctor Doom was used
    Day 12 heavy mist
    Repeat

    Would this schedule cause any problems? My outdoor got some bad burns eventually when I was running the first time-line, but I really want to introduce the oils to the plants. Right now the only thing on them is some ZT, which is why the mites came in.

    Should I grab azamax? I'm skeptical about the product since a fellow grower I know used it, but never got rid of his mite problem (he was a halfhearted grower, so I don't think it was 100% the product fault)

    Also, can anyone tell me if spinosad does shit to mites? I saw it @ the hydrostore with another product as effective against them; I bought my spinosad for caterpillars.

    And, has anyone here sprayed neem just a few hours after pyrithrin bombs were set off? Would the pyrithrin burn the plant with neem introduced?

    AND!
    ants; what the hell should I do about these? I noticed a trail inside today. Smashed the fuckers and sprayed their entrance with pyrithrin (didn't know if it would work, it does! hilarious (but evil) to see an ant stumble into the room, stagger around, then collapse) and lined the floor leading to my plants with garlic powder. I can't imagine the pyrithrin lasting long on the floor, and I don't want garlic all over the place (can I get mold from this?)
    Going to pick up some bait traps (which did NOT work last time) to see if they'll help.
    What have you guys used to deal with ant problems? (preventative measures)

    THANKS GC
     
  2. I've had a terrible mite problem in the past.. Infested both veg and flower rooms.. Ive tried EVERYTHING sold over the counter.. The one and only sure fire way to get rid of these things is to bring temps down below 75 degree's.. Mites THRIVE in warm dry environments 80+ << Spider Mites, worse problem i have EVER faced
     
  3. Really? I was told the opposite actually, that they dislike high(90+) temperatures.
    Could someone weigh in as for what would be better? Keeping temps down wouldn't be too much of a problem. I think if the cooler temps work, I'd do that since the 90+ likely stress the plants.

    The mite problem from this post was taken care of by higher humidity (put a bucket of water in, and after the first doom and neem sprays they disappeared). Lately(past 2 weeks) though I've stopped doing my bi-weekly spray of water (tried to dry out the pot its in for some problems and the room became relatively dry) and they came back with a vengeance. Didn't check on them one night, and the next the leaves were dotted all over. Going to try the lower temperatures in conjunction with sprays (just did some neem tonight; in a couple days I'll be washing the leaves and hitting them with pyrethrin from DrDoom and follow that with regular spraying). Might even grab some ladybugs, haha.
     
  4. I really hope that will work for you... Since i keep my temps at 75 during "Lights On" it has to drop down to mid 60's when "Lights Off" I havent had a single spider mite... I've tried Dr Doom and almost killed my plants just using the product.. Try the cooler temps.. But like i said, anything over 80 degree's these mites go mad and will kill a plant in no time..
     
  5. DrDoom is a horrible product IMO, and im only using it as last resort. It kills everything (INCLUDING spiders D: ), and each time I got the auto release foggers (that you set in a room, then leave) my plants looked terrible and got even more infested because of the stress. But the hand controlled sprayer is slightly better.
    I have to set my lights at 75% to keep temps down, but I think its worth it for the mites. Going to set up a better venting system for the whole room soon; had to for flowering, may as well get it started now.

    Havn't seem an actual mite today, only eggs and scars, so I think the temp + doom --> neem worked again haha. Also have the bucket back in there.
     
  6. Check again in a few days, those eggs will hatch and you might need to treat and repeat..
     
  7. Just got 1500 ladybugs; going to release 100 a day until all gone. If needed I can order more, haha. There are still mites for sure; hoping the ladybugs help kill them off. Switched to lights on during the day, off at night, for flowering and the extra heat has helped the mites survive.
     
  8. I hope it works for you.. didnt work for me.. Only ONE thing completely got rid of my mites, COLD ! ! !
     
  9. Yeah, the heats gone up because I switched to light in the day... Mites are alot worse. The lady bugs sorta work to keep em back, but I think the cold is better. Getting a humidifier in there while they don't have buds so RH can stay higher up. If this doesn't work out I think I'll have to switch the light schedule again, to keep overall temps down (its warmer in the day and colder at night now, before it was just cool all around.)
     
  10. are you sure you have spider mites?

    ants love aphids, as ants eat aphid poop.

    get a picture if you can. aphids are extremley destructive.

    set up a few ant traps you get from home depot.....each ant that enters takes back a bit of the poison to the colony....than they all start to slowly die off.

    -OSUB
     
  11. No, I know its 100% spider mites. I've seen their damage a little too much to not know it, haha. Also know how they look; with the little white eggs and these are the brown buggers. I watered today with sledgehammer and followed that up with some azamax added into the original mix. Most of the remaining ladybugs clustered around the drip hose though, so I'm worried my last defense against total mite take over might drop dead in a few days, haha. I don't want to spray anymore neem or DrDoom as my leaves are already really shiny from the treatments, and I've had some slight pyrithrin burns. Crossing my fingers the azamax pulls through.

    The ants are gone, or at least haven't surfaced since 2 waterings. I think I just spotted their scouts, and my DrDoom's killing them and poisoning the entrance probably deterred further exploration. I have some old ant traps, 6 months, and I set out some new ones when I saw those ants. But I don't have much faith in them; the ants never seemed to touch them when I had major ant problems last winter.

    And I know what you mean about aphids; a bush out front is covered by these gigantic black spikey fuckers. I don't think a ladybug could eat one; a fight between the two would be interesting. Pretty much ant cows, with ants going up and down tending them. I love how we think we are so dominant and all, and here are ants with their societies under out feet, all over the place. Insects truly rule the world in their numbers haha
     
  12. Try Floramite it's pretty expensive and really strong. I spray Floramite 1 time make sure you spray the whole plant top and bottom then wait 3-4 days and spray azamax or azatrol same way top and bottom. Then 3-4 days later I spray neem oil. Then 3-4 days after that I hit them with the azamax or azatrol again. I usually only use the Floramite if I have mites but the azamax and azatrol I spray to prevent them. I only do this in veg and up to the 2nd week in flower. If u still see mites I would hit them with the Floramite again about 3-4 weeks apart. If you can't find Floramite I heard forbid and avid work. Foggers work but I find they cause too much stress so the only time I use foggers is after harvest and the room has no plants in them.
     

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