Well, I decided to take the cheap/natural route first, as I believe that I caught this infection early (<$6). 1) I have wiped all surfaces in the windowsills with lysol wipes. 2) I prepared a Haberno pepper spray that supposedly kills many bugs on contact and will administer the treatment tonight. This is the thread I'm following for the pepper spray HOW TO KILL SPIDER MITES 100%: " Naturally - no chemicals" Hot water based extraction: Final product: RIP spider mites: Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G900A using Grasscity Forum mobile app
Calibuzz's "Calicleaner" is the real deal! I sprayed my plants down last night in my shower and I couldn't believe the results. After finishing, I inspected the tub and could clearly see lifeless black dots that were littered on the tub floor When I got up this morning, I noticed that my plants "perked up" and upon inspection I found only 6 dead spider mites that disintegrated upon contact with a q-tip and 1 live one. The live one looked like he was frantically searching for some untreated leaves, so I used a q-tip dipped in 100% EtOH to carefully remove the bug from the plant and simultaneously kill him (NPS works too!) I will continue to use the cali cleaner every 2-3 days, as this stuff is effective, cheap and 100% safe. Shout out to Calibuzz....you saved my crop organically and I avoided giving my hard earned money to the chemical companies. You da man!!! "Cali-cleaner" V2.0: An NPS will kill most all insects on contact, I'm guessing that this is because of an osmotic gradient that dehydrates and kills them in seconds. Next, capsaicin is only partially soluble in water, but is readily soluble in a NPS. Accordingly, using a 90-99% EtOH solution to extract the capsaicin and achieve a higher concentration will theoritically produce an even more potent organic insecticide that works on virtually all insects through two proven mechanisms! Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G900A using Grasscity Forum mobile app
Day 35: #6 went into bad shock for about 24 hours, which is no surprise considering I removed 60% of the leaves. #6 is starting to bounce back though, as you can see the leaves are no longer drooping much. In general, removing the infected leaves was a minor setback for all others, but I think we're back on track and virtually pest free. #1 seems to have really shot up and I like the short and bushy character of #5. Still no sign of preflower sex on any plant ....strange because I thought that they would flower right away (most people suggest auto-flowering stains for windowsill grows). Guess I'm getting good sun! Pests: No sign of live fungus gnats or mites this am or evening! I did find one thirp this evening though, so I'm currently preparing a double batch of "calicleaner." Also, I'm going to order molasses to improve bacterial activity and nute absorption by the roots. Plus, I'm going to order neem oil to use as a foliar spray and soil drench for long term organic/safe pest managment. Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G900A using Grasscity Forum mobile app
#4 has three calyces with pistils! #1 has one calyx like formation, but no pistil yet. I made 2 self watering 5 gallon pots this weekend, so I'm planning on transplanting soon. I'm going to Alaska for a week, so this is my plan to water these ladies while fly fishing out there . Pests: I found one leaf on #5 this am that had three mites on it. I removed the leaf promptly and didn't find any other signs of pests. I must have missed that leaf last spray, as it didn't taste spicy on the bottom surface (I like to eat the trimmings). I also did another calicleaner application tonight. No sign or thirps or fungus gnats! Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G900A using Grasscity Forum mobile app
Day 40: All plants have bounced back and are gaining serious mass now! I feed the plants some more worm castings again tonight, as a local experienced grower says feeding with castings every 2-3 weeks is ideal. No sign of pests since the last post, but I'm doing another calicleaner application tonight and tomorrow I'll be doing a neem oil soil drench. Foliar spray of neem oil will happen this weekend. Pic of the six: Immamture Calyx on #4 (you can see a thin hair that is starting to emerge!): Developing calyx on #1 (I think): I plan on transferring #4 and maybe #1 to the 5 gal self-watering pots I made this past weekend. Hopefully #1 shows sex clearly by then. Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G900A using Grasscity Forum mobile app
They are rocking now could be an eyebrow raiser. So many say it can't be done this that I'm already suprised they are so big I'm rooting for you man. Have you heard of dia something earth. Diamac or something it looks like talc powder and apparantly rips bugs the shreds if they touch it. It's like razor wire to them. I mixed some into my pots. I've been meaning to test it out tbh but haven't had any flies to catch lol. I have two venus fly traps in my window since putting them in the kitchen I've had no flies come in to feed them lol. But apparently the stuff really does work and is cheap, I just hope what I brought is actually that stuff and not talc or flour lol.
Yeah man! Thanks for your support....you're the reason i kept with it, because i almost tossed everything bc of those GD spider mites!!! So many naysayers with an automatic: "oh you're going to get a joint per plant at best with a windowsill grow because of the poor lighting. Buy a $500 lighting system or your plants will die" Lol....it seems like they just keep getting bigger in the windowsill....#1 & #4 are almost 3 feet tall now. I'm going to have 6 foot plants in the end with just a windowsill!!! Yeah, I've heard of "diatomaceous earth" for pest control. It absolutely works as you describe. It's basically fossil dust, but you gotta be super careful or use a respirator when handling that stuff because you don't want "razorblades" in your lungs! It's much safer imo to use a layer of sand (baked to sterilize) on top of the soil to prevent fungus gnats from getting to the soil in the first place to lay their eggs. Since I live in a single room (studio), I was concerned about inhaling the razor particles into my lungs while sleeping/etc. So far though, the calicleaner has done wonders. I think I'll just do one more spray, even though it's been a while since I've seen any pests at all and I've already started the neem oil. Neem takes weeks to work, but it's 100% effective in the long-run at nearly all bad killing eggs, larvae and sterilizing/disorienting adult insects to the point of starvation (preditory insects are unaffected). Next grow, I'm going to start with neem so my plants are invincible from the seedling stage. The soil drench also improves root structure too, according to a controlled experiment that my grower buddy did. Amazing stuff and completely usable (non-toxic and tasteless) up to the day of harvest. I transplanted #4 to my 5 gal DIY self watering bucket yesterday and I'll post pics of the new setup soon. Going to transplant #1 also this weekend. Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G900A using Grasscity Forum mobile app
I don't think anyone says it can't be done, just that alot of issues can rise in Windows. Too me you're plants look lanky and very stretched with tons of wasted room between nodes and thin stems. All this is caused by bad lighting. You haven't even really gotten into flower when light becomes even more important. weak lighting in flower sucks ass. Low yeilds, fluffy buds, bad lighting can even effect potency. Veg can get by with less light but as as can be seen with your plants issues do happen. There's still a few months of growing left, as the seasons change the lighting may get worse. Pack on some weight and those thin stems my topple. Don't count your chickens until they hatch.
Op would be lucky if he gets an eight of some underdeveloped premature fluff. Can you put them outside?
Haha, I was gloating a bit there....thanks for keeping me in check.....I must stay modest as a nub. And yes I agree on not counting chickens before they hatch, we don't know anything before flower. However, keep in mind that I trimmed about 30-60% of the leaves off right before that pic you just looked at. Here is #4 tonight: she's putting on mass daily : Do you think that #4 is a female from the pic I showed in my previous post? Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G900A using Grasscity Forum mobile app
Dude, if I got an eighth per plant....I'd be stoked! Unfortunately, I can't place them anywhere outside because I live in a high rise in Denver....I'd bet that they'd be abducted and I'd be heartbroken No issue with fungus gnats, I think they were just black gnats that came from my trashcan which is in the same room as my plants (studio=1 room). Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G900A using Grasscity Forum mobile app
Because males pollinate females. Growing 101 as basic as it gets bro. Need to get to reading on growing if you dont know that. Unless you want some seedy ass bud that is, keep females and males apart. Pollen can travel for miles outdoors. Indoors its a bitch to clean up after. The energy the female spends creating seeds is not energy spent on bud development. Pollinated, seeded females are less potent. If you're doing a seed run great. Keep males in an isolation chamber as not to seed the entire crop. Collect the pollen and dust the females you wish to seed out.
Can't tell anything from that pic. Looks to kind of early, I don't see any pistils or evidence of male pollen sacs. Might be the pic, might just be too early On another note, I use neem in my weekly ipm program indoors and out. Amazingly good shit. Does it make your plants invincible....no. is it worth it....yes. Careful removing to many leaves. With poor lighting the less leaves there are the less sun being collected. I'm not against defoliation, I do it myself. Never 60% though.
That's obvious, when you said it would be a problem I was confused because I just assumed everyone knows to rip the male out. In my opinion it would be more of a problem if it was 2 female's because then you'd have to kill a plant that produces bud . I thought you knew something I didn't, but under further evaluation,ive came to the conclusion that you were just being really dramatic. Its not rocket science, as long as you cut the male out as soon as you can tell its sex you'll be fine...
Its definitely to eary to tell sex, the nodes are parallel. When its mature enough to flower they will alternate.
Lol I wasn't being dramatic kid, you are though and that's funny shit. I simply said putting males and females together would be an issue. You're the 1 who asked why. If you knew don't ask. Some noobs seriously wouldn't know...lol don't get your panties in a bunch man. Yep if you notice it in time but stay here long enough and you'll see that doesn't always happen with a new grower. In a large enough container 2 females would be fine. A simple transplant into a large pot. Some lst, they'll be fine.