OKay, i gave it a long enough reflexion i think... Finally i feel pretty much attracted by the "Organic" category although the "Micro Grows" one would have made sense for me too, because there are only 5 plants at any time under 550 Watts of CFL light in this adapted form of cultivation space: Under CFL Light: AM2, Cannatonic and BBA (2012-Oct-24) Well, maybe some more tweaking is required since now i've got only 1 Cannatonic plant left and it's not going to make it i'm afraid, as i found this a few weeks ago: "Behind-the-Window" Weak Cannatonic (2012-Oct-29) Under CFL Light: AM2 with Spider Mites (2012-Nov-25) The pesky spider mites are finally winning it seems: the parasites found my cultivation space and they're now feeding on it! My favourite regular "photo" strain doesn't seem to be happy anywhere i put it and i was lucky with 1 "auto" to obtain about 12 g of dry weed... Most unfortunately the impact of Neem oil was marginal so now i've started searching around again but this time i won't be able to germinate until i'm confident i can manage with this infestation! By chance i have some hope after reading on a possible RoseMary based remedy, i wonder. Otherwise i'll have to start reading about mushrooms! I thought this would help: Under CFL Light: AM2, BBA (2012-Nov-19) Humidity... Well i didn't really observe a protective effect as there was damage in the end anyway.
Just clean your entire grow area with a bleach/water mix, wipe everything you in the room down walls included. In your next grow spray neem oil once a week until week 2 of flowering, neem works way better as a preventative Edit- make sure no plants are growing cut all them down first, basically start from scratch
Salutations jPinkham, A scratch is all that's going to remain before Christmass has arrived so i've decided to test geraniums. If they die too the bugs have won, essentially, and then i'll need to find some other hobby as that's definitely not how i was planning to spend time in search for more serenity!... If they survive then i may want to try essential oils, whatever. I wonder what plant can resist them which can be vaped and provide a pleasant trip, euh... Thanks anyway.
try getting some chive plants to put in next to them companion growing might be some help here also some hotshot pest strips using both as helped me control mites late into flowering
Hi TheVines2, Thank you for the advice, that's the sort of information i'll need for future searches!
chives onions garlic rosemary i personally will grow some rosemary and chives with my outdoor and in the same room as my indoor def helps prevent them if you do it from the start the smell of those plants helps repel the mites also as what was said earlier in the thread using neem as a preventative rather than to get rid of them works wonders
Prevention, i'm afraid, needs to be integrated into any cultivation project prior to its launch. I've learned that recently, good to know but then i've found some bold statement here: THAT'S WORTHLESS! Such reading made a lot of sense to me, it tells me i'd need an arsenal of products to conduct rotations - plus there's a real possibility those parasites had an opportunity to develop resistance already... So, that's going to become a bit too involved for me, the idea of sanitizing a whole area in hope nothing happens would be magic thinking so i guess that's only the begining, etc. I really am going into a period of reflexion as that's leading light years away from simple widow growing as i used to imagine it... Yet, thanks again for the support as i took note of your mention about RoseMary (since i was interested by this a while ago).
Quick update. Well, maybe not as there's Carbon Dioxide (suffocation) which even The Borg of our gardens just can't adapt to... The bad news is they'll survive at a concentration as low as 5000 ppm while it seems plants will die at 20000 ppm or so, not to mention CO2 hardware can be deadly for humans and hence i figure it could prove to be an involving/expensive solution, ultimately. But at least there's some hope now when i had none left before. In the meantime... Hummm... How many would i need for 1 flood exactly?
Salutations everyone, There's been no working solution so far but i gave it a good thought and eventually found something possibly worth testing: Colloïdal Silver is said to kill mite eggs, in addition to inhibiting the ethylene cycle, which would allow me to grow false (XX) heathy males instead of doomed females. Eventually i'd be able to havest my own seeds, etc., etc. It may not seem ideal to most people but given my specific context i'd say a nice false male is preferable to a female hosting Spider Mites anytime! My quest for testimonies hasn't been too stimulating so far but i finally have hope again. ^_^
UPDATE The next project will split in 2 parts, first a window sill female-to-male ("reversed") Cannatonic session using CS sprays for pollenation purposes and then autofem purple ladies under CFLs in a semi-open structure integrating this machine into my concept: That's an air purifier featured with an ionizer and i intend to evaluate it as an ozone-based repellent for nuisible parasites There are no conclusive tutorials to help me so i'll need to find out for myself how much is too much and hence it will be powered through a 24/7 timer to control ozone concentration within my enclosure's walls (see 2012-Dec-8 post). Opinions range from deadly danger to humans to fantastic and safe for cannabis growing so that's why i've selected a small domestic appliance which is said to be OKay in a ventilated room - otherwise i guess Walmart Canada wouldn't have them anyway. So far i figure it's better not to make it run for long periods as i want to stress invaders without hurting my culture, while still using it on a relatively regular basis as a preventive measure. The mylar circumvented space measures at most 57" (L.) x 23" (D.) x 48" (H.), there's no top and i've cut 2 large openings on the side to promote convective heat evacuation. If i open the window and close the door when leaving this room then that should result in a higher ozone concentration inside my cultivation space if compared to the whole room, e.g. without affecting my own living space beyond its door. I suppose i coud start with a 3 minutes ozone cycle every 10 to 30 minutes but it's not clear to me just yet how many hours daily, nor if it wouldn't be preferable to do this at night considering that ozone breaks down as oxygen... In any case my theory is that the machine's internal HEPA filter would possibly "neutralize" ozone in between cycles (via customization or using another machine) in order to avoid continuous exposure, hoping this will suffice to prevent mites from feeling at home during bursts. If it goes as planned i'll attempt breeding between a Cannatonic (started in February) and a Purple Ryder #2 (started in May), hoping i can get High-CBD autofem seeds if lucky, ultimately... If an infestation occurs i'll have 2 solutions to try where i had none before: CS sprays in low concentrations, ozone flooding below serious harm threshold. Obviously, my difficulty here will be about defining the proper concentrations, but that's still providing me some more hope than the idea of miticide rotations, etc. Finally, the effect of ozone on terpenes would be a maginal issue to me as i appear to be sensitive to those. Consequently i don't really care if ozone kills aroma/taste at this stage, at least not as long as The Borg can be defeated - but i won't know this until i've given it a fair try! ^_^
Holy shit dude, you've been battling this mite problem for over 2 years??? Here are some posts that may help you: Same thing with Spider Mites (specifically) - they have a 7-day reproductive cycle that requires follow-up in 72 hours and again in 72 hours and that will break the cycle. And because of how these neem compounds work the first response by a new user 'This isn't working! I sprayed it yesterday and they're still there!' - they sure are because these are biopesticides - they work by inhibiting the digestive process (anti-feedants), messing with their reproductive functions (sex), etc. If you want immediate and total cure then use Spinosad - a fermented bacteria culture. You want to get the undiluted products from either Captain Jack's Deadbug Brew (stupid name) or Monterey Gardens Undiluted Spinosad If you buy a Spinosad product that is pre-mixed you'll be back looking for more help. They are worthless - just like pre-mixed neem oil products. Save your money. Within 24 hours of application you will not see any Spider Mites. This benefit will last several days at which time it will naturally degrade but if you're concerned then hit the leaves with pure water to remove the bacteria culture. Adding Aloe Vera juice (Lily of the Desert brand - non-preservative version) at a health food store and some liquid Silica (Si) like Dyna-Gro Pro TeKt will increase the benefit of Spinosad as well as neem and/or karanja oil mixes. HTH LD and You simply take a cup or two of lavender flower 'pods' (or whatever they're called) and place them in a 1 gallon container and fill with water. You only have to let it sit between 36 - 48 hours. Strain out the flower bits and toss them in your flower garden or feed them to your worms. Take this tea and mix between 1/4 - 1/2 cup with enough clear water to make 1 gallon of foliar spray. Add 1 tsp. of Pro-TeKt (liquid silica) and spray your plants from top to bottom - get the underside of the leaves where spider mites, thrips, white flies, et al. like to hang out. Not only does this tea kill live mites but it causes the eggs to explode - literally. You can enhance this concoction by adding 1/2 tablespoon of kelp meal as kelp contains agents which inhibit spider mites from hatching. Spray every 2 days for a week and you'll be spider mite free. One warning about using it outdoors is that unlike spinosad (a fermented bacteria product) or neem tree products, lavender is NOT kind to beneficial insects - particularly bees and butterflies. Watching your overspray should be a consideration especially for native plants in and around one's garden. Fermenting the lavender flowers would be even better but that takes a couple of weeks whereas this process is pretty quick. HTH LD
If you were to apply the Spinosad, then apply the Lavender tea regularly..... Whoooooo-boy, those mites would be f*cked! Make sure to get Spike Lavender.... the more fragrant the better. And when you strain out the lavender flower bits, don't put them in your garden, just toss them. There is a chance they could ferment and cause major problems for your plants. Once you use the Spinosad and Lavender to get them under control.... use neem oil and occasional lavender/garlic teas as preventative maintenance. Also, putting neem meal in your soil mixes will help your plants build up their 'Systemic Acquired Resistance' (google for more info) to pests and disease. Jerry used the Spinosad to tremendous effect..... http://forum.grasscity.com/organic-grow-journals/946124-jerrys-organic-obsession.html/page-62#entry14003356 If you start reading at that post, and keep going for a few pages, you can see how he eradicated his spider mite infestation. And he hasn't had any major re-infestations.
A year ago I bought a ready to use spray bottle of Captain Jacks Dead Bug Brew at the hardware store. Now I can't find it anywhere in the county. I searched high and low for anything with Spinosad listed in the ingredients and found a Monterey Gardens product with Spinosad listed among the ingredients at one store. Should I buy it all up? I found this on Google: ß Regulation Spinosad is a product of bacterial fermentation. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (U.S. EPA) has classified it as a “reduced-risk†compound (U.S. EPA, undated). Because it is a naturally-derived, low-impact pesticide, spinosad labels carry the signal word “Cautionâ€, the lowest human hazard signal word assigned by the U.S. EPA. Products containing spinosad were first registered for use in California in 1996. Spinosad is not regulated as a restricted material. Criteria for a restricted material designation in California include posing a danger to public health, or a hazard to crops, domestic animals, farm workers, or the environment. Restricted materials are possessed and used by persons only under permit of the county agricultural commissioner. While spinosad is a naturally-derived insecticide and a “reduced-risk†compound, the formulation registered for use in California in 1996 does not qualify as organic because it uses a synthetic chemical to retard spoilage. The registrant, Dow AgroSciences, recently received a federal registration for a new spinosad formulation without the spoilage retardant that qualified as an organic pesticide under federal and state guidelines. While not yet registered for use in California, this new spinosad product may be used to combat major pest infestations under Federal laws that allow temporary pesticide registrations (“Section 18†and “Section 24câ€). The special registrations are time and/or site-specific. A “Section 18†is an “emergency exemption registration†that usually must be approved by U.S.EPA and extends for up to one year. It may be renewed only if the emergency continues or reoccurs. A “Section 24c†is a “special local needs registration†that may be issued without prior approval by U.S.EPA. It has no automatic expiration date.
Monterey Gardens is a good, quality product. As my above post said: "You want to get the undiluted products from either Captain Jack's Deadbug Brew (stupid name) or Monterey Gardens Undiluted Spinosad." Whether you should buy it all up or not.... that's up to you. Spinosad hasn't been banned from the market or anything, so I don't believe there will be a shortage soon, if that's what you're worried about. I'd say buy double whatever your current needs are. That way you'll have some on hand in case they try to come back. But no need stocking up dozens of bottles.
I agree with Gandalf 110% - get the Spinosad. You want to buy the concentrate though, even of its online. The ready to spray bottles are a joke. Get the spinosad and spray the entire plant especially under every leaf every 3 days for a couple of weeks and the mites will be gone. J
Salutations, It's been a constant preoccupation since i 1st discovered i had Spider Mites around, yes. By chance i realized in November 2013 that cooler temperatures slow them down enough for my purpose, that means next time i'll probably use an air conditioner in combination with the other means mentioned previously. None of Canadian Tire, Rona or Walmart local stores appear to carry spinosad products i'm afraid, and even if they did i'd only use it to save a female intended to grow seeds, eventually. The worst part isn't about parasites, it has to do with the amount of time i lost trying to make up my mind in lack of convincing testimonies. Yes, it took me this long but now i finally have the hardware to provide a colder environment, generate CS sprays and ozone. If i happen to find spinosad products in my little remote town (where even the train station closed down lately) then of course i'll consider picking up a bottle. Additionally, i did locate a natural products store but the cost for RoseMary oil was too much and hence this only confirmed my preference for potential solutions as those i've considered here. Maybe i'll fail, it's a risk i'm willing to take because of the possible benefits for me in the long run: cold air, CS sprays and ozone are an affordable option if it can be made to work reliably; my problem isn't to decide what i want to use and how, it's about timing (e.g. which period of the day, how long and how often)... ^_^ Well i do appreciate the recent attention expressed here anyway, hoping this doesn't seem like pure mindless rejection of otherwise popular options! Also, if i were to start another thread i'd most likely choose the Micro Grow category even if my insistance to avoid the classic avenues might be somewhat compatible with going "organic": it's definitely not a quest for performance and perfection as i only seek serenity through an accessible hobby. In any case thank you everyone for all of your suggestions, sorry if i fail to meet expectations!
Cool man! I thought you had "no working solution" and were looking for suggestions. No one here has any expectations projected onto you... grow whatever way you choose man. Good luck!