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Predatory Mites?

420 grower

By 420 grower
in Caregiver Issues

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PCGoldenState Newbie

PCGoldenState

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Has anyone tried predatory mites. To get rid of spider mites? They attacked another plant and nothing is working. Help!

 

I posted this in another thread earlier today, but I'll answer again here. I'm a somewhat amateur MJ grower, with only a couple closet "projects" under my belt. However, I was the operations manager for a 1400 acre citrus property for 6 years in California. Mites were a constant problem and in that size a property there's no possible way to completely eliminate them. I used 3 methods to control the mite population. First, there is mineral oil. You spray this over the plants and it will suffocate the mites and eggs. In citrus, oil treatment delays fruit maturation 2-4 weeks which is undesirable but when they get completely out of control this method is highly effective. I'm unsure what effect oil has on MJ yields or maturation. Maybe someone here could answer this question. Secondly, there are chemical pesticides that will kill mites. Personally, I wouldn't want to put those on something I'm going to smoke. Thirdly I released predatory mites into the orchards on a yearly basis. They are voracious little guys and will feed on the eggs of other mites. Under a mag lens they look like little alligators. They are highly effective, but since they eat the eggs and not the mites themselves their effect does not happen immediately. However, they will feast until all the eggs are gone and then die off but not before laying their own eggs. If your mite problem returns, they will repopulate and attack again. I had to reintroduce them annually due to use of commercial pesticides we used for scale, katydid, worms and other pests which killed "beneficial" mites as well as other "bad" insects. In a home grow, you should not have to reintroduce over and over. I've seen web sites which sell predatory mites through the mail, so hit Google and give them a try. Hope this post helps. Good luck.

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Captain Obvious Advanced Member

Captain Obvious

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Dust your plants with Food Grade Diatomaceous Earth and the bugs will be toast. Dust again later to kill the off spring. High CO2 rates will also Kill the Little Vermine or use a Hot Shot in your grow room to get ride of these pest.

 

I use diatomaceous earth on the top of my soil and switch to Green Sand when flowering to control the nasty bugs. The bugs have to go down to the soil for a drink and they get all cut up by the DRY diatomaceous earth/ Green Sand and DIE.

 

 

There are many other ways to control these little critters, just do a google search.

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Captain Obvious Advanced Member

Captain Obvious

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Thanks pc that does help. N captain u sound against predatory mites ? Are there any disadvantages? I want to get rid of them for good, have done the d.e. thing... didn't takem out...

 

Not against predatory mites, have never had to use them. They require food to survive and I would rather prevent a major breakout before they are needed. This spring in my Secured Greenhouse I do plan on using ladybugs to see if they can control the little nasty critters.

 

Everyone has little critters, some more than others, so we have to fight them all the time to keep their numbers in check. D E has to be used on a regular basis to keep everything in check. D E will only kill the live critters and the eggs will survive, so D E has to be used all the time to keep those critters numbers down. D E must be Dry to work, the day after I water my plants I sprinkle a very light layer over the top of my soil during Veg. I switch to Green Sand for Flower and have yet to see a critter. I have seen eggs, so they must be around but their numbers are very low and controlable.

 

Everytime you go outside or goto a hydroponics shop you are bringing little critters to your grow room. Invite a friend to help you with your grow and they may be bringing little friends with them.

 

If you Grow them (MM) they (little critters) will come, so we just have to contol their numbers on a daily basis.

 

If you have a huge problem going on now use a Hot Shot if you are not to far into flower. The Hot shot along with Neam Oil should solve your curent problem.

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coxie0527 Advanced Member

coxie0527

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drtarzan posted a mite thread that indicated that he has 2 solutions. I've used mite-rid with success, but, I'm not sure about using it in late stage flowering. Another product I've used with great success is; Wise Solutions - "colloidal insect control" . It's all organic, non-chem, non-toxic, all natural ingredients, and it's actually good for plant health, (just NEVER use with lights on, and wait 4 hours before turning them back on after application). This can be used right up to harvest. Both of these put down the nasty intruders.

 

Mites - not if, but when. Be ready.

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PCGoldenState Newbie

PCGoldenState

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drtarzan posted a mite thread that indicated that he has 2 solutions. I've used mite-rid with success, but, I'm not sure about using it in late stage flowering. Another product I've used with great success is; Wise Solutions - "colloidal insect control" . It's all organic, non-chem, non-toxic, all natural ingredients, and it's actually good for plant health, (just NEVER use with lights on, and wait 4 hours before turning them back on after application). This can be used right up to harvest. Both of these put down the nasty intruders.

 

Mites - not if, but when. Be ready.

 

The Wise Solutions product looks good. It's oil based, should suffocate those sobs. PH is 9.7, keep an eye on that.

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  • 2 weeks later...
medicineman420 Advanced Member

medicineman420

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I like Indica's response...i never thought of sugar water to keep the lil buggers from flying (ladybugs)

 

You can get some predatory mites if you dont mind them flying around your grow (ladybugs), getting trapped in the hood of your light or living in the duct work of your grow...

 

your best bet would be to get ahold of Dr Tarzan and order some mite-rid asap ive seen it take care of a 2 yr old infestation...I heard forbid spray also works but i would go with the tried and true method....

 

i have used azamax in my 1st grow a couple yrs ago and only used it for three week treatment during veg but i felt it left a residual taste in the herb...and another friend used it during flowering and their meds tasted like chlorine i would shy away from Aza imho

 

mite-rid is a foliar application that works in disrupting the mites lifecyle...i now spray clones i get as a preventive measure and i havent had bugs in 2 yrs knock on wood

 

if your in flower well thats another story you can always get some tanglefoot and brush your plants its a pain in the but and doesnt really work but it will remove the webs...also the co2 as mentioned

 

i would get the diotecious sand, invest in CO2 and mite-rid and also invest in some no pest strips from the depot hang a couple in your flower room

 

As for your meds check em under a scope after harvest and make sure to tell your patients about the mites...dont want sick people harming their lungs or getting vertigo from smoking mite infested bud (1 of the many side effects)

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mibrains Advanced Member

mibrains

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Has anyone tried predatory mites. To get rid of spider mites? They attacked another plant and nothing is working. Help!

 

 

420 did u try predatory mites? i have been reading and researching and they may be a good thing if you get thie right ones...

just thought i would ask before a friend and i try some..the triple threat...

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420 grower Advanced Member

420 grower

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I've tried the mite rid doing two treatments 7 days apart. I haven't tried predatory mites. I thght my veg room was all good then I noticed two small plants with tons of mites on them. Other plants have one or two here n there. I mixed water, green works dishsoap, and alcohol to kill them then I treated everything with green light fruit tree spray.

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