Recently my sativas have been overrun by aphids, the fuckers spread quickly... I am trying to treat it with Neem oil, second day no clear results yet. Few questions:
Neem oil, I have diluted in the recommended proportions on water and I am spraying the plant allover, prob is... im on my 5th week of flower. Should I avoid the buds while spraying? I know any spraying of buds is likely to cause mold, question is specifically about neem oil...
Has anyone already used it successfully to control these little pestilent motherfuckers, what kind of results should I expect?
When they and if they die, do they drop off the underbelly of the infected leaves or should I still try to brush them off leaf by leaf?
How long did you have to use it? Did you spray and rinse your foliage with water after the treatment? Did it stained or stunk up your buds in any way?
I hear some ppl use it on the soil... If this does not work I am ready to go chemo on these bastards, what should I use?
anyhow, this really sucks... they specially enjoyed my one of my BB, the leafs are stained and sticky due to the massive quantity of honey they shit out. They appear to like some strains more then others, or it might just be a matter of location, thoughts?
grrrr....
BTW: I am suspicious that I have acquired such a blessing by overusing worm castings. I have added , while on flowering, a thick layer of worm castings to the top surface of the soil in all my pots. However wormshits have different drainage properties, and that top layer turned sour really quickly.... drying to fast, not dissolving with the water when watered, attracting all sorts of little insects, and hiding the real state of the soil under it. Lesson learned I guess. Opinions are welcomed on how aphids magically materialize in ones crop :-/
(If any mod can move the topic to Pest Control I would appreciate, sorry and thanks)
Full Version: aphids vs. neem oil
after the overwhelming response, I thought it would be interesting to contribute with a follow up with a report.
First, neem oil stinks and it will keep stinking for a while (about a day) but the smell will go away. Its a pain, but very important to apply from the bottom upwards (sic?), spraying under the leaves and your own face in the process. The leaves do not get sticky, I think the plant takes the oil in. My second application I mixed with detergent, since I read that it would help kill the buggers by suffocating them (I thought it was a bit weird since detergent is usually used to break up oil )
Anyhow, neem oil worked... most of the aphids were dead after the second application, the third should be enough to completely eliminate the buggers. However these bugs reproduce at alarming rates, and by what I read on wikipedia, they lay eggs, self-propagade, devide and according to Lamarck they even shit siblings or materialize when you say the proper words while holding your left testicle with your right hand after smoking a joint.
When they die, they turn black, and since they are white I thought that was convenient way of identifying their demise.
cheers.
(BTW: today I saw how powerful they will to survive is, they got to my next crop already... its on the first week of flowering, however I think spraying neem oil is a good preventetive measure regardless of infestation)
w0rd!
First, neem oil stinks and it will keep stinking for a while (about a day) but the smell will go away. Its a pain, but very important to apply from the bottom upwards (sic?), spraying under the leaves and your own face in the process. The leaves do not get sticky, I think the plant takes the oil in. My second application I mixed with detergent, since I read that it would help kill the buggers by suffocating them (I thought it was a bit weird since detergent is usually used to break up oil )
Anyhow, neem oil worked... most of the aphids were dead after the second application, the third should be enough to completely eliminate the buggers. However these bugs reproduce at alarming rates, and by what I read on wikipedia, they lay eggs, self-propagade, devide and according to Lamarck they even shit siblings or materialize when you say the proper words while holding your left testicle with your right hand after smoking a joint.
When they die, they turn black, and since they are white I thought that was convenient way of identifying their demise.
cheers.
(BTW: today I saw how powerful they will to survive is, they got to my next crop already... its on the first week of flowering, however I think spraying neem oil is a good preventetive measure regardless of infestation)
w0rd!
Hiya DF,
Personally I would not use even neem oil 5 weeks into flower even for sats, I would just try to bear with it now and brush off what I could by hand with a toothbrush daily. But if I was forced I would Take them outside and pray with the garden hose to try and wash some off it, but if you use neem oil 5 weeks in won’t it still be wet inside the buds when you harvest. Lowering the temps a little will slow them down from reproducing and a decent oscillating fan would help slow them a little, any thing to make life harder for them.
That’s what I would do if I had those 5 weeks in.
Good luck,
GG
Personally I would not use even neem oil 5 weeks into flower even for sats, I would just try to bear with it now and brush off what I could by hand with a toothbrush daily. But if I was forced I would Take them outside and pray with the garden hose to try and wash some off it, but if you use neem oil 5 weeks in won’t it still be wet inside the buds when you harvest. Lowering the temps a little will slow them down from reproducing and a decent oscillating fan would help slow them a little, any thing to make life harder for them.
That’s what I would do if I had those 5 weeks in.
Good luck,
GG
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