Mites in the tent

[Cajafiesta]

Right, so I feel a little stupid here.  But I've finally wrapped my head around something. 

 

I've been fighting these tiny little specs on fan leaves for a while now.  Initially, I assumed it was PM, but I've never had PM before.  So pretty unfamiliar.  I treated the issue on and off as if it were fungal with some success.  Just so happens that the products I used for fungal treatment were effective on mites also.  Total happenstance. 

 

 

 

Anyhow, I finally got pissed off enough to really dig into it. 

 

Mites.  Not fungal at all.  Finally put the clues together and it's definitely mites.  It's never gotten to a full-on infestation.  I assume it's spider mites, but I've yet to see anything resembling a web.  But the mites are there.  Very small, dark spot on their back.  Eggs look like clear little orbs on the underside of leaves. 

 

 

I've found several things that seem to be effective at killing them "in the moment."   Currently switching between several concoctions, as I hear the mites have the ability to build an immunity to single products used over time. 

 

Currently spraying a solution of 90% tap water 10% isopropyl.  Also spraying a solution of Plant Therapy, Iso, Essential Oil.  Adding another solution that's essentially Bacteria-Spinosad is the active bacteria. 

 

 

The trend I'm seeing is that any of these products kill the shit out of them.  But they come back.  I assume that's due to eggs not getting killed and active breeders being missed by spray applications. 

 

 

 

 

So......   I'd love some input from someone who has SOLVED a mite problem.  Is there even such a thing?  Or does it end up in the territory of constant management with diligence where you kill them as they hatch as opposed to truly eradicating the breeding population?

 

 

It's manageable, but I HATE the feeling of knowing there's stuff in there that's malicious and just accepting that. 

[ratdog]

you need to spray 3 times, 3 days apart.

 

can you get hold of any abamectin? Pigeon mite drops are the same, that shit will destroy the fuckers.

[Cajafiesta]

I've sprayed with some degree of schedule, but not that specific schedule.  I'll give that a shot

 

RE abamectin-  I'm sure I can get my hands on it.  I try to stay strictly "organic."  I gather Abamectin is a result of some sort of soil fermentation?

 

I'll read up on it. 

 

Thanks!

[MindSoup]

I was looking for stuff the other day and stumbled across Azamax. You can't get it o. my side if the pond, but if I was where you are that's what I'd be trying. It's basically the active ingredient of neem but in a much more convenient format. Deadly to anything that feeds on plants but more or less harmless to all other instects. As @ratdog said, 3 applications, each 3 days apart should get rid of them them, but mites are notoriously hard to completely eradicate, so maybe do the initial treatment and then keep giving regular sprays for a a few weeks after that. Don't just spray the plants either, try your best to cover all surfaces and everything that can get wet. 

 

Seen a few other people using smoke bombs which work really well because they reach every nook and cranny. 

 

Not sure if it works on mites but I've been battling thrip for months now with just about every predator available and it wasn't working, so I used fly spray (advised by @thekingofobsolete) and it seems to be working a treat. 

 

I'm assuming your talking about plants in veg btw, not sure I'd be spraying anything on flowering plants, I'd be too worried about contaminating the bus or causing rot. 

 

Good luck with it. 

Edited April 9, 2023 by MindSoup

[sweettooth]

@Cajafiesta  azamax works great, kills all my mites, sounds like you have  the brown spotted mites that don't create webs unlike the red spider mite. had them both.

 

drench the fuck out of them, up till week 2 of flower only. ensure you're getting the stalks, top of pots and all underside of leaves

 

@MindSoupthought u were uk? I got azamax of scamazon

Edited April 9, 2023 by sweettooth

[MindSoup]

@sweettooth yeah I'm UK, I couldn't find anywhere here that sold it, not sure if I looked on spamazon mind.

 

E2A wow! 60 quid for just over 100ml. Does it have a long shelf life/go a long way? 

Edited April 9, 2023 by MindSoup

[sweettooth]

1 hour ago, MindSoup said:

@sweettooth yeah I'm UK, I couldn't find anywhere here that sold it, not sure if I looked on spamazon mind.

 

E2A wow! 60 quid for just over 100ml. Does it have a long shelf life/go a long way? 

so far yes. the Box does say for organic gardening too. pyrethrum based stuff are good too  fully organic as made from chrysanthemum flowers

[JonDaMon]

Citric acid 2-3 teaspoons per 1L of water. 
 

kills on contact keep repeating every few days. 
 

 

test spray on plants low down before spraying plants to check for any issues. 
 

fully organic and doesn’t leave any residue behind. 
 

do not root drench with this solution. 
 

 

you can then if you want to mix up some neem and citric acid as a ready mixed bottle for use during your grow as a spray. 
 

 

[Cajafiesta]

Citric acid makes sense. 
 

 

seems like a lot of shit will kill them

pretty easily. Citric acid, alcohol, I’ve heard strong coffee (caffeine) etc 

 

Doesn’t really seem like finding a product that kills them is the issue. Seems like the issue is actually managing to consistently kill all of them until breeding stock is eradicated

[Giggles]

Just beginning the war on mites myself, ordered some predators.

Amblyseius californicus.

Amblyseius Anderson.

After reading your post, I'm going to try the citric acid spray before the Predators arrive.

I only noticed 3-4 leaves with damage today and removed those along with anything close by, praying I got it early to give the predators a chance.

[Ned The Head]

I’ve defeated them with abamecetin as mentioned, before switching to no till. Was listening to an expert speak about some of the mites that giggles mentioned and apparently they can die out without a food source (mites) which would be beneficial in your situation. Also some of them turn red once they start feeding on the spider mites so that can work as a good indication. Previously I would have recommended abamecitin but now I would go with beneficial predator mites to see you through. Good luck either way - never a nice issue to have