# Spider Mites



## monkerz (Jan 24, 2009)

I am flowering with spider mites. What can I spray on them to try to lower the amount of mites on the plants? 

Can I use just soap and water?


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## 4u2sm0ke (Jan 24, 2009)

there are many weapons..i just used DR DOOM in my shed..if they are not bad use neem oil  soap and water. How bad are they?  and how many plants?  what is the temps?  but most in portant is the Humiddity? I sometimes use a hummidifier to raise it..Mites dont like it..doesnt kill em  just slows them down..I grow in a shed out back and so I am aware I will battle bugs  and do an okay job..but sometimes I pull them if they look to be getting bad..good luck 2U..:bolt::bong:


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## 215zealot (Jan 25, 2009)

Man, dont use soap and water.  Go to your local hydro shop and grab some Neem oil, Einstein Oil, Or any organic fungicide with CHrystanthium(sp).


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## Hick (Jan 25, 2009)

Soapy water, iso/water mix, or a pyrithrum based insecticide/miticide are all options in 'controling' an infestation.. BUT, IMHO/E, it will require much more drastic actions in order to rid your grow of the borg.
  Avid, or some of the foggers(Dr. Doom, ect.) have good results. Then an entire sterilization of the room, fixtures, fans, EVERYTHING... before starting up again.
  Just typr "spider mites" into the search feature here. You wil have plenty of reading and plenty of quality info' and reviews on what does and doesn't work..


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## _Sir Smokes Alot_ (Jan 25, 2009)

Hey does anyone have any pictures of spidermites? I have never seen them..and i wan2 know what i should look out for?


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## Hick (Jan 25, 2009)

there are pictures on the forum. yep... just search and find 'em..


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## The Hemp Goddess (Jan 25, 2009)

_Sir Smokes Alot_ said:
			
		

> Hey does anyone have any pictures of spidermites? I have never seen them..and i wan2 know what i should look out for?



They are very, very small.  You almost need a magnifying glass to see them.  Generally the first indication you have mites is little white places on your leaves where they have sucked the "juices" out.  They are usually found on the underside of the leaves.  In addition to higher humidity, cooler temps also slow down their reproductive cycle.


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## blancolighter (Jan 25, 2009)

Sometimes a little spidermite Family will set up can one one of my leaves, I wipe em off with a neem mix in a sponge, which gets all the eggs as well as the mites. Its a bit tedious but well worth it I think. Dr Doom is great too...


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## INTHEDES (Jan 25, 2009)

neem oil with a drop (spreadder)of cascade.do this every 4 dayz and there gone in 2 weeks.the neem oil scrambles there mind,flyng insects forget how(spray on some nats and check it out),insects forget how to mate/eat/drink,eggs normally don't hatch.I've seen plants webed out(entire buds covered),seperated,treated and still produce some kick azz smoke.


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## _Sir Smokes Alot_ (Jan 26, 2009)

I _hate_ spiders...haha where i live our wood pile can have hand size ones crawling on your arms while your bringing the wood in! It is sooooooooooooo scary. Especially wen i'm ripped haha


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## Kindbud (Jan 26, 2009)

lol i hate spiders too gives me the shakes if you know what i mean (they freaks me out)


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## slowmo77 (Jan 26, 2009)

i just bought some insectasidal soap from homedepot thats safe to use on fruit and veggies up to and on the day of harvest. it says it kills on contact but is non harmful to us. it cost under 6 $ so its worth a try. i'll let you know how it works


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## The Hemp Goddess (Jan 26, 2009)

INTHEDES said:
			
		

> neem oil with a drop (spreadder)of cascade.do this every 4 dayz and there gone in 2 weeks.the neem oil scrambles there mind,flyng insects forget how(spray on some nats and check it out),insects forget how to mate/eat/drink,eggs normally don't hatch.I've seen plants webed out(entire buds covered),seperated,treated and still produce some kick azz smoke.



I recommend changing the treatment you are using every other time or so--they develop resistence to treatment fairly fast--for example use neem oil for a couple of treatments, safer's soap for the next, iso and water for the next...


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## Rockster (Jan 26, 2009)

I think your best route is fogging as spraying buds isnt best practice.

Neem will impart a taste,its good stuff but is a bit gacky just like insecticidal soap which is for smooth plant surfaces that can be washed,unlike pot.

Chems which kill them can also damage your pistils and if the pistils from spraying die,the calyxes suffer and seem to produce less resin,maybe because its not viable anymore,dunno?

Also with spraying/wetting its a potential mold problem if not done correctly.

The only cannabis friendly in flower spray I know is SP Plant Invigorator and I don't know if you can get that in America as I'm a Brit in the UK. 

Hope this helps.

Oh and forget about beneficial bugs to control them,they are ok in a veg room but on 12/12 they don't do the job,not Phyto. Pers. anyway.


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## TURKEYNECK (Jan 27, 2009)

same old question.. same old answers.. and EVERYBODY has the answer till your leaves curl up and then the "pros" are M.I.A. goodluck.


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## dubblehue (Jan 27, 2009)

I rotated Doktor Doom and insecticidal soap, and anti bacterial soap and they still LIVE!


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## slowmo77 (Jan 27, 2009)

i hit mine with the insecticidal soap and haven't seen another one yet. 

i could be wrong rockster but doesn't the fog settle on the leaves and buds just as a spray would. you know like fogging up a window. think about it and get back to me. i'd like to understand this better


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## nikimadritista (Jan 27, 2009)

How long can Mites survive without food??
I had my grow room empty for about three weeks....
Would that be enough to kill the mites left in it from my last grow??
I Didn't sterilize fans and lights.... :hubba:


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## Hick (Jan 27, 2009)

nikimadritista said:
			
		

> How long can Mites survive without food??
> I had my grow room empty for about three weeks....
> Would that be enough to kill the mites left in it from my last grow??
> I Didn't sterilize fans and lights.... :hubba:


three weks ain't even close... and the eggs are still around. If you had 'em before, I'll bet a dolllar to a donut, you have 'em again without a thorough disinfecting of 'everything'...


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## slowmo77 (Jan 27, 2009)

ya i figure to treat mine again in a few days, then again in a week


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## mendo local (Jan 27, 2009)

I had a bad round round with mites too, i let my room sit for 2 weeks in the dark before starting up again. I vaccumed and sprayed bleach water on the walls. They were gone when I started back up. Their life cycle from egg to mature is only like 3 or 4 days. They cant live with out water either, I think they are like 80% water. So after 3 weeks there shouldnt be anything left.


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## Hick (Jan 28, 2009)

mendo local said:
			
		

> I had a bad round round with mites too, i let my room sit for 2 weeks in the dark before starting up again. I vaccumed and sprayed bleach water on the walls. They were gone when I started back up. Their life cycle from egg to mature is only like 3 or 4 days. They cant live with out water either, I think they are like 80% water. So after 3 weeks there shouldnt be anything left.



The bleaching was probably the effective portion of your treatment that eliminated them..IMO
I can garauntee you, without cleaning and/or treating the room, they will be back in your very next grow. The eggs will lie dormant until conditions improve, are favorable for their hatching, survival and your infestation will make itself known again.


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## ray jay (Jan 28, 2009)

as anyone tried predator mites to get rid if the spider mites?


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## Hick (Jan 29, 2009)

IME pred's will help 'control' a polulation, but will never eliminate it..


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## ray jay (Jan 29, 2009)

Thanks everyone learning alot.


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## BuddyLuv (Jan 29, 2009)

Avid, Safer's soap, Dr. Doom Fogger and Prythrium sprays in rotation. I am just getting a grip on the little buggers. I should have them gone this flower. I couldn't use the Avid last time because they were in flower but it kills them dead, and remains in the plant tissue so new hatches drink the poison and die as well. My understanding is that new growth needs to be treated as it does not contain the Avid. You can use it in veg but not flower.


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## maineharvest (Jan 29, 2009)

Sorry man but you are screwed.  I just got through with a mite problem and I came to the conclusion that they are almost impossible to get rid of.  Just except the fact they are there and do any non toxic remedy you hear of.


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## whiterussian (Jan 30, 2009)

I used an organic PCO fogger from my hydro shop, it only costs 10 bucks and it does the job, try putting like 2 inches of perlite on the top of the soil to help stop future pest problems, but the fogger should do the job it killed everything in my tent, its well worth it and does not harm the plants at all


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## Hick (Jan 30, 2009)

whiterussian said:
			
		

> I used an organic PCO fogger from my hydro shop, it only costs 10 bucks and it does the job, try putting like 2 inches of perlite on the top of the soil to help stop future pest problems, but the fogger should do the job it killed everything in my tent, its well worth it and does not harm the plants at all



"perlite" is useless as a prevention device OR for eradication of "mites".  I have never used the fogger that you used, but IME, no "single" treatment of anything, has ever eliminated a mite infestation entirely.  IME, it has always taken multiple treatments over a 1-2 week period, "at least".


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## whiterussian (Jan 30, 2009)

Hick said:
			
		

> "perlite" is useless as a prevention device OR for eradication of "mites". I have never used the fogger that you used, but IME, no "single" treatment of anything, has ever eliminated a mite infestation entirely. IME, it has always taken multiple treatments over a 1-2 week period, "at least".


Oh im so sorry "HICK" maybe scratch that use sand on top of the soil, and yes an Organic PCO Fogger will stop the problem what it does is kill every bug the fogger hits and when you hot box your grow area with a PCO fogger everything is killed except the larvae, so if you killed all the matures and pack "sand" on the top of the soil it should stop his problem because i know the fogger works because ive had both insect problems and it killed both so yes theres such thing as "1 Treatment" cures


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## NorCalHal (Jan 30, 2009)

Whiterussian, I think u are confused on how spidermites live and thrive man. They are not in your soil, or whatever medium u are usuing.

MAYBE if you had one plant, a one shot treatment would work, but I still don't think so, not with a spidermite infestation.

If there was a one shot spidermite fogger that actually worked and got rid of all mites for the entire grow, they would overtake EXXON in record profits, that is for sure.

A few folks have allready stated what needs to be done. In one word...Dilligance. Multiple treatments, only a few days apart, and a few different "brands" of spidermite control is the only thing that will work, imo.


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## Rockster (Jan 30, 2009)

slowmo77 said:
			
		

> i hit mine with the insecticidal soap and haven't seen another one yet.
> 
> i could be wrong rockster but doesn't the fog settle on the leaves and buds just as a spray would. you know like fogging up a window. think about it and get back to me. i'd like to understand this better



The one I use sprays from a container and evenly disperses about the room and leaves no visible trace.,breaks down in light,has to as its used for treating domestic pet areas in homes and they don't even have extraction?

Just need to repeat a few times as it doesnt get the eggs.


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## slowmo77 (Jan 30, 2009)

sounds good to me rockster. what was it clled again and where can it be found?


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## whiterussian (Feb 1, 2009)

NorCalHal said:
			
		

> Whiterussian, I think u are confused on how spidermites live and thrive man. They are not in your soil, or whatever medium u are usuing.
> 
> MAYBE if you had one plant, a one shot treatment would work, but I still don't think so, not with a spidermite infestation.
> 
> ...


No man i know what spidermites are and the reason i said perlite was to help "FUTURE" pest problems like fungas gnats ect, all i know is that i stand by that PCO fogger it does work it kills most pests within a 1000 feet, and if your just using it in a single grow area??? come on man it kills the pests ive seen it first hand, im not trying to mislead anyone here, just passing on what has worked for me in the past.


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