vegetable-based horticultural oil works best. It's every bit as effective as neem oil, yet it's cheaper, non-systemic and practically odorless. Pepper sprays work well to control pests, but it's nasty to work with and can't be sprayed during flowering. A few applications of a highly refined horticultural oil and you'll be rid of mites for good. However, stay away from petroleum based oils and never spray your plants under lights or you'll cook them.
Howdy THC&me!
Very nice post, with some excellent feedback. Please allow me to comment on your fine post with my personal knowledge and 30 year experience.
Thank you!
Quick Notes
1.) Please give us an all-natural example of the "vegetable based Horticultral oil." The name, the ingredients, and where it may be purchased or where one might find the recipe. Our readers would love to know. Thank you!
2.) Yes! Pepper spray is nasty to work with. No pain no gain.
3.)
No. One may use it ( caliclean ) up to the day of harvest.
4.) Like the unknown horticultral oil you note in this post,
caliclean is only a few applications also.
5.) Yes!!! Never, never, never, put a petroleum based product or solution on one's plant's
6.) Lights burning plants while spraying is a 50/50 topic. Here is the
science...
Plants will endure strong light, its usually
the heat that hurts leaves. Water on leaves may refract -like a magnifying lens - all the photon emissions that pass through the water; thus, concentrating the photo emissions on a focused area. This photo-refraction typically translates to heat. If the light is intense enough ( the Sun ) the focused photon concentration's heat may potentially hurt the plant - depending on the size of the drop. The bigger the drop, the greater the focus pulled by refraction. Mist is fine, and typically plays little role in overheating - or
micro-boiling the cells in the leaves beneath the large water drop. However, in indoor situations, artificial light has no UV, or more intense radiation spectrums, so misting and watering is usually benign.
If you are lighting your plants with carbon arc lights ( like the studios use) you may have a problem. I've seen a few movie sets where the electricians kill the greens (plants) brought on set with their high-intensity arc lights.
lol
Therefore, in conclusion, one may mist or spray thier plants during the avearge light cycle without harm indoors. I use caliclean in full light, with no harm what-so-ever.
GREEN LIGHTING NOTES:
The goal indoors is to mimic the outdoors. When I deep water and mist my kids, I reduce the light for half a day by 1/2 the intensity. I switch off half the bulbs on every main leader circuit. This mimics natural events like rain, where the sky goes dark. The plants really seem to like this. I will also reduce the light intensity by half during transplanting for two days, this seems to have a positive effect in the plants transition to a new soil environment and condition. On super hot California days, I will shut of half the lights to lower tempuratures, promoting healthy internal hydration.
The world is not perfect: Storms, wind, clouds, rain, dust, pests, hot days, cold days, etc. Its OK to mix up your environment. The plants have 600 million years of experiance to deal with varible environmental change.
My best,
PEACE
calibuzz