Hey guys, I know there are a million threads about this but what is one more... I have been dealing with spider mites "the Borg" for a few weeks now. They were getting so bad I thought about throwing away all my full seasons and starting again. I used Avid, Forbid, Pyrethrins, sulfur bombs, caliklean, mighty wash, and pretty much anything else you can name with little to no success. Then I stumbled onto a research study that said at 60%co2 and 20% o2 there was success at 15 hours and 30 degrees Celsius. Obviously I couldn't mimic the growing environment they could in a lab, but I knew I could get ghetto close.
Step one: get co2
- I went and got myself a 20lb tank and got it filled at a welding store. A brew store should be able to help you out as well. $180 this treated 150 3ft plants, with less than half a tank
Step 2: grab some clear 55 gallon garbage bags from Home Depot. $15
Step 3: place plant in bag, and fill the bag with co2
Step 4: tie the bag closed
Step 5: remove plant after 1 to 1.5 hours
Step 6: check plant
Step 7: Pat yourself on the back
Step 8: comment here to let people know this works and I am not full of s***
IMPORTANT NOTES:
-co2 at these levels is toxic to people, be careful it is best to do this in an environment with plenty of airflow, or outside
-The plant needs to be under intense light while being treated or it will show signs of toxicity. I.e leaves start tacoing or folding on themselves, they won't bounce back from this. Looks much like overwatering or suffocation
- I HAVE NOT TRIED THIS ON FLOWERING PLANTS, try at own risk. It should work but I don't know if buds are more sensitive.
- I am not kidding about the light, do it during the day and in the sun, or under your grow light.
- I have not tried with LEDs
- I don't know why It needs to be under light, I assume it has to do with the plants ability to process co2 during photosynthesis, but it could be the light heating up the gas as well
- I don't know if this kills the eggs or not, I think it basically makes them unviable, I will try to post an update when I am sure the eggs won't hatch.
Good luck and happy hunting.
Step one: get co2
- I went and got myself a 20lb tank and got it filled at a welding store. A brew store should be able to help you out as well. $180 this treated 150 3ft plants, with less than half a tank
Step 2: grab some clear 55 gallon garbage bags from Home Depot. $15
Step 3: place plant in bag, and fill the bag with co2
Step 4: tie the bag closed
Step 5: remove plant after 1 to 1.5 hours
Step 6: check plant
Step 7: Pat yourself on the back
Step 8: comment here to let people know this works and I am not full of s***
IMPORTANT NOTES:
-co2 at these levels is toxic to people, be careful it is best to do this in an environment with plenty of airflow, or outside
-The plant needs to be under intense light while being treated or it will show signs of toxicity. I.e leaves start tacoing or folding on themselves, they won't bounce back from this. Looks much like overwatering or suffocation
- I HAVE NOT TRIED THIS ON FLOWERING PLANTS, try at own risk. It should work but I don't know if buds are more sensitive.
- I am not kidding about the light, do it during the day and in the sun, or under your grow light.
- I have not tried with LEDs
- I don't know why It needs to be under light, I assume it has to do with the plants ability to process co2 during photosynthesis, but it could be the light heating up the gas as well
- I don't know if this kills the eggs or not, I think it basically makes them unviable, I will try to post an update when I am sure the eggs won't hatch.
Good luck and happy hunting.