Mites!!

mastrmasn

Well-Known Member
im about 2.5 3 weeks from harvest and I’ve had mites for a few weeks now. It’s getting cold at night where I’m at slowing them down. I don’t have any webbing in the buds or on any other parts for that matter. Being in Canada it was hard to acquire some Aramax and Monterey Spinosad.

What should I do? Do I spray or just hope for the best?
 

thumper60

Well-Known Member
im about 2.5 3 weeks from harvest and I’ve had mites for a few weeks now. It’s getting cold at night where I’m at slowing them down. I don’t have any webbing in the buds or on any other parts for that matter. Being in Canada it was hard to acquire some Aramax and Monterey Spinosad.

What should I do? Do I spray or just hope for the best?
I would ride it out with the temps we got coming they wont be hurting anything
 

mastrmasn

Well-Known Member
Worst part is my only place to dry is in the garage where I have a 3x3 tent with stuff in it about 2 weeks behind this one.
 

ltecato

Well-Known Member
Keep an eye on them but hold off spraying, since you're so close to harvest plus as I understand it they really need warm, dry weather to thrive. Matter of fact, if it won't rot your buds, maybe try misting or spraying with water, as some people say the moisture really messes up their life cycles. In fact, I've seen special hose attachments that allow for spraying under leaves and the companies that sell them claim they are great tools for getting rid of mites. But those are for general gardening purposes, not specific to cannabis. So it would work fine on a rose bush but I'm not sure it would be a good idea for your plants at this stage of flowering, due to the possible mold risk.

Another thing, don't laugh but I've heard you can just blow the little bastards off your plants with a hair dryer or leaf blower. Since you're growing outdoors, I'm betting that you've got natural predators that are already helping to control the fuckers. So, if you just dislodge them from the plants, they have to trek through "miles" of hostile territory to get back, and a lot of them are going to get eaten before they can return. In theory, at least.
 

Miyagismokes

Well-Known Member
below 60 they barely eat or lay eggs
I'm aware. Unfortunately, it's 9am and a smooth 65 outside, and supposed to peak in the 80's.
In summer I use neoseiulus californicus predator mites, and in fall amblyseus Andersoni (the former being more heat tolerant, the latter cold tolerant), but this year some ground cover plant hosted spider mites without me noticing and sent my system all awry. Thought I had them beat, but they had just moved....
The whole situation is unusual for me, as I've never had spider mites outdoor before, I was guarding against Russets initially.
 

Seawood

Well-Known Member
im about 2.5 3 weeks from harvest and I’ve had mites for a few weeks now. It’s getting cold at night where I’m at slowing them down. I don’t have any webbing in the buds or on any other parts for that matter. Being in Canada it was hard to acquire some Aramax and Monterey Spinosad.

What should I do? Do I spray or just hope for the best?
I’ve been battling them as well on a couple plants. All I have been doing lately is spraying them down with cold water. Mine are in pots on my deck so it’s easy to just lay them on their sides and spray the undersides of the leaves. Really works well. Knocks them back for a couple of weeks. Just make sure you do it at a time when the plants can thoroughly dry out and try not to blast the buds.
 

petert

Well-Known Member
im about 2.5 3 weeks from harvest and I’ve had mites for a few weeks now. It’s getting cold at night where I’m at slowing them down. I don’t have any webbing in the buds or on any other parts for that matter. Being in Canada it was hard to acquire some Aramax and Monterey Spinosad.

What should I do? Do I spray or just hope for the best?

How many plants are we talking about here? I’d pluck the worst leaves and wipe the underside of of the leaves with a 10/1 solution of ISO and water, using a sponge or cotton ball.
Just keep them at bay until you harvest.
Spider mites don’t bother me at all anymore, luckily I have very minimal issues this year.
 

petert

Well-Known Member
PS. If they are for sure spider mites and you’ve got 3 weeks?
Think about getting green lacewing lavea... they eat a shitload of mites and their eggs! Way more than Andersoni!!
 

mastrmasn

Well-Known Member
PS. If they are for sure spider mites and you’ve got 3 weeks?
Think about getting green lacewing lavea... they eat a shitload of mites and their eggs! Way more than Andersoni!!
I’ve thought about that but being in Canada it’s hard to get my hands on predators.
 
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