Still with the spider mites, getting ready to flower - nuclear option?

redlazer

Member
Hello all,

So I'm getting ready to split some plants off to flower, and they still have spider mites on them. I keep trying natural methods - iso spray, soap water bath, neem oil - but they always come back.

I'm ready to try and find something that will kill the eggs, or will stay long enough to kill them when they hatch, but obviously something that is still safe to smoke. I can rinse them before harvest, and plan on spraying them before any significant budding.

What can you guys recommend?
 

ttystikk

Well-Known Member
Safer Insecticidal soap, sprayed weekly or more often. To deal with eggs, you kill them young, before they can lay more. This means repetition. You can even add in foliar kelp so you're giving your plants nutrients at the same time.
 

redlazer

Member
Is that really the best option though? How likely am I to really get them all?

Should I be spraying every 5 days, or 7 days? Or maybe both?
 
I am currently having the same issue . I've battled these little bastards before and in the end ladybugs won the battle,granted no matter how much I controlled environment and sealed it I still had ladybugs all over my house but they're harmless a little annoying but harmless. one time I had a mite infestation about 5 weeks away from harvest and the ladybugs eliminated all noticeable signs of the mites within 10 days the following time I noticed them about 5 weeks into vegetation but I was wrong they weren't spider mites they were soil mites and turns out those are good for the plants also turns out lady bugs don't eat them!but now I'm having this issue once again and I've got 6 beautiful ladies 6 BC Northern Lightsand 6b beautiful ladies of a mystery strand!not completely sure what the Strand is but it's definitely a sativa and Its nice and naturally purple:).but I'm getting ready to switch them into flowering and what do you know nice white dust like residue and little tiny spider mites crawling all over my plants yellowing the leaves and giving me what looks like a range of multiple different nutrient deficiencies even though I know my PH and nutes are proper. so once again I'm going to attempt to let 300 ladybugs free in my 5' x 5' room.my actual question is I've always noticed them the other times when I was already into flour or several weeks before flowering my issue now is I'm ready to flower but not sure whether or not I should delay flowering until I get the infestation in check my problem is I'm limited to the amount of space I have to grow and I fear that I cannot delay flowering any longer I'm wondering if I should just keep to my schedule start flowering and continue the battle.if I delay my flowery any longer they will outgrow the amount of space that I have but will the stress that they are putting on to my ladies cause my ladies to hermie?
 

Colorado Old Guy

Active Member
Don't let them flower till you get the bugs under control, they can ruin the whole thing for you. Sounds like you have gone the organic route, maybe you should consider a chemical solution. You are not in flower, so anything out there that's safe for tomato plants is unlikely to pollute your product as it's usually gone in a week or so. Just check the label and make sure before you use it so you don't poison yourself or others. I use a product called Triazicide from Walmart. It does the little creeps in along with a multitude of other pests. It has worked really well for me in the past and I intend to continue using it. Spray once, wait five days for the next generation and spray again. The green people will turn their noses up at this but I can assure you that it works beautifully and will keep them away for eight weeks or so. One thing you need to watch for is any hatching out about a week or so after the second spray which will indicate some eggs were left over....another spray may be necessary if that happens. There won't be many hatching so you would be safe to initiate bloom immediately after the second spray. Good Luck
 
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