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I am starting a new series for ‘Grower Tips.’ Essentially, I will post a question on my Facebook wall and see what responses come up. These tips don’t come from me; they come straight from Facebook fans, so take them for what they are.
The question posted this week was ‘What is the best way to get rid of spider mites?’ Here were the responses:
Shaun Paton – “F.Y.I. ladybugs hunt down spider mites, also the ladybugs do not harm the plant in any way, much better than using pesticide.”
Bryan Shanon Hercules Hart – “Zero Tolerance by Ed Rosethal; it’s all natural and smells great.”
Ellis Worthington – “Mark Heinrich swears by something called Mite-Rid.”
Tammy Freire – “Johnny we tried everything natural we could for a couple of years and finally had to go chemical with a product called Avid. It destroys the little sucker’s nervous systems. It made my hubby have a neurological seizure after he applied it so if you use it mask up, shower and detox! It has been 6 months and no mites though! Hallelujah! They are the borg! We were only getting an 1/8 a plant when it was at its worse. Now back up to 2 oz. + per plant!”
Phil Cannabisni – “In the past few days I read that someone puts a plant (forget which type) into the grow room and this plant is like caviar to spider mites so they are attracted to it, they then take the plant out every few days and replace it. Sorry I can’t give more details.”
Vinnie White – “Neem oil and dish soap.”
I would like to thank all of those that responded to the post, and to all of the readers that are dealing with spider mites right now, MAY THE FORCE BE WITH YOU! Feel free to post comments for any other tips and tricks dealing with spider mites!
The plant philcannabisni is refering to is ”sweet hibiscus”…it is like finest nectar,to spidermites and they will leave your ganja plants alone. Failing that, Neem oil (cold press !) use half recommended strength and RINSE after about 2 – 3 hours…don’t use on budding plants. Failing that, work with them…brush carefully off cuttings. The plants will start to evolve natural defenses, anyway. Failing that, put them outside in warmer weather and let natural preditors deal with it. Failing that…then grow something else !!
find some lady bugs/birds and leave them around… they eat spider mites, my mum does this for her roses
After doing a google search for sweet hibiscus, I am back here. Perhaps you might know the scientific name of the plant?
I have never heard of anyone using the sweet hibiscus plant, so I don’t know where to get it or even what it looks like!! I have always used ‘Floramite,’ which is a powerful, expensive chemical, but it works everytime. My friend had the worst spider mite infection I have ever seen, he did one application, waited a week, then did another application and he is mite free for 2 years now. It was like night and day. I know this stuff costs a ton of money, but you only use 1/4 of a teaspoon per gallon, and it works like a charm. Buying a 32oz. bottle is like buying a life time supply for you and your 10 closest friends, and it kills the mites forever. Other methods will kill the mites, but they always come back. Floramite kills those suckers for good. I don’t usually give my own grow tips online, but this product is so good that I don’t have any problem endorsing it.
As with almost ANY spray, you can only use floramite during the veg stage. Spraying your plants with ANYTHING during the bud stage could cause some major health problems!
I have heard that if you have a CO2 system in the room you can raise the levels to a toxic level….be careful as it can be toxic to humans too. Raise the CO2 up and hold it there for a few hours once a week or similar pattern and repeat.
Sorry, I don’t have specifics on what level of CO2 and how long.
Spider mites are a huge problem in NorCal — EVERYONE has them. Dip any clones you get from another person. Screen & spray your intake fans.
Use floramite, avid, foggers, 50/50 rubbing alcohol & water, neem, safer soap, sucrashield, you gotta mix it up; the mites become immune to chemicals very quickly. Keep the floor of your room clean.
Once you are in flower, you can apply azatrol systemically, but once you start to flush, the bastards will return!
You can try ladybugs, but if you spray with 50/50 alcohol, you will kill the predator mites or ladybugs.
Unfortunately, I can’t crank my CO2 super high/toxic level because the grow room is inside my house.
I’m gonna try the hibiscus, but the last 2 weeks are the hardest. Last grow was not as bad as this one; for some reason it varies — could be the strain of mite.
When you’re fighting them at the end, make sure you break up the webs. You can use a small vacuum.
Once harvested the mites crawl up, so be sure to wipe the top of whatever you are hanging your buds on to dry and kill them!
I read somewhere where someone hung their live plants upside down so the mites would be on the popcorn buds, but that isn;t gonna work for most people with a room full of plants.
Always watch your plants closely and try to isolate the infested plant. You can rig a CO2 gas chamber for individual plants.
Good Luck!
Blasting Co2 to 10000 ppm does not work, I’ve personally tried it, sealed my room pretty good, got a co2 controller that reads ppm s up to 9995 ppm. I unleashed the whole bottle and had a remote camera from another room to view the co2 readings which was locked at 9995 for 2and1/2 hrs then I decided to to air out the room(turning on intake and exhaust) soon room was back to 700 ppm, checked plants, spidermites happily still trucking along. Since then , I’ve been spraying with SNS-217 spidermite control, stuff works great kills them dead and dosn’t burn plants like other sprays, I even spray when lights are on (note) I’ve only sprayed in veg room under 600 metal halides so I don’t know if hps and spraying in flowering will burn or effect taste.
it is so simple make the environment unlivable for the Borg just lower the temp below 60 degrees and humidity above 6o and they will leave and if that doesn’t work make a wood cover for pot`s and wash them upside( the Borg doun`t like to be right side up) down with a jet of water from a hose in sink i have my sink above a toilet so leaves and everything down the john end of invasion. Groovy.a man no chem.and the plan-tie`s don`t mind a shower.bot 177 shower`s wooosh
these stupid spider mites DESTROYED my first garden. ughhh so lame. thanks for this great article on combatting these f**kers