Anyone have an idea of what this might be? yellow spots on leaves.....

[Beachwalker]

Morning Fellas......just read through the thread. Thank you to all who've replied.

Beach, I will post an underside of a couple of the worst leaves once lighting is better out there.

I've calmed down some since yesterday (a little green ninja helped a bunch with that ) and a good nights rest. I am leaning towards the neem oil right now. I administered it in the morning and it was dry before the sun came on it, and I used an emulsifier and diluted it really well......but these plants just don't like it (I'm intuiting this?) combined with the other negative commentary here......I should have WAITED for proof of an infestation.

I sat down last night with the plants and told them I was sorry.....and had my jewelers loop and looked around the leaves. These are the pests I was able to find (along with a giant black ant who came crawling out of the soil in one pot----not pictured).

I live smack in the woods. LOTS of other foliage is within 10 feet of my fenced in area. Bugs galore. Humidity galore (at least right now). The thing is.....my friend lives only 15 miles away and he grows trees (but only grows photos and plants in amended soil in ground).

I thought these autos would be a breeze......not so,lol. Every issue is new to me. And since I did--- what I now to believe to be "too much homework" I had all my supplies on hand and felt ready for anything.

From now on I am going to wait for PROOF of an infestation.....not just seeing a few bugs. I guess I was maybe being too proactive here? I just know the clock is ticking on these auto flowers and didn't want it to all get away from me.

After inspecting them.....I misted them off to attempt to cleanse them some (no direct sun). Based on this mornings visual....it didn't help. But maybe my eyes will see something different when I finish my morning coffee.

I have two bubblegum seedlings a few days old in the grow box. Looks like that's a good thing

EDIT: there were only 3 bugs.....the close up of the ugly maggoty looking thing on the paper towel is the one I found crawling on the bag. The really tiny worm and fly were on leaves.

Now......I DID see very few little webs. Just really a scant amount. But there were also a few black flecks (spider mite poop?). Even so, the massive damage these plants look to have ....hard for me to believe the mites could do that in a few days? but maybe.....anyway, off to see if I can get pics of undersides.

So what I think you have going on and I think you might have seen it yourself at that link I sent you, I think you have both thrips and mites

Blurry but I believe this is a thrip

Mister Dirtbag may be the person to speak with about thrips as he helped me cure my issue with them, and I wouldn't be surprised if he could make some recommendations regarding the mites, as I have never successfully defeated mites

 

[Dr.B]

One thing to remember when using neem oil. The best stuff is the stuff you mix yourself. Unrefined virgin cold pressed neem oil. That way you have all the azadirachtin still intact. It only works instantly when sprayed directly on the insect. It takes a few applications to start seeing the results you want. It shuts down the pests and disrupts the breeding cycle. Looks like it would benefit you as the pest is sucking carbs from under side of your leaves. Neem works on pests that eat on the plant. Plus side is it's an antifungal to boot!

Like this? This is what I use from time to time...

 

[BogartAmungus]

Like this? This is what I use from time to time...

Yes be careful not to use too much of a strong soap like dawn as a surfactant. I reccomend Dr Bronners Castile peppermint soap or Sal Suds. Its still all biodegradable. I've screwed up some plants with dawn. It seems lto burn and be tough on tender vegetation. I set the container in warm water so the oil is fluid. I also mix with luke warm water to spray. Supposedly rosemary essential oil kills eggs. You would think neem would too. Just dont look for instant eradication. But it does work very well for me.

 

[Dr.B]

Yes be careful not to use too much of a strong soap like dawn as a surfactant. I reccomend Dr Bronners Castile peppermint soap or Sal Suds. Its still all biodegradable. I've screwed up some plants with dawn. It seems lto burn and be tough on tender vegetation. I set the container in warm water so the oil is fluid. I also mix with luke warm water to spray. Supposedly rosemary essential oil kills eggs. You would think neem would too. Just dont look for instant eradication. But it does work very well for me.

I've never had an issue with the mix/concentrations I use. I don't spray it on the plants at all anymore. Just fabric pits occasionally.

Cheers.

 

[Glassdub]

I've read this- about the sand usage... I've yet to read to the end of thread to c what else has been suggested.
med has great ideas here, too.
i found this... i suspect it's what i saw a great YouTube grower, swearing by. i can't b sure. couldn't find him, again. it resembled hydroton.

and u guys- i go with angry n sad, as an attempt at humor...

A new weapon for those gnats flying around the houseplants

Gardeners have a new weapon to combat those annoying gnats that fly around houseplants over winter -- a product called Gnat Nix that's made out of crushed, recycled glass.

www.pennlive.com

i fight my lovely g, over a singular, indoor, civilian plant n the house. the gnats come, when she doesn't wait for the DIRT to dry out, entirely, before watering, again...
they like the moisture, mj.
i always used those yellers ya got- when i was killing cannabis, in DIRT.

Yep, I think of them as peppers If they don't look thirsty I don't water, currently in 2l pots about every 3rd day or so.

 

[Glassdub]

One thing to remember when using neem oil. The best stuff is the stuff you mix yourself. Unrefined virgin cold pressed neem oil. That way you have all the azadirachtin still intact. It only works instantly when sprayed directly on the insect. It takes a few applications to start seeing the results you want. It shuts down the pests and disrupts the breeding cycle. Looks like it would benefit you as the pest is sucking carbs from under side of your leaves. Neem works on pests that eat on the plant. Plus side is it's an antifungal to boot!

I hear the stuff only lasts a year or two best, kinda lame & pricey in the end IMO if you don't use it a lot.

 

[Madbud]

OK Glassdub.......got some on the way. With a digital PH tester (getting tired of those strips). I WILL get this solved and I WILL grow my own fabulous MJ. Maybe not this grow.....but someday I will. Thanks for all the comments. I learn from reading everyones conversations here.

DrB I was just reading this about the layer of sand (a good read for anyone battling these critters) I wish I could change the title here and add 'fungus gnats' to it :

There are more than one BT’s. BTI is for gnats and skeeters, BTK is for caterpillars.

 

[Glassdub]

There are more than one BT’s. BTI is for gnats and skeeters, BTK is for caterpillars.

I think what the city used was BTK then it was for the Ohio Gypsy Moth epidemic.
Yep: http://www.onelakewood.com/pdf/2006_Gypsy_Moth_Report.pdf

 

[MerryJane22]

I think what the city used was BTK then it was for the Ohio Gypsy Moth epidemic.
Yep: http://www.onelakewood.com/pdf/2006_Gypsy_Moth_Report.pdf

OK, so.....I ordered the one for caterpillars . That's ok though, as my yard is also teeming with beautiful butterflies......come 'harvest time' (should there be one anyway) keeping my bugs free of those spawn will be nice.


[

Yes be careful not to use too much of a strong soap like dawn as a surfactant. I reccomend Dr Bronners Castile peppermint soap or Sal Suds. Its still all biodegradable. I've screwed up some plants with dawn.

Well Christ on crutches......I used DAWN in my mix. I did purchase cold pressed virgin neem, but used the dish soap as a surfactant!

I hear the stuff only lasts a year or two best, kinda lame & pricey in the end IMO if you don't use it a lot.

Yeah, but you can extend the life by many years keeping it in the fridge.

UPDATE:
Since rinsing the girlies off last night and letting a nice sunny and slightly windy day work it's magic......6 out of 10 look pretty good. And another 3 seem like they COULD turn a corner maybe......one though, it's curled up and mad at the entire world. Just an angry little plant.

I've learned some very important lessons here. Had I googled "Dawn dishsoap+cannabis" I'd have instead ordered the Castile soap. If I keep on seeing loads of fungus gnats, I'll move to the coarse sand and water using a funnel for a few weeks.

So what I think you have going on and I think you might have seen it yourself at that link I sent you, I think you have both thrips and mites

Blurry but I believe this is a thrip
View attachment 982527

Mister Dirtbag may be the person to speak with about thrips as he helped me cure my issue with them, and I wouldn't be surprised if he could make some recommendations regarding the mites, as I have never successfully defeated mites

Yeah, I had thought about thrips, too (droves of folks gush about neem for those, too). Ok thanks. I'll be out there later today with my jewels loop looking very closely for more signs. Now that the plants seem to be rebounding a bit, maybe the neem has actually become systemic? I had read that it does after a few treatments.

Putting the indoor grow on hold until the season is behind me and I assess it all.......if I end up having to buy my smoke again though and render nada.....I'll put together a nice system and just accept that Mother Nature doesn't feel compelled to assist me

 

[MerryJane22]

Oh....lastly.......spider mites are literally all over the place here in late summer. I'm going to spray my perimeter with something a tad stronger (but pet safe as I love my pups). And I definitely saw some evidence of them on a few plants, just not an infestation (yet).

I was kind of laughing earlier......so far I've invested $400 (that includes everything---LED, pots, etc etc ) and I'll probably end up with one gram. I sure hope it's GOOD

 

[BogartAmungus]

I hear the stuff only lasts a year or two best, kinda lame & pricey in the end IMO if you don't use it a lot.

I use it every 7-10 days during the outdoors growing season. I have an ongoing problem with ants and aphids. Bastards never go away. Amazingly resilient pest the ants are. Im going to try another round of beneficial nematodes. Not on purpose, I bought the wrong ones haha I needed sf for fungus gnats lol I bought hb sc I think. Its probably getting too hot outside for them but I have them so might as well use em

 

[Glassdub]

Yeah, but you can extend the life by many years keeping it in the fridge.

I read it was about 2 max "if" refrigerated, I have had my keg a year, just used a few times, kept cool but not refrigerated, does not smell rancid IMO.

 

[Glassdub]

I use it every 7-10 days during the outdoors growing season. I have an ongoing problem with ants and aphids. Bastards never go away. Amazingly resilient pest the ants are. Im going to try another round of beneficial nematodes. Not on purpose, I bought the wrong ones haha I needed sf for fungus gnats lol I bought hb sc I think. Its probably getting too hot outside for them but I have them so might as well use em

I was going to try nematodes at one point in my veg garden but I was kinda worried they were the same kind that fucked up garlic.

 

[Glassdub]

Oh....lastly.......spider mites are literally all over the place here in late summer. I'm going to spray my perimeter with something a tad stronger (but pet safe as I love my pups). And I definitely saw some evidence of them on a few plants, just not an infestation (yet).

I was kind of laughing earlier......so far I've invested $400 (that includes everything---LED, pots, etc etc ) and I'll probably end up with one gram. I sure hope it's GOOD

The plus of living in a only med legal state, I can't even be tempted to grow outside, plus I live in a mostly urban suburb so it would walk away pretty quickly if I did.

 

[MerryJane22]

Yeah....we were made legal here for 12 plants a home not too long ago....pretty generous really. And I'm glad cause that leaves room to lose a few and maybe still succeed with some?

I read 3 years for neem in fridge, but who knows? it has all kinds of supposed uses, guess I'll look into them.....

Just ordered a bunch of parasitic wasps for the thrips.....I have seen the silvery residue they mention here. How many bugs will I have to battle? Who knew I'd willingly add wasps to my yard? lol, wow.

 

[MerryJane22]

Amazingly resilient pest the ants are.

Are ants an issue, too? I have a few big black ones who've dug burrows into a few plants.....I wasn't sure if they'd damage anything?

 

[BogartAmungus]

Are ants an issue, too? I have a few big black ones who've dug burrows into a few plants.....I wasn't sure if they'd damage anything?

If they are farming or protecting aphids they are. Big black ones sound like carpenter ants maybe??? The ones I am battling are a red/brown looking ant. Ive tried all the home recipes using boron. Tried with sugar, honey, agave nectar and peanut butter peanut butter in case they wanted protein for the winter. They avoid it like the plague. Tried baits. Only thing I have found to be effective is Bifen XTS and a granular Bifen. Its a pyrethrum based. It's not to be used around food plants OR weed for human consumption.

 

[SPARECHANGE]

One thing to remember when using neem oil. The best stuff is the stuff you mix yourself. Unrefined virgin cold pressed neem oil. That way you have all the azadirachtin still intact. It only works instantly when sprayed directly on the insect. It takes a few applications to start seeing the results you want. It shuts down the pests and disrupts the breeding cycle. Looks like it would benefit you as the pest is sucking carbs from under side of your leaves. Neem works on pests that eat on the plant. Plus side is it's an antifungal to boot!

ZEALOTS!
[great add. I'm stealing this quote for my thread! ty, bmongus!]
u guys want me to post, one of the organic neem, i suspect, recipes from one of the books- think... yeah, i think it's the back of the limiting factors of something, or other, but he's all about the organic side; non salt ♡♡♡♡...

and bmongus- u wouldn't happen to have your garlic ;D crusher recipe, would u? for here n so i can share it around, at your expense, gratis?

 

[SPARECHANGE]

OK, so.....I ordered the one for caterpillars . That's ok though, as my yard is also teeming with beautiful butterflies......come 'harvest time' (should there be one anyway) keeping my bugs free of those spawn will be nice.


[


Well Christ on crutches......I used DAWN in my mix. I did purchase cold pressed virgin neem, but used the dish soap as a surfactant!



Yeah, but you can extend the life by many years keeping it in the fridge.

UPDATE:
Since rinsing the girlies off last night and letting a nice sunny and slightly windy day work it's magic......6 out of 10 look pretty good. And another 3 seem like they COULD turn a corner maybe......one though, it's curled up and mad at the entire world. Just an angry little plant.

I've learned some very important lessons here. Had I googled "Dawn dishsoap+cannabis" I'd have instead ordered the Castile soap. If I keep on seeing loads of fungus gnats, I'll move to the coarse sand and water using a funnel for a few weeks.


Yeah, I had thought about thrips, too (droves of folks gush about neem for those, too). Ok thanks. I'll be out there later today with my jewels loop looking very closely for more signs. Now that the plants seem to be rebounding a bit, maybe the neem has actually become systemic? I had read that it does after a few treatments.

Putting the indoor grow on hold until the season is behind me and I assess it all.......if I end up having to buy my smoke again though and render nada.....I'll put together a nice system and just accept that Mother Nature doesn't feel compelled to assist me

smart, mj... about waiting for indoor... for seasonal reasons, to exploit the free light n weather conditions. a simple kit would've saved me more than I'll ever admit n then, just customizing after realizing... i need to b open to spending more .

ever tried, or considered ordering ladybugs to poop on em and praying mantis'?
sux, when the neighbors get em, as runaways, but i ordered some for black thumb momz, yrs ago and occasionally, hdepot, sells em. pet stores can probably order em, as well.
far as the butterflies n cattapillas go: murderer !

 

[SPARECHANGE]

Oh....lastly.......spider mites are literally all over the place here in late summer. I'm going to spray my perimeter with something a tad stronger (but pet safe as I love my pups). And I definitely saw some evidence of them on a few plants, just not an infestation (yet).

I was kind of laughing earlier......so far I've invested $400 (that includes everything---LED, pots, etc etc ) and I'll probably end up with one gram. I sure hope it's GOOD

keep the faith. i know u know, probably better than i do: it happens... it's not only an investment in people, from my perspective, as EVERYONE i run into, here, helps our communities, but i view it and cms monies... as future medical expenses ... as they crap out a pittance of reality.