Are these soil mites in my living soil?

[Beefcurtins]

Hi so the lady at my local store here said that these are beneficial soil mites. I couldn’t get a clear picture of it but this is it in a little jar thing. They are a brown color not white or pale. And pretty small but definitely visible with naked eye. I want to make sure that these aren’t going to cause me problems. I’m starting to get some leaf tacoing and I’m reading that bad mites can cause this. Any info is appreciated thanks.

 

[Beefcurtins]

Here’s a better picture you can actually see it.

 

[GreenGalaxyFarm]

scary, hope its the beneficial kind that eats the bad ones

 

[GreenGalaxyFarm]

from what i can read the long hind legs mean its a predatory mite, for faster mobility

 

[MiMJgrower]

8 legs is ok 6 is bad. Generally this is the rule though....hypoaspis miles is what that looks like....

 

[Lockebox]

What are they doing? I have no idea or experience what they are but I would guess if they're in the soil and leaving the plant alone she's probably right. That looks similar to images I've seen of predatory mites but I've never actually seen them so I'm curious

 

[Lockebox]

if @MiMJgrower is right you may be fixed up

 

[Homesteader]

Hundreds of types of soil mites that feed on other mites and decay. They help the nutrients break down for you. All mites are composed of Carbon, Nitrogen, Phos and sulfur. Apply those in the correct range you will house many. I think the magic ratio if I recall it is something like 50 (C) 10 (N) 1 (P) and .1 Sulfur if anyone cares.

 

[Beefcurtins]

Ok thanks guys. So she was correct in saying it’s beneficial and nothing to worry about? There’s quite a bit of them. I’ve got red wigglers in my soil and I been feeding them fruit. And the mites absolutely love the fruit. If I lift it up there’s like 30 under the fruit. Have to hope my leaf tacoing is just ph drop from molasses.

 

[Beefcurtins]

My previous plants had an explosion of springtail growth and i took some of that soil and put it in my new pots with living soil. So they definitely had a living food source before. I haven’t seen any springtails in months tho they clearly been eaten off lol

 

[GreenGalaxyFarm]

Ok thanks guys. So she was correct in saying it’s beneficial and nothing to worry about? There’s quite a bit of them. I’ve got red wigglers in my soil and I been feeding them fruit. And the mites absolutely love the fruit. If I lift it up there’s like 30 under the fruit. Have to hope my leaf tacoing is just ph drop from molasses.

just a quick tip on fruit, the worm have an easier time if they have been frozen and defrosted

 

[GrilledCheeze]

Ok thanks guys. So she was correct in saying it’s beneficial and nothing to worry about? There’s quite a bit of them. I’ve got red wigglers in my soil and I been feeding them fruit. And the mites absolutely love the fruit. If I lift it up there’s like 30 under the fruit. Have to hope my leaf tacoing is just ph drop from molasses.

Feeding your soil with fruit sounds like you're inviting all types of pests into your grow area. I'm well versed in regenerative agriculture and I currently practice holistic land management with my food crops outdoors but I'm having a tough time wrapping my head around people replicating this indoors? I guess I'm saying how do you maintain control over such a complex ecosystem when you're only providing a sample of the total inputs and interactions? I understand building a soil using a carefully measured balance of minerals, organic matter, and even microbiology but maintaining those interactions in an incomplete monoculture system sounds off to me. I see people making it work but is there any evidence of it working out long term while maintaining production and quality? Please don't take my criticism of this method as an insult, I'm just trying to understand.