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Great info, thanks chemchris for posting that.
Buddy, if your growing on that level, you need Met 52. Then you don't even need to worry about it. You in Denver?
Seamaiden: it is sometimes difficult to tell where the root aphids are coming from and I too used to discount the idea that they were likely to come in bags of soilless mixes. As Altimood pointed out, however, it is certainly within the realm of possibility that they could, sometimes, make their way into bags of soil.
Just in the last few days I had a tray of cuts, taken by me, rooting in roots organic coco under a humidity dome in a sealed and "clean" veg area. Low and behold they were teaming with fast moving little white bugs, probably springtails, and I found fungus gnat larvae in there too. That is partly why I started this thread. Also, yesterday I opened a new bag of Roots Organic soiless mix and inspected a few handfuls. I found springtails and also something that looked like the pictures bongerilla has on you tube of "micro" root aphids. I confess that I am new to posting on these forums (been lurking for years though Root Aphids drove me out of hiding) so I have not yet looked into posting pics or I would.
Anyway, as far as, how you got them outdoors in perlite, they probably were in the local environment or maybe they were on your initial cuttings. The point is there is more than one way Root Aphids can get into your garden, just because you picked them up from the immediate environment around you does not mean that is the way everyone else gets them every-time. Also 10 years ago they were extremely uncommon, 15 years ago almost no one ever had them. Now they are endemic. So if the environment outside your room is the source why were they unheard of in indoor growing 15 years ago?
I think the most likely source of contamination is cuttings being passed around (no more clone trading/buying for me). ( The rise of coco and coco mixes seems to have suspiciously coincided with the prevalence of these pests something to think about). Others potential sources of Root Aphids include potting media and the general environment.
Buddyhemphill: I ordered MET52 from Green Mountain Harvest in Colorado; you also might try Endless Green in Napa.
I would suggest that the home-grower (home anything) has a next-to-impossible task if their goal is to make a room truly sealed and/or clean. The vast majority of people don't know how it's done and their P&P, assuming that have one, doesn't include clean room techniques, nor does it include quarantine, etc. My foundation comes from the aquatic ornamental and public aquarium world, where there are different levels of given techniques applied. What if you were able to put a sterilized batch of soil into this sealed room and left it? Do you think it would remain springtail-free? Do you ever get spiders? Springtails in and around the bags themselves makes sense, but root aphids doesn't.Seamaiden: it is sometimes difficult to tell where the root aphids are coming from and I too used to discount the idea that they were likely to come in bags of soilless mixes. As Altimood pointed out, however, it is certainly within the realm of possibility that they could, sometimes, make their way into bags of soil.
Just in the last few days I had a tray of cuts, taken by me, rooting in roots organic coco under a humidity dome in a sealed and "clean" veg area. Low and behold they were teaming with fast moving little white bugs, probably springtails, and I found fungus gnat larvae in there too. That is partly why I started this thread. Also, yesterday I opened a new bag of Roots Organic soiless mix and inspected a few handfuls. I found springtails and also something that looked like the pictures bongerilla has on you tube of "micro" root aphids. I confess that I am new to posting on these forums (been lurking for years though Root Aphids drove me out of hiding) so I have not yet looked into posting pics or I would.
Let me suggest some agricultural reading for you. This is how I learned some of the methods for dealing with root aphids once I accepted that they were the problem I was experiencing. Much of the literature mentions burgeoning problems with these pests where few problems existed before. I'll have to search my bookmarks, I do have some papers I can share if you'd like, all are ag-specific, but I think much of the science and knowledge can be extrapolated to cannabis growing. So, uncommon for everyone is my take on it, not just cannabis growers. Just like weeds resistant to glyphosate were unheard of 10 years ago.Anyway, as far as, how you got them outdoors in perlite, they probably were in the local environment or maybe they were on your initial cuttings. The point is there is more than one way Root Aphids can get into your garden, just because you picked them up from the immediate environment around you does not mean that is the way everyone else gets them every-time. Also 10 years ago they were extremely uncommon, 15 years ago almost no one ever had them. Now they are endemic. So if the environment outside your room is the source why were they unheard of in indoor growing 15 years ago?
Sure, and I would accept that as a very viable vector for the prevalence and spreading like wildfire across geographically remote states. But there are other vectors as well, including air currents (look up furunculosis, it's an infection of fish of which mode of transmission is still unknown, we *think* it may sporulate and travel on the wind), clothing, etc. Also, if someone's near an agricultural region, that may increase chances of experiencing infection with these awful pests. Others as well.I think the most likely source of contamination is cuttings being passed around (no more clone trading/buying for me). ( The rise of coco and coco mixes seems to have suspiciously coincided with the prevalence of these pests something to think about). Others potential sources of Root Aphids include potting media and the general environment.
The way we tend to grow cannabis it seems like it's a 'best method' kind of technique, doesn't require special clothing, permits, licenses, isn't systemic like the imid products, and who can't make hot water more cheaply than something like Met52?
I can say also it has to do with once you have root aphids you equipment, a/c's, hoods, carbon filters, pots, dehums, and a bunch of other sources can harbor them. Most people forget about all of that stuff (a la PM) and reinfect themselves over and over making them harder to kill. I think that was my case and after a year and a half they took foot hold and weren't giving up. I can def see it coming from media. Have you seen where they process large bulk coco? It sits outside in huge piles, they throw it into a hopper with a front end loader and out comes your bricks. Package it and send it out to the 30 companies selling "different" coir. I always bought into canna because of the "quality" control associated with it (they steam it).
We are on the losing end of a battle. Indoors is so prevalent to these pests and there isn't a shortage or will there ever be. Im just glad Im running sealed rooms again. Once you get pests its a lot easier to control.
lol and BTW I change shoes and clothes and have a sticky mat in front of my door.
http://www.uline.com/BL_1762/Clean-Mat?pricode=wf579&gclid=CMa_gNT7na0CFW-HtgodBUoPIQ
Buddy:
Applications to Growing Media for Container Grown Crops:
Apply 500 g to 1.5 kg/m3 of moist soil medium, using the higher application rate when pest pressure is expected to be high. Uniformly incorporate the Met52 Granular Bioinsecticide throughout the growing medium.
Do not mix fungicides in growth medium containing Met52 Granular Bioinsecticide. Keep the plants above 16oC and maintain good drainage. Met52 Granular Bioinsecticide is grown on cereal grains that will decompose in the growing media. Pests likely to be attracted by grains, such as rodents, must be controlled prior to use of this product.
m3=35.3 cubic feet 1 cubic foot =7.5 gallons :hi: