Killing Spider Mites - What Works Best For Me

[MamaBear]

GDP in a greenhouse means spider mites. No way to get around it. I've learned to live with them, or at least know they will always be there and I will have to stay on them constantly. Trying to keep a positive attitude . . . they wouldn't be there if I didn't have delicious, healthy plants, right?!

I grow organic so pesticides are out. I'm pretty sure I've tried just about everything: habanero juice, neem, soaps and herbal extracts.
A few things I do/don't do:
1) I only spray in the evening just before dark
2) I don't spray after they are in full flower
3) I don't spray if I've got a good bunch of natural predators going
4) I make sure to get top and undersides of all leaves and stems

These are the 2 products that work the best for me:

Quantum Apocolypse (neem oil concentrate).
Not sure what they do to it but this works better than any other neem product I've tried.
Kills everything (even eggs) in 1 spray. 2nd spray in about a week if they are really bad.
Smell isn't too bad and disappears in a few days.
Neem gives me a terrible blistering rash, so I wear gloves that go up past my elbows, long pants and full shoes which sucks in the hot summer.

Organocide 3-in-1 Garden Spray
Found this stuff at local home center. It's made with sesame oil and edible fish oil.
Stinks to high hell like dead fish for several days (don't recommend for indoor grow) but smell dissipates pretty quickly after that.
Kills everything (even eggs) with 1 spray. 2nd spray in about a week if necessary.
Some residual effect, bugs take quite a while to come back even after only 1 spray.
Comes ready-to-use with sprayer on a long rubber tube (very cool).
Got this all over myself and no rash or itchiness. My skin actually felt great!

Organocide is cheaper, works just as well and is better for my skin but the smell is pretty bad.
Overall, I'll probably stick with this one. Nasty stink for a few days is way better than itchy skin blisters or having to wear a hazmat suit.

 

[416T.O]

Any idea where they come from and how to avoid them I'm a out door grower and just starting to get seedlings going in my tent for indoor

 

[MamaBear]

They come from where all the other bugs come from . . . everywhere outside. And they LOVE cannabis. They are small enough to be blown by wind and can fit through window screen. It's hot and dry here which is their preferred weather, they don't like cold or damp. After blooming starts, I won't spray with anything but water. That seems to knock them off pretty well. But you have to make sure you spray the undersides of all the leaves. Once knocked off to the ground, it's a long trip back to the plant and they usually don't make it. I spray my greenhouse floor regularly (pea gravel floor) to kill anyone wandering around. Do this regularly and you'll keep them in check. If you start seeing eggs/webs, you're gonna have to spray with something to kill them. When they start hatching, your plants will be over-run with millions of them. A few won't hurt the plants, there's plenty of leaves to share but a teaming colony will kill a plant.

If you're gonna bring those seedlings inside, dip them first. Mix up your favorite "remedy" in a bucket, grab the whole seedling by the pot, turn it upside down and dip the whole plant. Do this in the evening - just before dark. Dip them again in 5 days. DO NOT put those babies in with your inside plants till you do!!

 

[MamaBear]

Thanks! I'll check it out and give it a try!

 

[ronvmpc]

Google green cleaner for mites.