My Experience With Root Aphids And Ecosmart So Far...

[Noel Live]

Update...

Tore the place apart! I took everything except the plants out of the room and went on a cleaning and spraying rampage. Once the entire room had been cleaned and sprayed, (with Pyrethrin) I watered the plants with a solution of 2 ounces to a gallon and sprayed them, mainly around the bottoms. When I began to bring stuff back into the room made sure it was sprayed and thoroughly wiped down.

I'm totally with you on that, Sorser. I will never use EcoSmart again. I did not have such a horrible experience but the plants certainly did not like it. And Yes! The yeild! EcoSmart plus root aphids equals 1/3 of what I would normally end up with.

I also wanted to add. I am not sure if that burning has to do with it being organic or not. I think pretty much all of the pesticides are harsh on the newer growth. All three of the ones I have used so far have cause some burning to a certain degree, you have to take it easy when spraying it directly on the plants, they will not like it if you use too much. Like pepper spray to us, it'll burn all sensitive areas.

 

[Noel Live]

Update...

No flyers. I just transplanted 12 cuts (which have been treated with Pyrenthrin) in to new pots with fresh Fox Farm OF. In about 5 days, I will drench with Pyrethrin or Triazicide (the latter suggested by Seamaiden) then follow up with more cleaning, spraying, Botanigard and Acephate 97up as final blow. But........ As of right now things are looking the best they have been since I realized I had a root aphid infestation. Wish me luck, people!!!

 

[Seamaiden]

!!!Fingers crossed!!!

 

[SiestaM]

Well... it just so happens that I already have, many times. Have you tried using the search function? It would be nice if people did that first.

Maybe use a link instead of being a smartass, that would be more kind.

 

[CBDEMON]

She did actually end up giving him an answer to his question. You're not planning on being here long are you? haha

 

[Seamaiden]

Not at that rate. I'm not paid enough to put up with a whole lot.

 

[3N1GM4]

Anyone use these?

Someone on another forum says he hangs it in his tent for 12 hours and it takes care of any pests and doesnt affect his plants, he removes it after 12 to 24 hours.

 

[3N1GM4]

Or there is this.

Calicleaner by Calibuzz

1.) Get a sauce pan - fill with one pint of water - put on lowest flame possible (do not boil !!!).
2.) Chop 4 -5 Habanera peppers fine. Chop open seeds and central membranes, as the power lies there.
3.) Simmer chopped peppers for 20 minutes - making sure not to boil (you will destroy the active proteins).
4.) When you put your head over the pan and the wispy-steam stings your eyes, the Calicleaner is ready.
5.) Pour the Calicleaner through a fine mesh strainer - a little fine grit is OK - let cool in a clean bowl.
6.) Pour room temperature contents in a mister spray bottle. Your are ready to apply.

HOW TO APPLY Calicleaner
1.) Put on gloves, and wear a mask, or at least put a bandana around your nose and mouth.
2.) Turn off all fans - you do not want this spray in your eyes!!!
3.) Spray the bottom of EVERY leaf - starting with the bottom leaves first, work up to the top.
4.) After the bottoms are done, hit the tops and the stems.
5.) Squirt liberally in new leaf pods - tightly wound new leaf growth (the small mites hide there).
6.) Get the heck out of the room till it clears.
7.) Repeat procedure with each plant.
8.) Spray the soil, the pots, and the floor or earth around the area to kill dropping mites and stop migration.
9.) Wash hands with soap and water when complete - the stuff will heat-up skin for 4 hours.
10.) DO NOT WORRY. Though the stuff is lethal to mites, the plants love it.

WHAT’S NEXT??

Congratulations! You have successfully killed the mites that you sprayed - on contact!. Plus, the mites are thwarted in biting again as they get a lethal dose of hot mouth. Your plants should be turning green again with in half a day. Though the leaves are scarred, they will recover and work again - producing vital sugars for growth.

However, you are not done. Some mites will escape the spray, though you have killed 95% of them. Thus, you will have to do the spray again tomorrow. As a matter of fact you will have to spray every 2-3 days till you see no more mites - usually up to two weeks. SOME EGGS WILL HATCH!!! Thus a week after the first spray, do a super job again, the baby mites are likely out and about. Kill 'em right away.

Use your magnifying glass to inspect each plant carefully, when nothing moves and you see no more webs, your plants are clear. YEAH!!

Additional precautions: make sure your containers and pots do not touch, mites migrate. Clean your floors and equipment so live mites do not return (spray them down with Caliclean). Since no person can kill every living mite in their situation, eternal diligence is now part of the equation. One mite may turn into a million in a month.

Other helpful hints: wash your plants with clean water spray between sprayings, this cleans off dead mites and eggs, and refreshes the plant leaf compromised by the vampire sucking mites. Keep the room cool, 78 degrees to 68 degrees if possible during treatment. Mites hate the cold - thus weakened mites will drop dead. If lower leaves are infested with eggs and mites - cut them off! DO NOT LEAVE CUTTINGS NEARBY! Burn or bury your cuttings far away.

Spraying notes: Mites tend to collect where the leaves join at the nexus and overlap. If you can, lay your plants on-end or position upsidedown (be real careful) to make sure all undersides are sprayed. Cut off curled leaves where they collect. If you're a rich person you may make a full pound to ten gallons of water and dunk them - even better!!

The best part of using Calicleaner is you may use it always - even during flowering. As the solution is all natural, no one is harmed but the mites: "Nature to deal with Nature." Your money goes to a farmer not a chemical corporation.

 

[Seamaiden]

@3N1GM4 -- if you do decide to use the Hot Shots, which some people do, take precautions and follow that label religiously. I would only use it around very young vegging plants, because I'm not sure how persistent it is. Label says it's a volatile compound, but that's all I found. I'm not sure how effective they'll be against root aphids but I do expect it'd be more effective than that pepper spray recipe you posted above.

 

[3N1GM4]

I have some slow crawlers on the moist spots in one pot with coco, will biowar get them? It is in a 2 gal pot of coco with an auto flower in it inmy veg room. I first noticed some gnarled growth on one leaf,mthen noticed the crawlers. They disappear when top dries but they are still under the surface and reappear when watered. What is my best attack? @Seamaiden
I sprayed with neem to little effect, should I try neem root drench?(azamax)

 

[Seamaiden]

I killed my plants doing the root drench with neem and that was just trying to control fungus gnats. My experience using neem and Azamax against them was that it pissed them off and populations of flyers exploded. If you have the OBBioWar, I'd use that at the highest strength it's labeled for. After that, my only experience says chemicals are the way to go. But others have had success using organic methods since that, so I'd go with those. Aren't most of them using the OGBW? I think so.

 

[3N1GM4]

They are still in veg, I think I will just get some nematodes.

 

[3N1GM4]

Hydro store guy just thinks they are recyclers placed there by the coco husk manufacturers.

 

[Seamaiden]

Huh?

 

[Noel Live]

Hydro store guy just thinks they are recyclers placed there by the coco husk manufacturers.

There only one way of getting rid of bugs and pretty much anything is going to kill your young plants and damage your new growth.

After about 6 months of trying this how I figured out a sure way to get rid of creepy crawlers.

1-First thing, order some neem or a similar insect killer.
2-While you are waiting for the neem, take everything out of the room that is not necessary for growing.
3-Once you have emptied the room, begin to clean everything with some sort of light disinfectant or a light bleach solution, of course, be careful of your plants or anything that touches their roots
4-When you receive the neem, order something called Botanigard, powder or liquid, does not matter. It is expensive ($90+ per Lbs.) but well worth it. Use the neem according to its recommendations and spray everything in the room except the plants. You should spray the lights (while they're off and cool, of course), tents, closets, fixtures, outlets, switches and anywhere you feel they could have laid eggs. Be careful, some of the sprays will stain. Mop the floor with a solution of neem
5-Wipe everything you've sprayed with a clean cloth
6-Continue to use the neem as a spray, wiping after every use in the room until you get the Botanigard
7-When you receive the Botanigard, order something called Acephate 97UP (this stuff stinks of of high hell and your mailperson is going to hate you). Use the Botanigard with plain water as recommended in coco, hydro, or soil and also use it to spray the plants. You can spray Botanigard freely, it does not damage your plants, even seedlings and fresh cuts. You should spray delicate growth lightly anyway.
8-Repeat the Botanigard treatment 5 days later.
9-When you receive the Acephate 97UP use as recomended, two treatments in 5 day intervals will do
10-Wipe everything you initially had in the room with a solution of neem and place back in the room, spray everything in the room (except the plants) with neem and wipe.
11-Use Botanigard as prevention for future infestations, watering with Botanigard twice during veg and twice during flower.

Follow this and you will rid yourself of those crawlers. I know it sounds like a lot of time and money, but it works! It should take you about 30-40 days.

 

[3N1GM4]

You can clean everything just as well or better with vinegar and peroxide in two seperate spray bottles, but you have to be careful not to breathe the mixed liquids and wear gloves. It will bleach clothes and hair too.

 

[Noel Live]

I also wanted to add you should take every safety measure recommended by the manufacturer of each of the products I mentioned and then some. Make sure your skin, eyes and lungs are protected. Wear gloves, a qualified respirator and cover all of your skin. The room should be well ventilated anytime you're using any of these products. Also keep in mind, you should never water your plants with one of those Home Depot insect killers like neem, EcoSmart or Triazicide, it will damage your plants. No matter what that bottle says, it will range your plants. For your plants roots and spray only use Botanigard and Aciphate.

And in case you wanted to know, I got all this information from these forums, Seamaiden, research and a crapload of trial and error.

There only one way of getting rid of bugs and pretty much anything is going to kill your young plants and damage your new growth.

After about 6 months of trying this how I figured out a sure way to get rid of creepy crawlers.

1-First thing, order some neem or a similar insect killer.
2-While you are waiting for the neem, take everything out of the room that is not necessary for growing.
3-Once you have emptied the room, begin to clean everything with some sort of light disinfectant or a light bleach solution, of course, be careful of your plants or anything that touches their roots
4-When you receive the neem, order something called Botanigard, powder or liquid, does not matter. It is expensive ($90+ per Lbs.) but well worth it. Use the neem according to its recommendations and spray everything in the room except the plants. You should spray the lights (while they're off and cool, of course), tents, closets, fixtures, outlets, switches and anywhere you feel they could have laid eggs. Be careful, some of the sprays will stain. Mop the floor with a solution of neem
5-Wipe everything you've sprayed with a clean cloth
6-Continue to use the neem as a spray, wiping after every use in the room until you get the Botanigard
7-When you receive the Botanigard, order something called Acephate 97UP (this stuff stinks of of high hell and your mailperson is going to hate you). Use the Botanigard with plain water as recommended in coco, hydro, or soil and also use it to spray the plants. You can spray Botanigard freely, it does not damage your plants, even seedlings and fresh cuts. You should spray delicate growth lightly anyway.
8-Repeat the Botanigard treatment 5 days later.
9-When you receive the Acephate 97UP use as recomended, two treatments in 5 day intervals will do
10-Wipe everything you initially had in the room with a solution of neem and place back in the room, spray everything in the room (except the plants) with neem and wipe.
11-Use Botanigard as prevention for future infestations, watering with Botanigard twice during veg and twice during flower.

Follow this and you will rid yourself of those crawlers. I know it sounds like a lot of time and money, but it works! It should take you about 30-40 days.

 

[Rootbound]

I have some slow crawlers on the moist spots in one pot with coco, will biowar get them? It is in a 2 gal pot of coco with an auto flower in it inmy veg room. I first noticed some gnarled growth on one leaf,mthen noticed the crawlers. They disappear when top dries but they are still under the surface and reappear when watered. What is my best attack? @Seamaiden
I sprayed with neem to little effect, should I try neem root drench?(azamax)

Umm, Are you sure they are not blind springtails? Sounds like what you described as they come to the surface when watered. Blind springtails are not a bad thing unless its a super huge population. @Seamaiden

 

[3N1GM4]

Im 99% sure they are waste recyclers placed there by the coco manufacturers along with predator mites to aid in decomposition of waste and fly control. I bought coco bricks from a pet store and that is what someone told me. When i run my hands through the top of the coco I can see predator mites running all over my hand afterwards, the plant that I am talking about is doing twice as good as the other two I have in dirt.

 

[Seamaiden]

@3N1GM4 !!! Do you have any idea how many times I tried to kill that fucking bug? LMFAO!! I kept trying to squish it, then I realized, "Hey... HEY!!!"