People who have erradicated the dreaded spider mite for good please help.

[Texian]

Side note:
I am assuming the infestation is in it's earliest stages. This is because upon visual inspection, with 30x microsope and without, I don't see the common yellow-brown colored (look white too me) dots on leaves or webbing. I did however see intense spotting on the original infected clones, and the clones were later removed. Spider mite poo is almost non existant, but there is enough eggs to know that I have a real problem. If it wasn't for the eggs at this point, one might think they were rid of them.

Would the best solution to sterilizing tools, tents, buckets, etc., be a 50/50 bleach and water solution. I have used a combination of vinegar and H2O2, each seperate bottles, to disenfect grow supplies before, but this is an entirely different situation in my eyes. But I am open to suggestions.

 

[peter tosh]

not sure what is the best but i just use dish soap to clean my shit and then bleach to clean the room. i am kinda wery about using bleach on anything that contacts the plants. its good question, almost deserving its own tread about what people think is best.

mr sputnik broke that shit down nicely about the two things i was saying, the pyrethrum bomb and the hot shot pest strip. good advice about taking it out to avoid bugs becoming immune, i plan on doing that today.

all i know is i have now gotten mites twice and gotten rid of them twice simply using azamax, the bomb and cleaning the shit out of everything. and i only sprayed the azamax two applications, the first one knocked them out and then the second just to be sure.

and here is a pic of the hot shot pest strip, available at lowes for about 7 bucks. not sure what to really think about it after what mr sputnik said, but hey its only 7 bucks so why not?!

edit- after writing this reply, i started a thread on cleaning. heres the link!

 

[boroboro]

Mite-Rid update:

I had a pretty heavy infestation originally. Lots of large webs at the bottom of the plants by the time I noticed what was really happening. Close to 100% of the leaves were affected. Flower room is 5x8 feet, and veg space is 6x6 feet, plus lots of junk in the 15x15 room housing it all that the mites might hide in.

1 application of the Mite-Rid was very effective, but not quite magic. In the next four days the plants perked up significantly, with lots of new leaves replacing the old. I also noticed the mites coming back in the last few days, though. Maybe they're eating the new leaves that weren't treated. Re-application will be necessary.

 

[Texian]

Ok so today was the second application of Azamax. Instead of drenching and spraying, I dipped and drenched, completely submerging all the leaves for an average of 10 seconds each. I also uped the dose from 5mL per gallon to 7mL. It has been 7 days between applications. Will check with a microscope later on when lights go on for mite action.

 

[altitudefarmer]

I'm thinking you'll be good. Cleanliness IS godliness is your garden... Nice clean up, by the way. Dunking is absolutely the way to go, if your gals are small enough. It's even better that you caught them before the webbing- that's when they get really tough to root out.

I use alcohol and water to clean my stuff- no bleach residue. Not thinking that breathing the stuff is any better for ya than bleach, though.

 

[Texian]

peter tosh: Thanks for your input. I will be checking out your thread for feedback. .. I picked up a few products to help with the cleaning and sterilizing. Bleach, Bio Green Clean, h2o2(35% i think), and white vinegar. I will probably being use a combination of these products in multiple stages to ensure cleanliness. Once the equipment, room, and tools are done, and I move plants over into flowering room, I plan on using a fogger a few times just in case. I also picked up a product called X-Clude to spray in all the nooks and crannys in the tents and grow rooms. Plus, I now have Floramite, Avid, and Forbid if all else fails.
boroboro: Sorry to hear about the Mite-Rid. If possible, you might want to try Azamax. It seems to be working great for me. I have not seen an alive mite since first application. Will continue to monitor situation however.
I too have alot of junk that needs to be cleaned and removed from the room that houses my veg chambers. Hence the reason I have purchased many different products. I am determined to rid myself of these unwanted guests.
altitudefarmer: Makes sense about the bleach residue. What is your solution diluting for an alcohol based solution.? 50/50? I will definately being wearing a simple mask to help filter out some of the vapors.

 

[Mr.Sputnik]

I just ordered some forbid today, apparently I was misinformed on the floramite as it doesn't kill the eggs.

read the directions on the floramite, we did 1 mix with tap water and didn't PH it and left it in the bottle for a while and it went bad and didn't work that well. apparently you need to use distilled water or water without chlorine and ph it between 5 and 6. it has worked well with the 2nd method, the mites eat the plant and die, good for around 40 days or so so only spray in veg.

the forbid does kill the eggs so spray a little on top of your dirt. the next thing that I'm trying is to get a steam cleaner to cook the eggs and mites off of my equipment and grow space.

the strips do work, you just have to use them properly. Get something like forbid that kills eggs, stop the problem at the source.

you could use a blowtorch and scorch the top of your dirt, I think I'm at that point with these fuckers.

 

[peter tosh]

mites suck! i feel for you guys. cleaning is a pain in the ass too! haha its funny because i totally slack off when it comes to my home, but my grow room stays immaculate! btw just wanted to also say i tried both take down garden spray and neem oil and they suck compared to azamax. azamax is the shit yo!

 

[altitudefarmer]

Texian, the least amount I use is 70% Isopropyl mixed 50/50 with water. That's only to save $1 on the 91% stuff... The higher the alcohol content, the better it'll work at killing unwanted organisms, and the faster it'll evaporate. I always perform a final rinse, too, just in case the impurities in the mix leave any residue. Whatever they leave is way less toxic than bleach residue, in any case, and I'm sure it rinses off alot easier.

 

[Jalisco Kid]

These threads always pops up and always people have a cure that does not work. A female can hibernate in a heartbeat. Pest strips, neem oil DO NOT WORK. azatrol does not work well. You just knock them down. When you get back to 2-3weeks of flowering these guys think they have been infected again. It is just the females coming out of hibernation. Use floramite,as a drench not a spray. Have avid in the first aid kit in case god forbid floramite does not work. This will work for a few more years. But I have heard/read about lazy ass farmers here using it as a maintenance program. This will lead to some super bugs soon.JK

 

[code420247]

Maybe not for good....But "For Now"!!

I have just discovered the wonderful world of TEA! I just finished my 3rd batch of E.W.C. (Earth Worm Casting) Tea and WOW!!!! This stuff is amazing!!! I now have a "cure-all". If you haven't heard of it yet....search for worm casting tea, its all over u tube and google. Very easy to brew and well worth the time.
I had major spider mites and the tea took care of them and any other ailments, FAST!!
I have a really good, basic recipe for anyone who would like to try it.

 

[Mr.Sputnik]

JK, I think the superbugs are unfortunately already here. What do you mean as a drench, a dip for clones or do you get a pump type weed sprayer and just douse the crap out of your plants? Do you use some wetting agent like cocowet or a few drops of dish soap?

How do you mix your floramite? Mine seemed to be much more effective mixed with distilled water PH at about 5.5 and use it right after mixing it.

thanks

 

[Texian]

Beasters X Haze: Thanks! Will be trying the Avid if the Azamax treatment doesn't do the job properly. I ordered that with Forbid and Floramite as well.
Jalisco Kid: Would you mind being a little more clearer on just knocking them down.? As in 'just off the plant'? I haven't used Azatrol, but I am using Azamax. I have not seen an alive mite in about 8 days. I don't want to be infected again, that hibernation thing sucks!
code420247: Cool. Will check it out. Thanks.
Mr.Sputnik: Do they eggs live in the soil and then travel up the plant?
Brings me to a question concerning the 30x microscope. When peering through the scope, and looking on leaf undersides, is it only eggs that are visible as tiny droplets on leaves? Or could mite eggs be confused with Azamax droplets and/or underdeveloped trichomes? Mind you my plants are clones from a 3 month old plant and still in veg state. I see these objects on both sides of leaves, but no mites. I know I may be minor ocding here, but better to be safe then sorry. Thanks.

 

[thumpnasty]

floromite sc and forbid 4f and you'll never see um again.

 

[Texian]

thumpnasty: I am hearing that more and more. I may give that a shot here real soon! .. After using Floramite and Forbid, in veg, do I have to wash off a month later? Could I use the products and then the next day switch to flowering cycle? Or do I have to wait for a period of time.

 

[w00dy]

Thanks for the link norcal sounds like a great solution. Though everyone seems to have some good info in dealing with the borg.

 

[Jalisco Kid]

I have just discovered the wonderful world of TEA! I just finished my 3rd batch of E.W.C. (Earth Worm Casting) Tea and WOW!!!! This stuff is amazing!!! I now have a "cure-all". If you haven't heard of it yet....search for worm casting tea, its all over u tube and google. Very easy to brew and well worth the time.
I had major spider mites and the tea took care of them and any other ailments, FAST!!
I have a really good, basic recipe for anyone who would like to try it.

I have learned to bite my tongue before saying BS because life has a funny way of teaching sometimes. Share your experience and what type of mite did you have. JK

 

[Mr.Sputnik]

I just tried forbid today, we'll see what happens..

 

[leadsled]

These threads always pops up and always people have a cure that does not work. A female can hibernate in a heartbeat. Pest strips, neem oil DO NOT WORK. azatrol does not work well. You just knock them down. When you get back to 2-3weeks of flowering these guys think they have been infected again. It is just the females coming out of hibernation. Use floramite,as a drench not a spray. Have avid in the first aid kit in case god forbid floramite does not work. This will work for a few more years. But I have heard/read about lazy ass farmers here using it as a maintenance program. This will lead to some super bugs soon.JK

Wish people knew the ultimate damage they are causing.

Sad but true, The time is already here. floramite resistent Super mites are already here.

 

[blowin]

what about caterpillars outdoor when plants are flowering?????
help