Two Weeks Into Flower, Nearby Plants Have Russet Mites. How Can I Keep My Girls Safe?

[SmithsJunk]

I've read several threads and the information I found was pretty old. Pretty confusing too. I'm having trouble separating the hippy-like overreaction to pesticides from the truth.

I need a way to protect my girls from becoming infected and if necessary rid them of russet mites. The plants that are already flowering are Sativa dominant and have a very long cycle, so I'm not as far in as if it were my Kush flowering. What is safe to use at this point? I just hit them with Azamax and last week with Captain Jack's useless bug spray (spinosad). Garden Safe insecticidal soap before that. I know the Azamax will safely take care of my two spotted spider mite problem but I read it's pretty much useless against russet mites. Everything that is effective seems to be too poisonous to use during flower.

My cousin's greenhouse is next door to the garden my plants are in and he has an infestation of russets. No signs on my plants or the 25 accompanying plants in the garden, one possible maybe but I think it's deal is nutes.

I am clean around my plants and my cousin is too but the people he has watering are clueless and lazy when it comes to stopping the transfer from infected plants. So I have a real chance of some idiot infecting my plants.

Since I can't insulate them from contamination, what safe options do I have to make them distasteful and the worse case scenario, if they get infected or already are?

I know this subject gets heated sometimes, but please lets all be nice. I don't have the time or patience for a flame war. I wouldn't come to you if I didn't have faith in the combined awesomeness of everyine on this forum. Hippy-dippy ideas are welcome if they are effective. Honestly, I lean that way myself but these are some extreme bugs and I have only recently become familiar with them. I need real solution options.

If you're unsure please don't answer with opinions, I have enough of my own. My cousin is about to spray his plants with Avid in the next couple days. I need to know what to do before then, and from what I've read so far, that is not an option for me. These need to be clean enough to go to a dispensary.

Thank you everyone.

(Infected plants in the greenhouse. Posting pics so novices and vets who haven't dealt with these pest know what to look for.)

(First two images from two separate plants in the greenhouse today.)

(These were from the plant that was bagged & tagged July 31)

 

[SmithsJunk]

I just read a post that said it was safe to spray for russet mites up to two weeks into flowering. As deplorable as I find it, is it possible that it's safe to use Avid with 8-10 weeks of flower left?

I read an older post that said testing showed 8ppm 180 days after application early in veg growth (indoors, but the sun breaks Avid down). 1 ppm being the safe number, opinion, fact? I didn't see any scientific data but the person posting seemed genuine. (Still won't take as fact without verifiable evidence, not with this much on the line. I also won't risk poisoning people if I can't prove a given course of action is safe.) There was one other pesticide with similar results but two others showed no trace after 180 days. I only remember two others, Florimite and Forbid, but can't remember which were pass or fail.

Keeping my plants organic is a preference but not an absolute. I will honestly divulge to whoever gets them whether they are or not.

 

[Mr.D0p3sauce]

Arbico organics. Give them a call. Talk to Chad. Ask him about predator mites and sulfur sprays. He's been the 1 helping me. If you were still in veg there's lots of stuff u can still use. But if your already flowering..... you can only knock them back with the sulfur spray or predator mites....

 

[Mr.D0p3sauce]

Chad is there cannabis specialist... he has fought them b4.

 

[SmithsJunk]

No reason for anyone else to answer this post, also if you're coming here to find an answer go to this thread.

https://www.thcfarmer.com/community...need-help-diagnosing-whats-wrong.90391/page-6

If you're in flower and you have russet mites, you're probably boned.

Luckily, the guy who diagnosed russet mites in our greenhouse appears to quite possibly be an idiot. I've checked a number of our plants, both in and outdoors and found no sign of russets. Only two spot spiders and their eggs. Used a 30× loop and a scope that I think is 100×. The damage that was shown me, though a little similar, is nothing like what I've seen in these forums, so I'm pretty confident in my diagnosis.

My heart goes out to everyone loosing crops to these bastards.

 

[Reddusk]

Does anyone know if it is possible to salvage cannabis flowers after russet mite damage ? I am wanting to process (fractionate) into distillates. Does the (brown) flower still have any potency ?

 

[Mr.D0p3sauce]

They eat the thc, pistils, and flower. If you were indoor. And still at weeks 1-3 you can still save it by dropping a shit ton predator mite...

But from what I'm looking at. The pic... it looks a little past week 3.. I'm sorry bro. Call it a lost. Or it will finish looking like broccoli.

But to answer your question yes. There will still be some potency just no where near as what it should be.

 

[Reddusk]

We have been trying to salvage what we can, its all going into distillates processing ~ i know no one would be interested in the flower market

 

[SmithsJunk]

Does anyone know if it is possible to salvage cannabis flowers after russet mite damage ? I am wanting to process (fractionate) into distillates. Does the (brown) flower still have any potency ?View attachment 745128

I don't know for sure how much resin would be left but I've heard they totally waste the plant for any real potency. You might get something out of it but if it were mine I'd burn it and find a way to sterilise the soil instead of risking spread of those buggers. I heard they can over-Winter in the soil and on seeds, and take out next years crop as well. I know you want to save it and I don't blame you, I would to too, but you're risking every other grow you do by keeping it. Sorry they got you .

FYI, that brown color is not dead bud, it's the russet mites dead bodies.

 

[SmithsJunk]

We have been trying to salvage what we can, its all going into distillates processing ~ i know no one would be interested in the flower marketView attachment 745326

Do not take those buds anywhere near anyone or anything that can be infected by them. You will risk everyones crops. They need to be destroyed.

 

[Jfrezy]

No matter what measures you take as long as there is a major mite problem next door it's just a matter of time before their in you room. His problem needs to be cured ASAP?

 

[SmithsJunk]

No matter what measures you take as long as there is a major mite problem next door it's just a matter of time before their in you room. His problem needs to be cured ASAP?

Yup. Growers around here will black bag at the first sign, sterilise everything and start over. When I thought we had russet mites no one locally would even talk to me about treatment. They told me to destroy every plant with signs of them immediately.

They can be carried on the wind. I'd be pissed if they were anywhere near my grow and someone let them continue. It's worse than someone growing males in the open.

 

[Reddusk]

Thank you for your insights and suggestions. Yes i have also heard from expert that russet mites will bore into the root balls and rise up again for next years crop. My plan with brown bud is to process (Fractionate) into a distillate vape pen ready here on site (containment) and try to salvage something. Pull root balls and burn them in January, also all stem & debris. Then after soil drenching w/ Doctor Zymes 'Eliminator' remove top 12" of soil in my 600 gal smart pots-like bags. Store compromised soil in thick black plastic bags in the sun w/ Bokashi fermentation to break down soil for a couple years and then treat soil again with 'Eliminator' yeast enzyme and have the soil tested for bugs and soil top 30 nutrient properties.
I also want to note that the russet mites have not effected the sativas so much that are growing in the same greenhouses. Of course now that i know the issue somewhat, i've been heavy dosing (i1 cup p/gal of water foliar spray) them w/ Eliminator. The mites seem to be attracted more to indica strains.

 

[Reddusk]

What do you think of this approach ?

 

[SmithsJunk]

What do you think of this approach ?

Sounds like you've got it handled. I hope you get something out of them.

 

[Reddusk]

Thanks again Smithsjunk & jfrizy for your replies. These mites just added a whole lot more work ~ lil bastards. next year i am introducing predator mites early on.

If there are any other folk out there who have tried fractionating (distillates) russet mite compromised brown bud i would like to hear of your results or insights please...Thx

 

[SmithsJunk]

Thanks again Smithsjunk & jfrizy for your replies. These mites just added a whole lot more work ~ lil bastards. next year i am introducing predator mites early on.

If there are any other folk out there who have tried fractionating (distillates) russet mite compromised brown bud i would like to hear of your results or insights please...Thx

If you want to run with this, you have my blessing to go off topic. If it helps you recover something from your girls.

I know that russet mites kill the plants from toxins they produce. You should look into that as well. Make sure they're safe to consume in that quantity. There isn't a whole lot of information I could find on them or their effects after harvesting beyond "Oh Sh*t Burn It!". Good luck.