Reuse Soil after mites?

Hey all! I got some nasty black and white spider mites. They were plaguing me even after several types of chemical treatments etc... Sadly, I determined the best course of action was to destroy my plants. :(

I took a few clones, dunked them for several minutes under water, treated for mites, and check all leaves daily. So far so good. The clones are in my aeroponics cloner chillaxin. :thumbsup:

My question is; to reuse the soil or not to reuse the soil? I mean, this is like 150 gallons of soilless mix. It would suck to try to dispose of it...

So I am thinking, reuse the soil right? I figured if mites live a couple weeks max, and eggs take a week max to hatch... maybe if I just wait a month the soil will be ok? Does anyone have experience with this?

These were mites on the leaves, but I would guess that they live in the soil too?

Thanks!!!!!!!!!

bump

I don't know man.... If you can definitely rule out that bugs are in the soil, then I'd say re-use it but if your pest prob is directly related to your soil, I'd say spread it in the yard and call it a loss, then get some fresh soil. Never ever buy more than a months supply of soil at a time, just a rule I go by.... I figure the longer it sits around, the more time bugs have to get into it.... Ultimately it's up to you......

CGI::::::

i was told mites dont live in soilless mixtures??

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Originally Posted by washmedical

i was told mites dont live in soilless mixtures??

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I really don't know. I tried reading about them in WikiPedia and some Google searches but couldn't figure it out. What I learned what that they drink my leaves from the underside like a mosquito would drink from skin. Then their little eggs get laid in the leave nooks and crannies. They can also make webs to protect their colony. They don't really hurt the buds, but they hurt and stress the plant. They can even kill a plant if they go mad like mine did...

Problem is they are so small I can hardly see them on the leaves, in soil it would be impossible to detect them or their eggs.

I know mites won't come in a soilless mixture; it is essentially sterile. But contamination may be another thing... )=

Has anyone conquered this mountain before? Still looking for more input.

Thanks all!

do not reuse the soil!! mite eggs can fall/be knocked off the plant and still hatch weeks later.

My brother had a bad mite problem a few years ago and is convinced they were hibernating in the soil so he had to replace all of it.

If you have a lot of soil and don't want to waste it, dig a fire pit, put the soil in the pit and get some long burning wood like manzanita, build yourself a good fire and let it smoulder.

i had about 200 gallons of recycled soil that i left outside for 6 months, seems like the mites have died... im sure any nutritional value that was in the soil is gone now too though

You can mix manure compost and worm castings in it, thats pretty much whats in most generic potting soil, better then wasting it and I'd the new soil inthe bottom half of the containers.