Printable View
I'm growing hydro and after getting spider mites I am damn good at keeping them under control and/or killing them.
However, I wanted to get more tips on how to PREVENT them from even existing. I know the hygiene factors, everything must be clean, the atmosphere must not be too hot or too humid etc.
But what can I truly use in the reservoir to avoid having any spider mites, gnats, etc to even appear. :/
Thanks for all the help!!!
Neem oil is the best preventative and infestation treatment spray.
Bounce dryer sheets brah!:cool:Quote:
Originally Posted by vince4750
I've had da borg, whitefly, gnats, an' da damn root aphids wiped me out.
Fought back with everything.
Learned what does not work.:(
This season, I prevent instead.
Head dem off at the past.:)
I put Dryer sheets on top of my netpots now.
And under my containers.
Have not even seen 1 mite, 1 gnat, or a 2nd whitfy for 2 months now.
Even ants avoid dis stuff.
As for neem?:wtf:
1. it is not very effective for mites, and B. the smell of it makes me ill!
I want it nowhere near anything that I'm going to ingest, ever!
Try the sheets, brah.
You'll thank me fo' dis one.
Azamax or Azatroll. Both are neem oil concentrates. They mix easy with water and can be sprayed or added to the rez as an anti-feedant. Mix some up and put in rez and watch the hella two-spotted spidermites drop off dead. Clones and seedlings can be dunked in a solution.
The anti-feedant way is the only way for me to keep them away. At least that way even if they are near they don't want my stuff. LOL
Really makes ya wonder what the hell is in one of those sheets and then do you want to wear the stuff it bounced around with?? LOL :D
Neem has worked plenty fine where super-concentrate Floramite+Hot Shot No Pest strips+pyrethrum bombs failed in both my soil and hydro growing spots.
And the smell is only temporary :D Does smell like some nasty garlic, though, indeed!
Just started using Neem 3 days ago on budding plants as I just got infested recently. They already claimed 1 pretty much.
Next time around I am going to do the preventative thing.
Try and look up www.naturescontrol.com/triplethreat I had heard of these a couple of days ago while at a disp. Also ran a thread here asking if anyone had heard of these but apparently no one has. They're to be used once you already have an infestation prob though so not for preventative I guess.
Anyway, good luck to you.
MM
Also, I have no idea how I got them except maybe from a clone I got at a disp (the only one in soil). I've been told however that they're quite easy to transport. It's my 1st time hydro so I'm learning as I go.
MM
oops:stoned:
Flora-mite works for me and is the way to go cause its easy. When they are clones you mix up a half gallon in something, then dip all your rooted clones in them. In the first week of flower you dip if you can, or spray your plants completly. This will prevent any infestation. Since I adopted this method I have been mite free. Also My room is immaculately clean.
Floramite is very expensive if you buy a quart. My grow shop sells half ounce for twenty and full ounce for 30. I think the mix is 30 drops per gal.
Note floramite is very toxic to water systems. It kills fish and such. Make sure it all goes down the drain or if outside don't use enough to cause runoff to river systems.
Only treatment I've found for during flowering is simply spraying with diluted ethanol. It will kill some mold, screw with spidermites, and evaporates off pretty cleanly. I suggest about 40% (but don't use tequila or anything like that, get distilled alcohol and dilute it.)
I don't think I could trust anything else during actual flowering until I could read the MSDS in full detail.