Hi there!

[Pedro de Pacas]

Haven't been around in a while! I've revamped my stealth grow cabinet (the new cab is larger & taller, which means less bending and topping the door's lopsided and doesn't close properly though grr...I'll have to figure something out when I initiate flowering), I found me a Natural Light 200 watt replacement CFL (rated at 3000 Lumens/4100K) and some KC-36 seeds.

So I'm doing a test run, the seedling is just barely poking its head from the soil (and I've just noticed critters in there, they look like small ants; but if it's the same as last time they're like tiny spiders, I remember having to remove cob webs from the buds ...gross), I'm curious to see how well it grows under the new lights.

I soaked the seed overnight, planted it in the soil and kept it under 24/0 light since Friday.


Oh yeah, I also found a decent cone shaped reflector from Ikea of all places; focuses all of the light right on the grow pot quite nicely.


I'm a bit concerned about the bugs. I'll definitely get new soil for the next grow, but I'd like to salvage this "test run" if I can help it.

I've read boric acid will work on ants (won't that harm the plant?) and that a 1:1 mix of rubbing alcohol and water sprayed on the affected branches gets rid of spider mites ...

How to Get Rid of Spider Mites

Any tips? This time I want the cabinet to be used for storage in between grows, so I'm doing as little modifications to the cab as possible ...

Pedro de Pacas Reviewed by Pedro de Pacas on 09-17-2007. Hi there! Haven't been around in a while! I've revamped my stealth grow cabinet (the new cab is larger & taller, which means less bending and topping the door's lopsided and doesn't close properly though grr...I'll have to figure something out when I initiate flowering), I found me a Natural Light 200 watt replacement CFL (rated at 3000 Lumens/4100K) and some KC-36 seeds. So I'm doing a test run, the seedling is just barely poking its head from the soil (and I've just noticed critters in there, they Rating: 5

[stone_sensation]

Sounds like you have spider mites. You should get rid of them ASAP before they destroy your plant and future plants!

[Pedro de Pacas]

I just sprinkled the soil around the seedling with boric acid and I have a spray bottle on standby which will use the 1:1 rubbing alcohol/water mix ...the alcohol kills the bugs and evaporates without hurting the plants according to the gardening article I just read.

[stinkyattic]

Boric acid on the soil will not do a thing for spider mites, as they do not use the soil surface in any life stage.
In fact I would be very wary of using it near seedlings at all.
If you use alcohol in a spray, don't spray to the point of runoff.
Why don't you just use a product made for spider mites, like neem oil? It's much safer for the plants than alcohol spray, which can dissolve the leaf's protective waxy cuticle.

[the image reaper]

or, as I do, hang up a No-Pest Strip in the same room ... (but, you might as well throw your plants in the garbage now, if you don't quickly kill the spider mites, or you will just be wasting time and electricity) ... :smokin:

[Pedro de Pacas]

The bugs I've seen currently were crawling in the soil (like hiding in the crevaces) and while my eyes need time to focus I only counted 6 legs, not 8 ... I think those are different bugs this time around!

[stinkyattic]

Okay, not spider mites then.
Even so, I'd be careful what you use around seedlings.
Pyrethrin is very effective against crawly pests like thrips and whiteflies, and I have never had a problem even using it on seedlings.

[the image reaper]

Okay, not spider mites then.
Even so, I'd be careful what you use around seedlings.
Pyrethrin is very effective against crawly pests like thrips and whiteflies, and I have never had a problem even using it on seedlings.

good advice ... pyrethrins work very well ... while the name sounds like some scary chemical, it is made from the oils of the marigold plant (which bugs hate) ... no worries ... still, be sure to read the directions well, and cease in the last few weeks of flowering (if your bug problem isnt solved by then, your plants are probably not gonna be worth harvesting, anyway ... :smokin:

[PharmaCan]

I just sprinkled the soil around the seedling with boric acid and I have a spray bottle on standby which will use the 1:1 rubbing alcohol/water mix ...the alcohol kills the bugs and evaporates without hurting the plants according to the gardening article I just read.

Many insects breath through openings in their legs. Boric acid powder kills these types of insects, not by poisening them, but by clogging their breathing orifices. It is a simple mechanical process - the insect walks through the boric acid powder and picks it up on its legs. Boric Acid Powder works a lot better when it is dry.

You can find aluminum silicate compounds, designed specifically for plants and containing only minerals, which function in the same manner.

PC :smokin: