Natural Spider Mite Control

[budlover13]

I use DDT...:thumbsup:.."if you want to make sure every MF'er in the room is dead?"...

accept no substitutes....:rambohead:

Where in the world do you live? I thought DDT was outlawed years ago?:wtf:

[WashougalWonder]

Well, it is available to licensed herbicide applicators. I get it through a feed store locally. Few know the tricks of how to get around. For example Crossbow is impossible to get here, UNLESS you know a licensed person, then you can get it by the gallons. Same with Curtail, Weedmaster, an some others. All have very intense chemicals.

Now, back to spider mites.

Again, prevention before, and No-pest Strips if you Effed up.

[calbunn]

My spider mite problem I found had a lot to do with the high temperature that my HID fixtures were contributing to the room. About a year ago I switched my indoor grow to the 400 watt induction grow lights from the 1000 watt HPS mostly because of the heat and wattage. I've been very satisfied with the canopy penetration and yields from what had been 4 of the 1000 watt HPS to 3 of the 400 watt inda-gro lights. I don't know if they'll find a way back in but so far it seems they don't do well under the lower temperature lights.

[calbunn]

theres a 100 watt that works nicely for clone and veg

[WashougalWonder]

Spider mites thrive in warmer temperatures. Thus, the warm grow room is an awesome place to set up camp.

Prevention, prevention, prevention.

[brynpav]

I've used the HotShot repellent for 2 years and its worked great. Had one major outbreak 2 years ago and within 10 days of hanging the HotShot all bugs were gone.

When you say it's hanging is it a strip?

[brynpav]

I've been reluctant to use a chemical means to kill mites. I decided to try a drowning method. I flooded my rooms (10x11 total) with Co2. I rented a 50lb co2 cylinder from my local welding supply shop. $5.75 per month rent, 19.95 to fill. anyway the plants like the co2 and the mites can't breathe. All I do is shut off all fans, and open the cylinder to the air, then close the door and come back in the morning. I re-do the co2 about 10 days later to get the eggs that hatched. I have flooded the room twice and so far things are looking fabulous.

this is the best idea I've heard yet. Thanks for the post

[WashougalWonder]

When you say it's hanging is it a strip?

Yes it is.

this is the best idea I've heard yet. Thanks for the post

I am not sure co2 at that level is good for the plants, and getting a bottle of gas big enough to do good takes renting a bottle, I know to fill my co2 it runs me like $30-40 as I remember for my mig welder. Lot more costly than a no pest strip of some sort and the no pest strips do not harm the plant or you when you are in there.

[MJisBadMmkay]

Yes, using co2 @ 10,000 ppm for 1 hour will kill mites for good, with no harm done to the plants. If you are already set up with co2, that is absolutely your best and fastest way to take care of the problem, it's the method I now use since acquiring co2 equipment. But if you don't have the equipment, I would not suggest buying all the gear, it's just not cost effective.

Your next best solution, from personal experience, is the following natural method. I found this on another site, I take no credit whatsoever except that I can completely attest to it's effectiveness. You can dilute it to half strength for seedlings. It does not burn or harm the plants no matter how small or large they are. Just like the original poster, I lightly spray around the inside and outside of the room or cabinet in addition to the plants themselves.

Ok, here you go, good luck and happy mite killing!

this stuff kills mites!! its all i use.
have fun killing those little bugers


1/4 cup Baking Soda
1/2 cup Apple Cider vinegar
1 Tablespoon Lemon Juice
2 drops dish detergent
1/4 Teaspoon Epsom Salts

Take a cup of very hot water and desolve the epsom salts,take rest of ingredients and place in a clean 2 liter bottle and let work out. Add epsom solution. Add water to fill to 48ozs(3/4 full).Shake well.

TO USE: Cover soil/medium with plastic,with lights off mist plant all over,especialy under leaves,
Wait 20 mins,then spritz off with clean fresh water shaking as much water off plant as you can.
The fresh water spritz rinse will remove the solution along with the desolved remains of the mites and their eggs.

Have fun with your new "Mite Eradicator"

Note by MrFixit: Water plants 1/2 hour before spraying. This will help keep your plants from absorbing the spray.

This solution has been tested and used as directed will not burn plants,the rinse is very important though as it removes the spent solution before it can concentrate and burn the plant. It also removes most of the dead mites and eggs so you don't end up smoking them.

The formula can be diluted further,to 1 liter and it will still kill the mites but isn't as effective at dissolving and removing the mite parts.
Since removing the mite debris is desirable,I recommend the stronger solution,just remember to rinse and shake.
This formula is alkaline(about 7.8- so please remember to rinse.

Mite irradication is absolutely assured and guaranteed if used as directed.
I've never seen ANYTHING work this well for mite irradication!!
I used to gas my booths for mites,it worked but they came back,I haven't seen a living mite in a long time now.They haven't come back,partly because of cooler weather,partly because I hosed the Roses that were infecting everything with the formula and wiped out all the mites during testing.
The only thing I wish I'd done different is,I wish I would have done sections of the Roses and preserved
some of the mites for later tests.I've had to go searching for victims to test it on and there just aren't any left!! I did find some victims for my final tests in the park where we have meetings,the plants by the river are pretty sickly and infested(were I should say,I walked around with ONE pint bottle and cleaned up most of the area.LOL)
If news of this formula were to become widespread,mites would become an endangered species!!!So GOOD HUNTING !
AES110

[WashougalWonder]

I just really get off on all these exhorbitant ways to resolve mite issues. I would be very concerned spraying that concoction on my plants no matter how much you attest to it. Again, the CO2 is expensive.

For Crying Out Loud, No pest strips work fast, are cheap, and if you are too lazy to use or buy or find Neem oil, you deserve mites in my book. They will not harm the plants, nor have effect on the end result.

ADDITIONALLY If you have mites you have not been doing your job right. I again express that prevention is by far the most important aspect of this. You prevent the mite infestation (with neem and exterior pesticides) and you don't have to use all these expensive ways to rid yourselves of them.

Please do not confuse Newbies with bizarre information like we have been getting posted recently.

PREVENTION< > PREVENTION <> PREVENTION