Spider Mite and Fungus Gnat Elimination Guides

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Nilla Ice

Member
Another method not covered in the article for spider mites is the rubbing alcohol method. This involves making a foliar spray with 1 part rubbing alcohol with 2 parts water. The spray is said to kill mites on contact and evaporate fast enough to not damage the plants. I haven't used this method because I've heard alcohol can really create some dehydration problems if it dissolves into the stomata in the leaves. Anyone have any thought?
 
jimmy jones

jimmy jones

Active Member
I have actually used the alcohol method myself with no ill effects to the plants. Works pretty good but it doesn't kill the eggs so you have to spray every other day for a week and a half or so or until you have eliminated the problem.
 
333maxwell

333maxwell

Active Member
Me myself.. of course I only have a LST'd plants at a time, so it is doable.. you couldn't do it with a crop..


But I just use a spray bottle with pure water, and drench them from under neath.. every inch of plant.. drenched and dripping..

(ya, even if well into bud, just shake off standing water and use a drier from a distance if needed)..

While it is in another room dripping off and drying up a bit, I just take a damp towel and some windex and wipe the room down just for fun)


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Anyway.. you drench it well enough with the spray bottle so it is dripping every inch, you will have pretty much killed all the adults.. they are SIMPLE to drown.. even a tiny bit of water makes them frantic. All the damage has ceased completely.. but there are still eggs and other adults may be luring around..

So you do it again the next day, and the next.. I do it for 5-6 days in a row.. and then I pull them out a few weeks later and inspect everything and even if there are no signs (and there never is) I drench them again just for good measure.

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Has taken me through harvest after harvest.. I've never had bud rot from the water.. but I don't live in a humid area.. but if I did I would just make sure to blow them dry and shake them.. just like if they were outside after a rain..




--

Anyway.. sorry for rambling.. totally natural.. and even if you employ a method you feel better and more sure about (like chems) you could STOP all munching of leaves this very second with pure and plain water.. it's natures best insecticide in the wild as well.
 
N

Nilla Ice

Member
333maxwell said:
Me myself.. of course I only have a LST'd plants at a time, so it is doable.. you couldn't do it with a crop..


But I just use a spray bottle with pure water, and drench them from under neath.. every inch of plant.. drenched and dripping..

(ya, even if well into bud, just shake off standing water and use a drier from a distance if needed)..

While it is in another room dripping off and drying up a bit, I just take a damp towel and some windex and wipe the room down just for fun)


---

Anyway.. you drench it well enough with the spray bottle so it is dripping every inch, you will have pretty much killed all the adults.. they are SIMPLE to drown.. even a tiny bit of water makes them frantic. All the damage has ceased completely.. but there are still eggs and other adults may be luring around..

So you do it again the next day, and the next.. I do it for 5-6 days in a row.. and then I pull them out a few weeks later and inspect everything and even if there are no signs (and there never is) I drench them again just for good measure.

--

Has taken me through harvest after harvest.. I've never had bud rot from the water.. but I don't live in a humid area.. but if I did I would just make sure to blow them dry and shake them.. just like if they were outside after a rain..




--

Anyway.. sorry for rambling.. totally natural.. and even if you employ a method you feel better and more sure about (like chems) you could STOP all munching of leaves this very second with pure and plain water.. it's natures best insecticide in the wild as well.
Click to expand...

Its actually very good to know. I am glad to hear that just plain water will knock them out. How close to the harvest day will you spray water on the plants?
 
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