Spider mites help..

greengoblin2014

Well-Known Member
So my plants got spider mites, I harvested my plants and the buds are now curing. I have been packing away the tent and spraying everything with neem oil and drying as I'm packing things away. I plan to set up the tent again in 3-4 weeks from now to start another grow. I want to make sure that the spider mites do not come back. What do I need to do to make sure they don't return? Will they still be alive after 3-4 weeks?
 

Snoopy808

Well-Known Member
Always nice to know where they came from. Or how they got in there. But not always easy to determine those.
If its just spider mites, go with predator mites from day one of veg. They are cheap and super effective.
In tents ive found that my friends cats or small dogs bring em in. Keep pets out.
 

OldMedUser

Well-Known Member
Tell you truly that you want to keep that grow space warm. At least 70F or even 80F and higher is best.

At first when plants disappear and temps get low mites go into hibernation. The ones that are ready do do so turn red and can be easily seen with just a 10X loupe. Pregnant females for the most part and that's why just one mite can screw you up bad.

I just 6 months ago finally got rid of a 2 year mite infestation. Lots of spraying with Safer's to kill them on the plants but then kept all the girls upstairs in the spare bedroom while the heater kept the basement grow room at 80F for a month. No spraying down there at all but did vacuum before putting new plants in. Still bug free today.

:peace:
 

OldMedUser

Well-Known Member
They could still be alive in your harvest for three to four weeks no joke.
That is true. Not the adults but eggs will be there and depending on temps can hatch weeks later.

I've had to harvest with active mites and it sux big time but something I read recently makes a lot of sense and I wish I'd seen it before my last mite-ridden harvest.

Chop the whole plant off at the base and hang it upside dow, F'n mites are always climbing to the highest point so make the base the highest point so they head up there to launch off to new territories.

I taped some window screen over the end of the crevice tool for my house vac and that did take all the webbing and bugs off the colas when I cropped. Mites don't dig down into the buds so a good trim and shake over a screen gets rid of everything really. If they are really everywhere they suck the life out of your plants and yields will suck too. Not to mention bag appeal. lol

:peace:
 
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