Phillybonker
Well-Known Member
To prevent caterpillars on my buds I want to use mineral oil spray. My question is; will mineral oil on the buds effect the taste?
Can I spray mineral oil on my buds?
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Nunyabiz
Well-Known Member
Id have to say hell to the no to that.
Maybe try some Tweetmint or something like that.
Maybe try some Tweetmint or something like that.
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Phillybonker
Well-Known Member
What is wrong with spraying mineral oil on buds?
There are many products out there right now (Plant Therapy, Green Treat, Nuke Em) that is nothing more than an oil of some type, and dish soap, and some kind of preservative and 99% water.
Oil and soap and ... water.
It works very well and kills pests such as aphids and spider mites, is non toxic to human or plant; and can be used up to the day of harvest. The only drawback is that it must be sprayed two times a week, every week.
BUT OP: Spraying 100% oil on a flower (if that's what you are talking about) would destroy the flower. Do it to a rose flower first, ok? Or a cherry blossom ... spray it with motor oil too and report back your results.
Oil and soap and ... water.
It works very well and kills pests such as aphids and spider mites, is non toxic to human or plant; and can be used up to the day of harvest. The only drawback is that it must be sprayed two times a week, every week.
BUT OP: Spraying 100% oil on a flower (if that's what you are talking about) would destroy the flower. Do it to a rose flower first, ok? Or a cherry blossom ... spray it with motor oil too and report back your results.
I found the BT very good for white butterfly caterpillars, once a week. I'd be wary about oils in general, just be sure first about whatever you use, you don't want to score a 100% hit on the caterpillars but end up dissolving your trichomes from your flowers.
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Phillybonker
Well-Known Member
Yes, very good point. I don't want to eradicate one problem only to be presented with another problem.
Straight mineral oil would coat the insects and the buds. The insects might die. The buds and leaves would not be able to breathe and that will set back the growth on the plant.
If you want to spray an oil then it would have to be diluted with water and must have something added to break up the surface tension. Several drops or more, depending on how much is going to be mixed, of a mild non-detergent liquid dish soap will do.
There are several web sites that talk about using Mineral Oil or petroleum based oils for plants.
Good point about the Bt spraying.
When going after caterpillars and other leaf insects then Bt is the active ingredient.
If the problem is insect larvae in the soil, or in the water, then the active ingredient should be Bti.
That one little extra letter in the ingredient means a lot.
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Phillybonker
Well-Known Member
It's not 100% mineral oil, it will be heavily diluted in water with a seaweed concentrate mixed in.
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Phillybonker
Well-Known Member
Yes I should have mentioned the mineral oil will be heavily diluted in water that also has a seaweed concentrate added in.
Mere maybe an oz in a gallon of water ... and a few drops of dish soap, and yea ... you got Plant Therapy ... I think using orange oil is better ... read up on it. If you use orange oil, you're making Nuke Em and saving about a thousand bux a liter ... ok, maybe not that much ... but the shit IS expensive. It does work tho.
And I mix it with rhizo sometimes, or CalMag if the girls start showing me red legs.
Be very, very careful about concentrations.
I burned up a WHOLE 8 light room once (75 plants) two weeks before chop foliar spraying CalMag... my wife was so mad at me I almost had to sleep on the couch ... LoL
Vegan4life
Well-Known Member
You should look into the SNS products (site sponsor) or other soil drench products that are systemic. Water the soil several times and it makes the plants taste bad to some critters, makes them move on to find something else to eat. 
There are a few other ingredients in Nuke Em if I remember right. But yes, it is expensive and it does work for many insects and some mildews and molds.
Do not forget to add several drops of liquid dish soap otherwise the oil will not mix with properly with the water.
The seaweed concentrate might not work though if mixed in with the oil & water. The oil will coat the leaves and that might be enough to keep the macro and micro nutrients in the seaweed from being absorbed. Just a thought and something to consider.
There are other ingredients.
Preservatives.
Alcohol, sulfites ... but, unless you plan on storing it for a year or so ... you don't need them.
The active ingredients in Nuke Em is ... orange oil, soap, water.
Active ingredients in Plant Therapy .... mint oil, soap, water.
One of these days I'm gonna mix motor oil, and soap and water and put it in pint spray bottles and call it V8. Our logo will be a headstone over a bug that says, "I shouldna had a V8."
I think I'll charge $19.95 for the pint bottle.
$79.95 a quart.
But get the gallon size at only $199.95
Ya know, if I didn't have a Pest Control Program that worked ... I prolly would.You should look into the SNS products (site sponsor) or other soil drench products that are systemic. Water the soil several times and it makes the plants taste bad to some critters, makes them move on to find something else to eat.
I do use a AzaPro as a soil drench at 10 days, and 35 days to keep the aphids and other blood suckers offa the girls.
