Pest control!

[Autofacade]

OK I've got spider mites, fungus gnats. And possible thrips. Help!

I'm in organic living soil so I have to be careful what I use.

The only thing I have plenty of is neem oil which will be going on tomorrow but thats about it.

 

[oldsmokey]

I like to ad a bit of safer's soap to my neem mixture instead of liquid soap. I mix 1 tsp of neem oil .5 tsp safer's soap to 1 liter warm water.

 

[FelipeBlu]

It’s living alright!

I have no experience with mites, but I know a lot of growers use mosquito dunks for gnats, and I have used insecticidal soap and spinosad for thrips.

GL brother!

 

[Autofacade]

Awesome im looking into predator mites at the moment aswell some to attack anything in the soil. Others to kick anything that's crawling on the plants. I'm starting to hate pests ggggrrrrr

 

[FelipeBlu]

First thing I would do, and I do this every other day during veg, is hit the underside of the leaves with a fairly strong fine spray of regular water (like a hose attachment) to knock as many mites and thrips off as you can. It should also dislodge the eggs that they almost certainly have laid.

 

[Autofacade]

Yh the war begins!
Neem I have predator mites on route. I will be attacking them tomorrow as soon as my lights turn off.

 

[The Phantom]

First thing I would do, and I do this every other day during veg, is hit the underside of the leaves with a fairly strong fine spray of regular water (like a hose attachment) to knock as many mites and thrips off as you can. It should also dislodge the eggs that they almost certainly have laid.

Agreed, give them a nice rinse to knock loose what you can.

 

[Autofacade]

I'm gunna go to town with my sprayer!
Watch this space I wanna get ontop of these buggers quick. Im also in mid veg so any leaves I see that are heavily affected i will remove.

Big question is, predator mites that work the greenery of your plants is this OK? What happens when you get into flowering last thing i want is mites in my bud?

 

[oldsmokey]

When the predator mites food is gone (the spider mites) are they will die off.I have tried predator mites before with mixed results. Now for the thrips I have read multiple times here breaking the life cycle by putting a layer top of the soil as so they can't penetrate the soil. Sand, Damascus Earth and bark mulch are some of the things that are supposed to work. I would be putting a layer on your soil right away. And then start a spraying schedule until your predator mites arrive. I would make sure to rinse everything thoroughly with plain water before releasing the predator mites. And then no more spraying with bug products or you will kill the predators also. Good luck my friend looks like you got the trifecta of bug attacks.

 

[Autofacade]

Agreed thanks @oldsmokey And others that have commented! Looks like the plan of action to me. I used big bags to store all my soil in while it cooks from fresh ammendments etc outside. I think whilst it's been out there its had some new friends move in.

 

[Autofacade]

Right then guys and gals here is my armory! Let it begin!!!! Show me your war face!

Hypoaspis miles for the soil. These guys go crazy for the fungus gnats that are trying to get going and also should help knock the thrips out.

Amblyseius Cucumeris, another form of predator to work the top greenery hungry for pretty much every and any pest walking around.

Before I use this I will be using my neem for the next couple days. I have also purchased the SB plant invigorator. A organic foliar spray that properly tells everything to feck off. Once I've used this stuff I'll leave it a day and send all my troops in.

I've also got some sticky traps for the adults thinking they are safe.

Also on the final assalt I've recently acquired a load of fresh pine mulche that will work wonders so that will also be going on.

I think its safe to say these pests picked the wrong farmer to mess with!!

 

[oldsmokey]

Ding ding round one!

 

[FelipeBlu]

How goes the battle, Autofacade?

 

[Autofacade]

How goes the battle, Autofacade?

Hey man!
My apologies for the none updates.
All cleared going strong and healthy. Only thing I have atm is flys like blue bottles but brown in colour.

But yes I went in hard!. I went for 2 treatments with neem I then used 2 different types of predator mites one for soil and one that was mobile on the plant I also upped my humidity, defoliated the lower section of the plants and cleared out the thick veg in the middle of them. I then added large fans and really got some air blowing through them. Finally I stuck up some sticky fly catchers and did this all within a week. I have only just taken off my predator mite saches as I'm going into flower now. The last thing I did for extra security was to use SB plant invigorator a organic pesticide to kill of everything mobile on the plant friendly or not.

Everything seems dandy atm cheers bud.

 

[FelipeBlu]

Good to hear man - Grow on!

 

[oldsmokey]

First round knockout nice