Im looking for some suggestions I’m fighting spider mites, currently using a sulfur based organic spray on soap, and its killing them but its a pain and on a decent scale atm… I want to stop it as quickly as possible and loose as little as I can. Then start figuring out a long term fix…
What are you experiances with sulfur burners any luck? I am currently growing in greenhouse and warehouse found mites in both.
Back story I didnt plan on being a commercial grower but when an unplanned career change happened, shortly after OK legalized MM, it seamed like God said grow this. so here I am flying mostly by the seat of my pants, youtube, growers forums etc. Shocked to find I have a bit of a green thumb and love growing cannabis. In my previous life I was an engineer and gone all the time now I leave home maybe once a week… and shocked to find how personally I take it when one of my plants is not thriving…
So Im grateful for any help and Im thick skinned enough to not give a shit if your an ass, especially if your advice is good.
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Are the plants in veg or flower? We have an Organic bug killer/repellent. It acts as a foliar as well with the molasses we have in there. Also pops the terpenes a bit and greens them up due to the minerals in the molasses. We are getting it certified organic through Certified Kind. It was approved years ago and the cert ran out a few weeks ago. Should have that cert back in the next few weeks. It is a mite killer for sure.
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I will need to disappoint you , there is no cure for them , the best way is to pray 
From the pesticides on the market you should use with different mode of action :
- on contact , horticultural soaps and oils like Plant Therapy or Safer Insect Killing Soap, NukeEm
-growth regulators , Azadirachtin neem oil like Azaguard
-bioinsecticides , different type of bacterias that poison the digestive system of mites like Grandevo
- or beneficial insect combined with pesticides that will cause low harm to them
The best thing that you can do it is to uncover the Greenhouse if that works for you ! The morning dew will keep the leaves wet every morning , the spider mites dont like moisture , when you are in late flowering cover it again ! Like this they have perfect dry conditions and plant food .
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I dont know your location , but you should be good now . The Winter is coming , usually in this period of the year the mites they entering in diapause , the females change their colour in strong- orange/red , they stop reproducing and feed aggressively . You can see them on the lower parts of the plant or on the tops how they make like pile of mites and they are not moving but they are still alive .
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Best you can do at this point is hope for the best, it will be a bit ugly at harvest but they will trim off. If you are indoor clear the rooms sanitize everything, begin buying beneficial bugs, learn what bugs to bring in and when. For spider mites we bring in weekly various amounts of the following. Phytoseiulus persimilis only when spider mites are present. Amblyseius californicus , preventive. Amblyseius andersonii , also preventive chrysoperla carnea larvae, preventive but they do eat everything even each other.
Most of all stop spraying anything, one can spray for hot spots on say aphid, it won’t help with spider mites.
I would say with most crops not cannabis we have many sprays that will completely wipe out spidemites,
Find a bug broker don’t buy online line up fresh deliveries weekly, you might slow the ones you have now if you were to buy a real lot of persimilis that may stop the spider mites from completely weeping on top of the buds. Unless they are already webbing then it will be ugly in no time.
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As a grower in the central valley, I’m unfortunately very familiar with the 2 spot spider mite. It is unbelievable how quickly they can spread in a greenhouse environment, particularly with the temps where they have been.
We use a mix of products as preventatives, which is truly the only way to win. Consistent (at least twice a week) spraying, alternating products is the key. With that being said, we have found Green Cleaner to be the most effective in our arsenal. One of the biggest benefits of Green Cleaner is being able to spray all the way through flower if you have to. Obviously no one WANTS to spray in flower, but sometimes it is inevitable.
Here is how you win:
1. Clean up as much canopy as you can. Leaf, bottom branch, etc. You need your spray to penetrate and getting leaves out of the house with tons of eggs helps slow the population explosion.
2. Get your spray on. Spray Green Cleaner (follow directions on bottle if in veg, use 1/2 oz per gallon in flower) on the first day. If you’re in veg, I like to alternate with Azamax or your neem concentrate of choice. If you’re in flower, DO NOT use Azamax or soaps. If you’re in flower I recommend alternating with Plant Therapy. Make sure you’re getting the undersides of the leaves, and if you’re not using some form of atomizer you’re wasting money on spray concentrates. Get an atomizer, either gas powered or plug in electric.
3. BE CONSISTENT. No on likes spraying, which is why you should splurge on the best spray equipment you can. I personally use a Stihl SR 200 in the greenhouse. You will use orders of magnitude less material to get the same effect compared to a regular pressure based sprayer. Green Cleaner is EXPENSIVE, so you will recoup your investment quickly and be much happier doing everyone’s least favorite job. If you are fighting an infestation you need to be spraying at least every other day, for at least a week. I recommend more like 10 days…
I have had very mixed results using predatory mites… Haven’t had real success in the greenhouse, but I will say that a shitload of persimilus has saved a huge chunk of one of my outdoor crops in the past. They are aggressive as hell and go after the eggs before the adults. They also have a way of “shredding” any webbing that has gotten into your buds. If you want to know more, I recommend calling Andrew and Dave (951-943-2819) down at Biotactics in SoCal. Those guys are seriously passionate about bugs and have a great product.
Good luck and keep fighting!
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The problem is you. You’re the one who is bringing them in. My phone number is in your mail. Call me and we’ll have a long talk and I’ll explain how to get rid of them and how not to get them again.
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Plant therapy is soap based pesticide !
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