yah I’m running in hydro, but that plant I posted a photo of was a soil plant I took and washed it all off then planted in hydro. It was positive for spider mites and white aphids. The soil I dumped in the compost. You could use fresh soil in small pots get the plants going again. There are other alternatives, like baking the soil or using boiling water to sterilize it. The bugs could theoretically be in the soil like spider mites resting on there, but they can’t survive without the host. So if you put the “perhaps” contaminated soil aside somewhere safe for a bit, the bugs will die eventually on their own.
2 Likes
I have actually heard of people soaking in water to drown them. Just didnt know how it was done.
2 Likes
It’s protocol 0, I made it up myself. Other people have used it to end spider mites, too.
3 Likes
Thanks for the info. I think Im good right now but you just never know when your gonna be attacked. To me, there are 2 kinds of growers those who have had spider mites, and those that will eventually get spider mites.
3 Likes
well… I use the protocol 0 to make sure I don’t get spider mites in my clean room. As well as every other parasite. Since I did the protocol 0 tests back in 2017 after the floods, I haven’t seen a parasite in there.
My grow room is clean room style, but not ultra-clean room just good enough to keep out the cannabis pathogens and parasites. I literally got the last batch of spider mites from a legal producer who had super-mites you couldn’t poison off. I was determined to find a final solution to all parasites, which eventually became protocol 0. I… don’t even want to admit this but I had initially called it the “final solution” to your problems but then I was like uhh that name is not good. hah hah I can’t believe I admitted that.
3 Likes
Hey @JoeCrowe
I hate to keep picking your brain on this but I am really fascinated.
So, Protocol 0 is simply sterilizing (for lack of a better word) everything before in goes into your grow area. I get that. Here is a scenario that snagged me before. I started some seeds early in the season. I used old soil that had been cooking for probly 9 months. Started the seeds in solo cups outside on the patio because we were getting really warm temps. Anyways grew them to about 6 inches or so. They brought them into to veg in a brand new tent. They ended up in spider mite heaven. I tried bringing the plants outside and spraying them down with gentle spray. Put them back in the tent, after cleaning it. Checked the next day. Spider mites. I sprayed with insecticidal soap. On two days. Didnt do shit. Someone suggested ladybugs. I think they kept them at bay. But did not get rid of them. I said F it and put them outside. They were about 4 weeks in flower. I put them away from anything else. They went back into veg and thats where we are.
Should I have drowned them even though i could not see anything? And remember. I am running soil.
2 Likes
Yah the parasites can be in larva stage and you can’t see them with the human eye. It seems like nothing is there, yet it can be pulsing with bugs. Also some bugs can be really tough! Spider mites are one of them. They can survive on the host plant over winter at -18C only to start replicating in the spring.
Now, you could get a bug on you that will climb off and onto your plants. If you run from the grassy fields right into your grow and hug a plant, it could get bugs. I have a dabbing room where I decontaminate before I enter the grow by brushing myself off. If you are really paranoid you can shower or use a vacuum cleaner.
I always assume any plant that left my grow and entered the real world could be contaminated unless it was in containment like a clone in a sealed plastic bag.
3 Likes
I wondered about that ever since I read your post months ago about doing it.
2 Likes
lol I thought up that crazy idea back in 2017 then called it protocol 0. I was hoping people would use it to kill all bugs, and eliminate the reliance on things the bugs will eventually be immune to.
2 Likes
We try to remember to wear freshly washed clothing when we go into the green room. I keep a change hanging next to the entrance door.
2 Likes
Every time I go fishing or cut the grass I will have fresh clothes and a towel waiting for me in in the bathroom. Damn near ruined 2 grows before figuring out what was going on. Now I will try my best to keep them at bay. Nightmarish them things are.
3 Likes
Took a little pic of my Blak N Blu Cookies that is groing straight in the ground. Now I do feed her lightly but she is just natural. No topping. No training. Has survived a 2X 6 falling on it.
Aint she purty?
17 Likes
Very pretty. No pruning either huh? I see them itty-bitty arms trying to reach out for light.
2 Likes
Indeed! Completely comfortable with her surroundings! Believe I have some of these on their way to me… They’ll surely be well used!! Congrats!
3 Likes
She really does appear to be comfy. And I mostly ignore her. Normally she gets just plain water straight out of the hose. Maybe once a week if I think about it, I will throw some nutrients on her, but that’s it. No special treatment. She should start flowering soon.
This plant looks nothing like my Blue Cookies that was her momma. I am thinking the Black Lebanese is showing to be the dominant phenotype on this one. I am excited as a 13 year old boy with a box of Playboys.
2 Likes
One more question @JoeCrowe
If you have a plant that you want to run protocol 0 on, and she is say, 18" tall. How would you go about drowning but without hurting the plant or dumping soil? I do take them out and spray water from garden hose and try to blast the underside of leaves, but the plants don’t appear to like it much. I think drowning the mites may be a great way to be rid of those bastards but would be kinda hard to accomplish with a plant in full-on veg.
1 Like
a giant tub of water! In the past to get things through bloom I’d wash the spider mites off in the shower, since my plants are hydroponic it’s pretty easy. If you can get a big barrel of water it would probably work. The shower never finished off the mites, but it actually hit them so hard they didn’t get a chance to spread to other plants right next to it.
2 Likes
I hope my B&B Cookies looks even near that good. I’ll know soon enough.
Your plants all look great bro.
2 Likes
Hahaha. Fooled you my friend. I am just not showing the bad ones. Like this one.
And just for comparison. These 2 girls were popped on the same day. Treated exactly the same.
Those are both SS#4.
10 Likes
Just shows to go ya. I aint no different than anyone else. I pop seeds where the plant never makes it. This one Im gonna try to nurse her to health. Shes an auto fem and I only had 3 seeds. One popped and died in the paper towel. And these 2.
If a plant does not meet expectations in about 2-3 weeks it gets culled. No time for nonsense. LOL
3 Likes