I can’t win for losing I run the local grow/vape/head shop, all these noobies need help with their grows and I am happy to help but why do all of them HAVE to have nasty shit like PM and tonight’s big surprise was, you guessed it, spider mites, of all things. See, he is getting near harvest and wanted me to bring my loupe and look at the trichs for him to see if it was ready. There were very few trichs to even look at and they were early, mostly clear, the buds were larfy and the insides were full of webs and what looked to be little black eggs. So, I only found this out after the guy had handed a bud to me and the frog in my pocket.
I told her on the way home that as soon as we got home we’d have to strip off our clothes and take them to the washing machine and go get in the shower to wash any that my have gotten on us off. Am I trippin? I feel like I’m probably trippin.
Sorry to hear that, I know how you feel and hope this won’t discourage you from keep helping others. The more I lead the more I know I’m just hopeless without asking for help and borrowing others experience. There are too many things to take care about and only with the proper guidance of experts you can accomplish something relevant. This site is a good example of the patience and dedication from people that share their expertise acquired from years with those that many times don’t realize the complexity of growing these beaties.
I hope someday I will also be able to help and pay back, until then I will be thankful to people like you, hope those kids will appreciate what you’re doing … …
So, i raise a few pigs. And if i ever need to call the vet, he shows up in a tyvek suit compleate with covers for his shoes. He puts it on before he gets out of his truck. Its for my safety and his. swine diseases are VERY contagious. You might want to think about how to protect yourself visiting other gardens. I love helping other people get started growing.
The mites we deal with aren’t long term hitchhikers fortunately. Sure they will take a ride, but it will always be short-lived. I totally understand this though, and I have met growers that suit up just to take a look in the gardens.
When I was heavily invested with a grow store it was mandatory that the floors and counters were kept clean and disinfected. Some days I felt more like a sanatizer then the tech, especially when the mite farmers and PM gang came around for the weekly supply of whatever. Those cats always were dragging something in the store including infected leaves and sometimes small plants . Eventually I made it known that it was a mandatory - Leave it in the car rule! I could never come straight home to my gardens unless it was a safe day at work and even then I still took precautions just in case. There’s no such thing as a 100% safe grow shop- it’s like saying that a public elementary school is lice free LOL…
Knock on wood. I haven’t had spider mites but from what I hear a definite strip down is the right thing. My cuz got some on a clone from a friend and he had to do the same thing everytime he went to his mom room to make sure he didn’t lose those as well. I did the same thing when I got back from his place.
Better safe than sorry.
I was at my local grow shop with a few other customers waiting for odds and ends, chatting, about 3 weeks ago.
This lady comes in with a ziploc baggie full of leaves and says “could you take a look and see what might be wrong?”
Now I live in an area FULL of grow ops, like the indoor version of Humboldt county for BC. Borg are alive and well here.
So the counter guy, an awesome fella, grabs his microscope and says “sure, pass it over”.
The lady proceeds to then start opening the bag…
The four of us customers, I shit you not, almost tackled her. Canadianly, of course… with lots of sorrys and “sorry can’t handle this kinda gambling”. We all had a good laugh afterwards. She was really ripped and not thinking; and her poor violators, for those who care, were not infested just micro deficient.
I had Borg. Tried everything. Bought nasty evil regulated miticide under the counter. That did’em in but oh boy would I ever strip naked 3 blocks away from home to never repeat that experience…
I am finally back on my feet from a infestation from a friends clone. Never be to careful. Those mites can quickly turn your passion against you. Burn them.
Ha! Gettin’ girls naked is hardly ever a bad thing. Amaright?
Who’s down for a tick check?
@George, not a chance my friend. I love helping folks with their grows, hell I practically feel obligated to do it up to a certain extent, but they’ve got to put in the work. You’ll get there if you really want it and then it’ll be you helping the youngsters.
Man I can’t thank you guys enough for setting my mind at ease, seems we did the right thing. Once again Overgrow has taught me something.
Get ready to be grossed out, those black dots are bug excrement!
Yes, pretty standard procedure when working with pollen as well. Dont forget about hats and shoes. It’s easy to forget and put the dirty shoes or hat back on.
You are not tripping and should have the lady remove all her clothes every time you go into the grow room.
Not tripping. I’ve had infestations that I am 100% sure started by me going to my local hydro shop and bringing something bad home with me. If that’s where you work, I’d have a quarantine procedure every night. Clothes off at the porch and into a bag then into the washer.
My local hydro shop also grows stuff downstairs, so you can bet anything that’s downstairs is upstairs too.
They actually started burning sulfur directly in their store front, so they know what’s up.
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. Eventually I made it known that it was a mandatory - Leave it in the car 
rule! I could never come straight home to my gardens unless it was a safe day at work and even then I still took precautions just in case. There’s no such thing as a 100% safe grow shop- it’s like saying that a public elementary school is lice free LOL…
