Have you considered defoliating in an effort to at least make spraying a little easier? And then adding the hypoaspis/predators, too, obviously. The only thing I wonder about is will the spider mites also move to the cover crop? I don’t really know anything about them, never had to deal with them (KNOCK ON WOOD haha), so I don’t know if they only stay on their host plants or will also move on to other non-cannabis plants that are in the same area. I’d imagine they would.
Anyway, sorry about that. That sucks. I like to use OG Biowar, all three packs, during the course of a grow, but the Foliar pack specifically might help you out, too. It’s spendy, but I can give you a code if you’re interested, basically cuts the price in half.
Think I’ll try option 1, I just did option 2 last year when I got HpLVd.
Just a review of the timeline… Oct 15th I brought the outdoor plant in to dry. Ten days later, on Oct 25th I noticed thrips damage. On the 29th I sprayed Captain Jack’s Dead Bug (spinosad and propylene glychol) and reapplied it again six days later on the 4th of November. Five days later, on the 9th, I noticed the mite damage and sprayed neem oil.
I usually don’t like to defoliate, but I considered removing anything with damage on it. Would make spraying easier. I won’t have time to do that until this weekend.
They sure will. I’ve been spraying that as well. I think this is why I should finish off with the mites when I stop spraying.
@ReikoX Sorry to hear that!! Anyhow, sooner or later I’m sure you’ll be able to solve the problem.
I saw a few tiny bugs round my younger plants, neem did the trick. Never stopped thinking, “we use the herb, just like them bugs are doing, we don’t use the bugs!!” You will prevail my friend! No doubt!!
Yeah, I never defoliate, either, but it seems like it could be beneficial in this instance, just to make the spraying easier.
Like, full-on, the undersides of everything, every little cover crop leaf, soaking it all down like you’re supposed to do? Gawd, what a hassle… haha. I feel for you.
It won’t stop them , but water is your friend. Don’t let it get too dry. The little fuckers love that. - misting - spraying. - it helps. You’ve got to make life hard on them. Daily, sometimes twice has helped me get through. One you see webbing if it’s spider mites, they’re established. The population will grow quickly under ideal conditions.
Get an electric fogger and you can create a gas of droplets that will penetrate every surface of your plants, walls, floors… I defeated a gnarly spidermite attack with this gizmo.
Not cheap but quick, easy and seriously effective for this kind of problem. I rationalized one for my fruit orchard, but rely on it for every bug problem. Also great to “sterilize” your room between grows.
That is a horrible feeling right after you discover a problem like that, but sounds like they are at a stage where you will be able to do a knock down, and then establish some beneficials to carry you through. Good luck.
Totally understandable. You have had a bad streak with bugs bud, first thrips and now mites. Hopefully you can get them sorted before they wreak too much havoc.
Zephyr just suggested on my thread spraying with ice water between IPM applications to help deal with thrips. Something about soft-bodied pests not being able to deal with serious temperature fluctuations. Only works on adults, not eggs or larvae, but it might be something to consider instead of soap all over your plants haha. I know that that soap helps; ice water just seems easier. And less, uh, filmy? Or something haha.
