Gnats and Mites, how fuq'd am I ?

Hey,
I've been having troubles with fungus gnats and spider mites at the same time, this has been going on for months and I haven't managed to get rid of them.
Until recently these suckes haven't caused a lot of harm but its getting out of hand here, some of the bigger leaves got brown spots all over them and a few already fell of.

Today I applied a selfmade emulsion coating (oil+soap+water+dry gin) on the leaves and a little bit on the buds.

Question is, I am planning on applying the selfmade chili juice thing you all keep talking about, but I am afraid it might have a negative Impact on the taste, so... got any experience with this? What should I do? I am planning on harvesting within the next 6 weeks, plant and buds both look p. wacky I know. This is my first grow and I will not make the same mistakes next time!

I'm also battling fungus gnats but thankfully not spider mites. I mixed water with dawn dish soap and it pretty much killed every single adult gnat. Than I sprinkled Diatomaceous earth all over the top of my soil to kill the larvae. Not sure if the dish soap will affect the taste but I doubt it unless you're using it every week for the next 6 weeks. I can't help you with the spider mites and hopefully I never get them myself.

The chili dip may effect flavor, but what's worse tasting a bowl of chili or a bowl of bugs?

Have a read http://www.evergreengrowers.com/crop-recommendations/cannabis-crop-recommendation/medical-marijuana-crop-recommendations.html
I have used http://www.evergreengrowers.com/mite-control/spider-mite-destroyer-stethorus-punctillum-mite-control/stethorus-punctillum-spider-mite-destroyer.html as late as week 5 in flower on 8 week strains

If all else fails...this never does.



Hang this for a few hours and all the adults are dead...repeat a few days later.
Sorted my thrip infestation a while back (Although I now keep it sealed in a plastic container, because it is chemical death)

sworth said:

If all else fails...this never does.

View attachment 3711751

Hang this for a few hours and all the adults are dead...repeat a few days later.
Sorted my thrip infestation a while back (Although I now keep it sealed in a plastic container, because it is chemical death)

Click to expand...

qballizhere said:

Have a read http://www.evergreengrowers.com/crop-recommendations/cannabis-crop-recommendation/medical-marijuana-crop-recommendations.html
I have used http://www.evergreengrowers.com/mite-control/spider-mite-destroyer-stethorus-punctillum-mite-control/stethorus-punctillum-spider-mite-destroyer.html as late as week 5 in flower on 8 week strains

Click to expand...

Thanks for the advice I will take it in consideration with my next grow, right now I will stick with the selfmade "natural" stuff bacause I feel like killer strips and mite destroyer won't pay off anymore at this late point.
However I put one of the dead leaves on my flatbed scanner and the suckers I found on it don't look like spider mites IMO, can anyone confirm?
And yea, I'd rather have my buds taste like chili than dead bugs ^^ #govegan

Follow this for total bug elimination
Buy (2) 2 oz pyrethrum foggers @ 4.0% pyrethrum active ingredient. They are good for up to 3000 sq ft.
Dont bother buying "Doctor Doom" brand cuz they are weak @ .4% vs 4% for the Pyrethrum foggers. They are good for up to 3000 sq ft.

1. Clean entire room from top to bottom with a 10% bleach water solution. Vacuum every square inch of the room. Mop the floors with bleach water solution as well. Be sure to wipe down and sterilize ALL equipment that was in use or in the grow room with alcohol wipes or something similar..

2. Blow off a Pyrethrum fogger in your room.
*******Be sure to do this with all fans/lights/pumps/ballasts or any other electrical item that can create a spark since the foggers have a flammable propellant.
Allow 2 hours time for the fogger to settle after going off then go in the room then turn on exhaust fans and circulating fans.

3. Repeat step 1.

4. After 3 days repeat step 2 by using the second Pyrethrum fogger. Dont clean the room after the second fogger.
The reason for the second bombing after the 3rd day is due to the fact that the pyrethrum wont kill the eggs of the few that may have still lived after the nuclear assault. When the mites get bombed like that, it is in their genetics to basically hatch their eggs as a means of survival. Bomb number 2 is what kills off everything left after bomb 1. Total eradication.

From here on out I would build a maintenance routine of 1 pyrethrum fogger every 4 weeks or so and be sure to use a neem oil spray to mist entire plants top to bottom (leaf undersides included) at least once before introducing any plants into the room. Once plants have been introduced into the room you can use the neem oil spray as a preventive about 2 times a month.

The pyrethrum foggers are safe to use in a room with plants as well since the pyrethrum wont hurt the plants -but if they are placed too close to plants, the propellant will burn the leaves. Id give about 1-2 feet distance of the fogger and any plants if possible.
You can safely use the foggers up to 10 days before harvest also.
DO NOT USE THE FOGGER IN A CLOSED TENT.


If you dont care to use Pyrethrum, you can get or make a sulpher burner. You want to switch it up every so often since mites can build immunities to chemicals-and you certainly do not want that. Best of luck!

BTW, those look like russet mites to me & they are a mutha to get rid of if not handled aggressively.
Heres a link to the good Pyrethrum I use:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Pyrethrum-TR-2oz-Whitmire-BASF-Total-Release-Fogger-Insecticide-2-pack-/141815575210

Heres a link to a sulpher burner if you choose to go this route:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Gro1-Greenhouse-Vaporizer-Sulfur-Burner-/111648608362?hash=item19fec6906a:g:G8kAAOSwBahVMEeN

You can make one for about $30 if you are handy and less if you have some of the parts list around the house already. I can give you a DIY tutorial on building one if you are interested.

fagit_isobar said:

Thanks for the advice I will take it in consideration with my next grow, right now I will stick with the selfmade "natural" stuff bacause I feel like killer strips and mite destroyer won't pay off anymore at this late point.
However I put one of the dead leaves on my flatbed scanner and the suckers I found on it don't look like spider mites IMO, can anyone confirm?
And yea, I'd rather have my buds taste like chili than dead bugs ^^ #govegan

Click to expand...

Those are thrips, Monterey garden insect spray or anything with spinosad in it. Its organic gets rid of them pretty easily. The ones in your pics aren't adults, they can fly so spray all your plants even if you don't see any damage.

For the record thrips is both the singular and plural name for that insect for a reason. You aren't going to okie doke your way out of this problem. Take it seriously or kill the plants, clean the room with harsh nasty shit and then restart. For the gnat problem you are most likely keeping your soil too moist. Gnats can't eat your plants up before they harvest if you aren't over watering. Let your planters dry out really well and attack the thrips!

man, for months? you gotta catch these fuckers early!!!

sickleaf said:

man, for months? you gotta catch these fuckers early!!!

Click to expand...

Lol my thoughts exactly

I just used DM earth on my coco, didn't water for a day or two and all the gnats when bye bye, repeated for a few days to kill the larva

Hot shots strips worked too, but be careful it is harmful to breathe in

714steadyeddie said:

Lol my thoughts exactly

I just used DM earth on my coco, didn't water for a day or two and all the gnats when bye bye, repeated for a few days to kill the larva

Click to expand...

great idea! I've used a perlite layer on my soil, gnats get cut on that shit so they cant dig into soil... also had some coffee while chatting to my babies and doidnt finish my coffee, the next morning there were a bunch of gnat floating in the coffee

luckily never had to deal with spidermites, aphids I'll simply remove them and deal the ant colony who were farming them on my plant a severe body count blow...

714steadyeddie said:

Hot shots strips worked too, but be careful it is harmful to breathe in

Click to expand...

Thank you guys for the detailed tutorial and your experiences with insects and spiders. Some of the stuff you suggested isn't available here (or shipping on Amazon costs a lot and I'm not gonna pay for that, I already pay 50€/y for Amazon prime). Right now I am using pic related, probably not so healthy smoking that stuff. It seems to be working, and killing everything that lives in my tent, I have been applying it for 3days in a row, should have gotten rid of all the larvas and eggs by the end of the week, for good...

I tried the No Pest Strips on my thrip problem and it seemed to have little or no effect. I am starting the spinosad treatment today.