Experiments in Organic Pest Control - Spider Mites

ZoBudd

ZoBudd

Well-Known Member
I've been battling the dreaded spider mites for more than a year. I'm a pretty strict organic gardener. I bought a spray called Thanatos, all organic, worked really well, but it was way pricey. I noticed some recognizable scents from the essential oils in the spray, so, I did a little research and thought I'd share my experiment.

Please follow along and share your wisdom!!!!

I. SPIDER MITES - Here is what they look like and what their damage the plant looks like:

upload_2015-2-15_21-4-21.jpeg






II. ESSENTIAL OILS - Lemongrass, Eucalyptus, Citronella, Tea Tree, Rosemary, Peppermint

oils.JPG
III. ESSENTIAL CONCOCTION #1
32 oz filtered water
10 drops each of:
  • Lemongrass Oil
  • Rosemary Oil
  • Thyme Oil
  • Peppermint Oil
Shake it up really well, spray entire plant, make sure to get the undersides of leaves
 
Diabolical666

Diabolical666

Well-Known Member
And soon they will eat that for lunch....they get immuned and then you have to advance to something more powerful. Keep switching up the miticides;)
 
dbkick

dbkick

Well-Known Member
Diabolical666 said:
And soon they will eat that for lunch....they get immuned and then you have to advance to something more powerful. Keep switching up the miticides;)
Click to expand...
You don't grow immune to being doused with oil unless you can breath oil.
Most oil based insecticide kills by suffocation .
I've found one product and stuck with it for mites and that would be mighty wash. They don't grow immune to that either.
They do grow immune to toxic poisons .
 
hyroot

hyroot

Well-Known Member
all you need is fresh aloe Vera and pro tekt. That will take care of mites within 1-2 applications. I discovered that one accidentally a few months ago. Spraying my veggie garden. My peppermint was covered in mites. That took care of them right away. Then after they're gone. Get some natural mistik from dragonfly earth medicine. Takes one day to brew. Then apply every other day til week 3 of flower. You will have the healthiest plants ever. Regardless of nutes. I've been using it since march

WP_20150423_02_56_53_Pro.jpg

this is recycled soil. Aside from castings and compost I have not amended it. Its gotten one nutrient tea. A couple seed sprout teas and the rest plain water.

I got free samples of natural mistik at the cannabis cup. . I make 2 bottles a week. The sample lasted all of march and this month. Its almost gone. I just ordered a pound of it last night. It is expensive but it will last for over a year.
 
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Pattahabi

Pattahabi

Well-Known Member
Neem oil (or karanja oil) emulsified with silica (protekt or agsil). Spray every 3 days for 3 sprayings to break the reproductive cycle. If you need any more info on emulsifying, etc let me know.

You can add a few drops of your essential oils to the water for a little added zip.

Peace!

P-
 
karmaxul

karmaxul

Well-Known Member
You may want to try these. http://www.arbico-organics.com/prod...cus-spidermite-killer/pest-solver-guide-mites this other company has some others though the price is expensive for the numbers. http://www.buglogical.com/spider-mite-predator/

Paecilomyces is a type of fungus that is said to effectively eradicate many pests, including several species of spider mites. The leaves release exudates to colonise fungi, which cover the surface of healthy leaves, which produces oxalic acid which is said to interact with the mites exoskeletal membranes and kill them in 24 hours. Bee keeper use oxalic acid to treat bees for mites and it is actually made naturally in honey. I would just use alaskan humus in an AACT. The best time for fungal spores are 12 - 18 hours brew time.

I had thrips indoor. I grow on carpet. I introduced 40,000 predator mites on the, at that point, infestation and have not had an issue since even with the soil I recycle. I use about 50% earth worm castings so the nematodes may be doing their part.

A lot has to do with watering. Diatomaceous Earth works well by slicing the exoskeleton though is safe for people and animals. The food grade more expensive version is feed to cattle to deworm them. You can put it around the soil where much of the breeding happens. Not the best to breath in as a general rule of thumb.
 
Joedank

Joedank

Well-Known Member
hyroot said:
all you need is fresh aloe Vera and pro tekt. That will take care of mites within 1-2 applications. I discovered that one accidentally a few months ago. Spraying my veggie garden. My peppermint was covered in mites. That took care of them right away. Then after they're gone. Get some natural mistik from dragonfly earth medicine. Takes one day to brew. Then apply every other day til week 3 of flower. You will have the healthiest plants ever. Regardless of nutes. I've been using it since march

View attachment 3403001

this is recycled soil. Aside from castings and compost I have not amended it. Its gotten one nutrient tea. A couple seed sprout teas and the rest plain water.

I got free samples of natural mistik at the cannabis cup. . I make 2 bottles a week. The sample lasted all of march and this month. Its almost gone. I just ordered a pound of it last night. It is expensive but it will last for over a year.
Click to expand...
yea dude thanks for the DEM tip just got it brewing today pricey . but for what is in it , it is a steal....
phyched just on the smell...:)
 
jcdws602

jcdws602

Well-Known Member
ZoBudd said:
I've been battling the dreaded spider mites for more than a year. I'm a pretty strict organic gardener. I bought a spray called Thanatos, all organic, worked really well, but it was way pricey. I noticed some recognizable scents from the essential oils in the spray, so, I did a little research and thought I'd share my experiment.

Please follow along and share your wisdom!!!!

I. SPIDER MITES - Here is what they look like and what their damage the plant looks like:

View attachment 3352210






II. ESSENTIAL OILS - Lemongrass, Eucalyptus, Citronella, Tea Tree, Rosemary, Peppermint

View attachment 3352216
III. ESSENTIAL CONCOCTION #1
32 oz filtered water
10 drops each of:
  • Lemongrass Oil
  • Rosemary Oil
  • Thyme Oil
  • Peppermint Oil
Shake it up really well, spray entire plant, make sure to get the undersides of leaves
Click to expand...


You forgot the most important of the essential oils of all for spider mites,Lavender oil!I have tried all the essential oils and lavender is absolutely the best at killing mites and their eggs!I battled mites for a long time and used pesticides miticides and essential oils.Some miticides did work very well but just too damn expensive.Mighty wash works great but again too damn expensive.I tried all the essential oils with marginal succes.Finally I tried lavender oil and after close inspection under a microscope mites turned black like and looked to kinda melt as well as their eggs.I now use it as a preventative about 1/3-1/4 oz a gallon emulsified with dawn soap first.Then add to water.For a full infestation up the ratios.

Nobody seems to believe Lavender works so well but I have rid full infestations in large ops using lavender alone.It also helps prevent powdery mildew as an added bonus.Just remember spray with lights off only, just like any other oils it will burn your plants foliage.
 
vostok

vostok

Well-Known Member
Nice Photos, but the bottom line is ....if you have spider mites, thats only an indication to the real issue, ITS NOT THE ISSUE, find the issue whats attracting them to your grow, over a year now???
or always be sacrificing some of your crop to this pest, often very often bugs are attracted to you plants for 1-2 specific reasons ...Double Check your Shit!!! guaranteed you will face palm once the reason hits ...lol
meantime look to Neem Oil as being a good all rounder many noobs avoid this as they don't like the smell etc,
but it has recently been a proven systemic bug killer, as in the plants drink neem oil up good for molds and pubic lice too ...lol
 
jcdws602

jcdws602

Well-Known Member
vostok said:
Nice Photos, but the bottom line is ....if you have spider mites, thats only an indication to the real issue, ITS NOT THE ISSUE, find the issue whats attracting them to your grow, over a year now???
or always be sacrificing some of your crop to this pest, often very often bugs are attracted to you plants for 1-2 specific reasons ...Double Check your Shit!!! guaranteed you will face palm once the reason hits ...lol
meantime look to Neem Oil as being a good all rounder many noobs avoid this as they don't like the smell etc,
but it has recently been a proven systemic bug killer, as in the plants drink neem oil up good for molds and pubic lice too ...lol
Click to expand...

You are correct sir unless you bring 'em in via new cuttings.......I vote neem as a great preventative,but I've never had tried it on pubic lice lol.
 
hyroot

hyroot

Well-Known Member
Joedank said:
yea dude thanks for the DEM tip just got it brewing today pricey . but for what is in it , it is a steal....
phyched just on the smell...:)
Click to expand...

it is pricey. But it will last a long time.
Depending on how much and how many plants you foliar.
 
707humboldt

707humboldt

Well-Known Member
Azamax works great for mites. Its OMRI listed for organic gardening too. I have a quarantine room for any new cuts that I pick up. Everything goes through that room first before it gets introduced to any of my main gardens. Everything gets sprayed with amamax for precautionary measures. Preventative measures and good gardening practices is the best insecticide on the market.
 
hyroot

hyroot

Well-Known Member
omri is bs. I could get Windex omri listed if I paid enough. There's plenty of examples of bs companies that were omri listed. Then banned from California for being too toxic
 
MjMama

MjMama

Well-Known Member
vostok

vostok

Well-Known Member
Dude I'd really like to know how much more concentrated Azamaz is over Neem oil,
as I was trained in the old USSR to not believe any of the shit you know,
neem oil is the name of the sap extracted from the tree (tree sap) (Azadirachta indica)

break a leg and learn something ..

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neem_oil
 
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