Opinions?

This is my first grow and I think I am nearing end. Issuenis all the leaves are now covered in white spots. Unsure if a insect or what as don't notice any . Leaves also feel a little papery. It is outdoors and we've had some hot days 31-32degrees Celsius. Its a northern lights20230227_080144.jpg20230227_080154.jpg
My question is will plant be fine? I imagine there is about 4 weeks left till done approx.
 

Phytoplankton

Well-Known Member
It looks like you've got a bad case of spider mites (AKA "The Borg"), or possibly thrips. Look on the underside of the leaves with a jewelers loop or magnifying glass. Little tiny red bugs, probably spider mites. You're in flower, so your choices for eradication (or control) are limited. Most oils like Neem, will taint the bud flavor, Insecticidal soaps are probably your best bet. I haven't had to deal with "The Borg", for several years, so there may be better options now, hopefully you'll get some more ideas. I think you might have longer than 4 weeks to go, but hard to tell at this point.
 

HydroKid239

Well-Known Member
Get a clean cloth & use rubbing alcohol to wipe/pat the underside of your leaves. It will dry them out from what I’ve heard. I had a small case of mites & i don’t see them anymore after trying that. Nor have I seen any new leaf damage. May be one of the better options in flower. You got at least a month to go. They have to be dealt with asap.
 

spaceturtle

Active Member
Could I just harvest now. I've not smoked weed in 6mths so not need anything strong. I realy don't want to throw out after almost 6mths work
You can keep them going but soon they will start webbing the buds and ruining them, they will also lay eggs everywhere so the buds will snap crackle and pop when smoked. You can wash the buds after harvest to remove these things but getting to harvest is going to be very difficult. Right now your plant is way too early to harvest and will be horrible.
I say keep growing them out and trying to fight them as a learning experience though. I've thrown out a lot of plants due to them, avoid getting clones from people as well.
 
You can keep them going but soon they will start webbing the buds and ruining them, they will also lay eggs everywhere so the buds will snap crackle and pop when smoked. You can wash the buds after harvest to remove these things but getting to harvest is going to be very difficult. Right now your plant is way too early to harvest and will be horrible.
I say keep growing them out and trying to fight them as a learning experience though. I've thrown out a lot of plants due to them, avoid getting clones from people as well.
Thanks. Any tips on fighting? I've not seen any webbing yet. Should I remove leaves with a lot of damage?
 

spaceturtle

Active Member
Thanks. Any tips on fighting? I've not seen any webbing yet. Should I remove leaves with a lot of damage?
I've never won a battle with mites, the products people use to beat mites are dangerous to smoke. Neem oil drench is a thing, diatamaceous earth is a thing as well but extremely messy. I've tried plenty of options and they always seem to come back. Throwing the plants away just protects any seedlings or veg plants you might have.
 
The strange thing is I went over the plant with a jewellers microscope just then and only found one mite. I'm going theybare gone but perhaps wishfull thinking
 

Phytoplankton

Well-Known Member
Really, this late in flower pyrethrum is not an option, you can use it in veg, and while it biodegrades quickly, I wouldn't use it on buds under any circumstance. Control, not eradication, is what you can reasonably achieve. DE will work for control, but you will need to do some serious bud washing after harvest, but you're gonna need to do that anyway to get rid of webs, mites, eggs and poop. As has been said, DE is also messy, since you literally have to throw it under the leaves. Calcined DE (which is what you need) is not good to breath, so wear a mask if you start tossing it around. It works better on thrips, which have a larval stage in the soil, you can just sprinkle it on the surface of the soil and it'll cut the larvae to pieces as they try to emerge from the soil. Mites don't have a "soil stage". I'd look into insecticidal soaps.

To date, there is no definitive link between pyrethum (pyrethins) and cancer, however, I would err on the side of caution, because most studies have to do with ingesting pyrethum(s), not smoking them, heating/burning can radically change the chemical composition of compounds
 
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PadawanWarrior

Well-Known Member
Could I just harvest now. I've not smoked weed in 6mths so not need anything strong. I realy don't want to throw out after almost 6mths work
Don't throw anything out or chop it. Mites aren't that bad. They suck but they're not invincible. Citric acid spray will kill them. It will burn your pistils though. If I was in your position this far along with that bad an infestation I would spray with 1 tsp citric acid per quart of water and do that every few days. I usually use 2 tsp per quart or even 3, but since your flowering like that 1 might still work without as much damage to the pistils.

Burnt pistils is better than no bud, or really immature bud.
 
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