PM in late flower. Best organic solution?

MAGpie81

Well-Known Member
Swinging towards milk, baking soda, or citric acid.

Anyone have first-hand experience using any of these in late flower (strains are Durban Poison and Kwazulu; both are Sativas so longer-flowering)?

How, or was, taste affected?
Did you have to rinse before drying?
Did it get rid of all, or at least most, of the PM?

I know this question is an annual/common one, but hoping for specific experience with spraying on buds that are about to ripen (-bulking up, hairs being over-taken by calyx’, etc.)

It’s mid-September, Mendocino Coast, CA(US)

Thanks in advance
 

mudballs

Well-Known Member
Yes i spray them...the baking soda will kill the PM but it will also scorch the living shit out of any leaves infected. I do spray my oil based plant therapy recipe straight into the buds...ill share a vid later...if you spray that baking soda, be prepared to cry the next morning
 

SpicySativa

Well-Known Member
Green Cure (potassium bicarbonate) is what you want. It’s completely non-toxic and it works if you keep up with it (spray thoroughly every 5-7 days).

If you mix it at full strength it will turn your pistils brown, but let’s be realistic - your pistils will be brown anyway once the herb is dry and cured. I haven’t noticed any other negative effects (taste, smell, etc). The finished buds have been quite nice in my experience

Mix it at half strength it’s still effective but a little more gentle.

Make sure you spray early or late when the sun isn’t hitting your plants. Otherwise it can burn a little.
 

MAGpie81

Well-Known Member
Yes i spray them...the baking soda will kill the PM but it will also scorch the living shit out of any leaves infected. I do spray my oil based plant therapy recipe straight into the buds...ill share a vid later...if you spray that baking soda, be prepared to cry the next morning
I’ve actually previously used a low concentration baking soda solution and didn’t seem to hurt them but did leave some residue, which kinda looks like PM, but gone soon after. Same with milk, a few weeks ago. The milk smell went away pretty quick. Have also used citric, but coupled with Rosemary tea.
I think those things probably helped in prevention, and I have two small solar fans that run on them during the day (duh).
 

MAGpie81

Well-Known Member
Green Cure (potassium bicarbonate) is what you want. It’s completely non-toxic and it works if you keep up with it (spray thoroughly every 5-7 days).

If you mix it at full strength it will turn your pistils brown, but let’s be realistic - your pistils will be brown anyway once the herb is dry and cured. I haven’t noticed any other negative effects (taste, smell, etc). The finished buds have been quite nice in my experience

Mix it at half strength it’s still effective but a little more gentle.

Make sure you spray early or late when the sun isn’t hitting your plants. Otherwise it can burn a little.
Yeah, I keep hearing about this one, just haven’t tracked down a local source.
I prefer to mix my own simple solutions- more affordable usually and I can source-track ingredients easier perhaps.
Thanks.
 

SpicySativa

Well-Known Member
Yeah, I keep hearing about this one, just haven’t tracked down a local source.
I prefer to mix my own simple solutions- more affordable usually and I can source-track ingredients easier perhaps.
Thanks.
It’s also sold as Bi-Carb Old Fashioned fungicide (made by Monterey).

Potassium bicarbonate has many uses outside of agriculture. If you can’t find one of the brand name products I mentioned, you can probably pick up potassium bicarbonate powder at a vitamin/supplement shop. You’d just need to mix it with a wetting agent (soap, aloe, whatever).
 

xtsho

Well-Known Member
I knew you’d show up and say that m’friend. :cool:
Other options work but there are quite a few commercial fungicides with citric acid as the main ingredient. I've found it to be a must have ingredient in my garden. That along with sesame oil and everything is covered from pests to PM and mold.

NukeEm, Dr Zymes, FungOut, Procidic, GrowersAlly are just some of the commercial products that have citric acid as the active ingredient. But you don't have to buy a commercial product. Just mix it yourself with water.

Both citric acid and potassium bicarbonate can be purchased for less than $10 a pound. I used to get my citric acid in the bulk section at the grocery store but since Covid they've gotten rid of most of that stuff so I buy it on Amazon. $23 for 5 pounds.
 

mudballs

Well-Known Member

link to what im spraying

other spray
this kills hard so do not bud spray with this like in the video
1/2 gal 70% iso
1/2 gal water
few drops of castile soap
1-2 tsp sodium bicarb (baking soda)
from what ive heard, as long as the alcohol content is below 35% you wont harm the trics or resins
im like you i just wanna go to a store and buy what i need, these are local ingredients
 

growslut

Well-Known Member
I feel that spraying causes more problems than not when you are this far along. Nothing you spray is going to eliminate it completely. If you spray, you will end up with finished product that has both pm and whatever chemicals you used to spray with

This grow I would recommend pulling off the leaves with pm. Next grow consider a fungicide like regalia to avoid the wpm
 

jph

Member
Last year I had PM starting in late August and I alternated Potassium Bicarbonate and H202 at 1.5% solution, then did H202 only in the last two weeks. Everything turned out great.
 

mandocat

Well-Known Member
Swinging towards milk, baking soda, or citric acid.

Anyone have first-hand experience using any of these in late flower (strains are Durban Poison and Kwazulu; both are Sativas so longer-flowering)?

How, or was, taste affected?
Did you have to rinse before drying?
Did it get rid of all, or at least most, of the PM?

I know this question is an annual/common one, but hoping for specific experience with spraying on buds that are about to ripen (-bulking up, hairs being over-taken by calyx’, etc.)

It’s mid-September, Mendocino Coast, CA(US)

Thanks in advance
This is what I use. You can use it within hours of harvest and there is no residue or damage to your buds. It kicks the crap out of PM! https://biosafesystems.com/product/zerotol-2/
 

jbcCT

Well-Known Member
PM is a formidable foe. I haven't found a solution that doesn't render the flower next to worthless.

Tends to move from the bottom of the plant to the top. Instead of these concoctions almost better off taking the top of the plant or any undamaged flower.
 

MAGpie81

Well-Known Member

link to what im spraying

other spray
this kills hard so do not bud spray with this like in the video
1/2 gal 70% iso
1/2 gal water
few drops of castile soap
1-2 tsp sodium bicarb (baking soda)
from what ive heard, as long as the alcohol content is below 35% you wont harm the trics or resins
im like you i just wanna go to a store and buy what i need, these are local ingredients
Awesome brother, thanks for the vid!
I’ve thought about IPA (IsoPropylAlcohol) before but, like you said, it can dissolve trics/thc. The raising of the pH is a great idea (or can make inhospitable by lowering with the citric acid).
I was in town and picked up more citric, which is an ingredient in what I ended up using; I found the pictured item (not organic but looks to be close(?) while calling around inquiring about potassium bicarbonate, and the dude went reading all the labels for me, and this one sounded good for a couple big hits, and then I’ll switch to citric&h2o ‘cause it’s far cheaper. Gotta few more weeks to try to push’em!
Maybe I’ll alternate with a sodium bicarbonate solution… but ANY input is highly welcome- I like your spray style- I use 1gal pump spray and misted the crap out of mine. I’m still weary on the alcohol part, but a little oil or soap that would easy rinse might work nice. But afterwash- citric makes everything (your hands included) squeaky-shined, haha.
Will share plant pics in next post
57FCC012-5EE2-4F0D-9387-5D5038EF4047.jpegEFD56905-A8BB-49BD-B91C-697ED1734C6B.jpeg
 

xtsho

Well-Known Member
Awesome brother, thanks for the vid!
I’ve thought about IPA (IsoPropylAlcohol) before but, like you said, it can dissolve trics/thc. The raising of the pH is a great idea (or can make inhospitable by lowering with the citric acid).
I was in town and picked up more citric, which is an ingredient in what I ended up using; I found the pictured item (not organic but looks to be close(?) while calling around inquiring about potassium bicarbonate, and the dude went reading all the labels for me, and this one sounded good for a couple big hits, and then I’ll switch to citric&h2o ‘cause it’s far cheaper. Gotta few more weeks to try to push’em!
Maybe I’ll alternate with a sodium bicarbonate solution… but ANY input is highly welcome- I like your spray style- I use 1gal pump spray and misted the crap out of mine. I’m still weary on the alcohol part, but a little oil or soap that would easy rinse might work nice. But afterwash- citric makes everything (your hands included) squeaky-shined, haha.
Will share plant pics in next post
View attachment 4986549View attachment 4986550
I don't know if you want to alternate. One is low pH the other is high. You could also have a reaction if you spray citric acid after potassium or sodium bicarbonate and there is still a residue left. Like adding vinegar to baking soda. I've never done it so I don't know how much of an issue it would be if any.
 
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