Isopropyl alcohol and water mixture for spider mite control

[TheFertilizer]

Hey Nivek. I did use iso/water once but can’t remember the ratio. Helpful eh?
My experience was that almost any type of spray will kill them. Even a brisk spray of plain water blasts them off the plant and sets them back a bunch. But unless you’re using a systemic pesticide of some sort Systemic Pesticides: Chemicals You Can’t Wash Off – Mother Earth News the next batches of eggs hatch out soon after and you have fresh new mites in a day or two.
You probably this spiel already- but...
The way I see it you have two choices.

1- treat them by continuing to spray regularly. Forever...

2- treat them with a systemic. You’ll still have to do this every couple weeks or so, forever, if your environment is such that new mites are in the yard and knocking at the door outside. Myself I don’t have wild mites, so once I got them out of the greenhouse, grow room and houseplants, that was the end of it.

I think that neem oil on its own is not a systemic unless tweaked a bit, but there are systemic made from neem, including the stuff that saved me which is called Mite-rid.
I’ve heard good things about something called Einstein oil. You can get it at Jon’s Plant Factory in Vancouver.

I've pretty much only used Einstein Oil.

I wonder if they are talking about emulsifying it with soap? You have to do that to break it down, otherwise it just stays as oil globs in the water. You can use silica to emulsify it in as well, so you'll be giving your plant extra protection.

Pyrethrum - Wikipedia

Also mentions companion planting as a repellent.

I've been reading some things lately suggesting that pyrethrum may not be as pet friendly as people once thought and that cats are having certain allergic reactions to it. Apparently the same types of allergic reactions aren't seen with pyrethrins, so I would stick with those.


My neem oil recipe (stolen from Tead)

Foliar Spray:
1 tsp 100% cold-pressed neem oil ( Einstein Oil or Dyna-Grow offers this)
1 tsp non anti-bacterial dish soap
Mix it up until its milky white in a shot glass
Pour into 1 gallon of water with neutral ph

For a root drench, just bump those measurements up 2x and pH to whatever your medium calls for. Personally I prefer root drenches because it seems to stress the plant out less.

In my experience with mites, if you wait more than 2-3 days between applications with any pesticide, you will not knock the infestation out, and will have a chance at breeding a resistant population.

 

[4Dutchess]

Pretty bud Nivek. The other wonderful thing about the Nuke Em wash and ISO wash is you can use it in flower. I would use this for all pests. The Nuke Em is also good for other things too if you research it. I cant remember!
Also the Nuke Em and ISO the bugs dont get immune cause they both kill the eggs but Im not sure. All I know is it wipes them out.

 

[AzLaker]

I had the same problem a couple years ago, when I picked up a clone from a dispensary. When I grew out the mom I noticed spider mites all over my mom. I read online for lots of recipes to kill spider mites and the best remedy that I saw was cold press neem oil. I read the instructions, and I did like it said. Spray every three days to make sure you kill the moms and at the same time kill all the eggs. I did this for two weeks, taking my moms into the garage and giving them a thorough spraying. In the meantime I gave my tents and my grow room a thorough cleaning. Since then I haven’t had any problems with spider mites.

Azlaker

 

[bobrown14]

The mites I had were unquestionably immune to pyrethrum. No doubt they’d get immune to anything if subjected to it long enough- a good reason to have backup controls in place so you don’t have to spray so often. A moat, for example.

Hahaha good one a moat...

Montery Garden spray works VERY well and what I use. I get mites this time of year every year. Something to do with the heat + humidity gets them excited and feeling lovey dovey for reproduction.

Monteray is Spinosad. It's a bacteria that on contact, penetrates the exoskeleton killing them from the inside. Same with the eggs and the larvae.

Mites have a 3 stage life cycle so you have to break that cycle to stop the infestation.

2-3 tbs of Monteray spary to a filtered gal of water and spray plants top to btm specially the under side of the leaves since thats where the mites are. Spray like you mean it. Dont hold back, plants love you long time. Do this 2-3 times a week and don't miss for 3 weeks then taper back to 1x a week for maintenance. Mites fvcks b-gone.

This can be used up to the day of harvest.

Somehow Spinosad got a bad rap in Cali for cannabis but its ok and OMRI and various other organic labels for use on all sorts of plants we eat grown in Cali. The bacteria outside of the mites only lasts maybe an hour. It degrades and dies in sun light. Nothing left that can hurt humanity trust me on that. Don't believe anything you read, it's probably written by Monsanto.

Also soap like Dr Bronners peppermint soap is a good one. A few drops to a gallon filtered water and sprayed on works too .... if fucks with the mites brains and they don't know up from down and cant eat. Has to be washed off tho or your weed gets a tad soapy flavor..(dont ask how I know ).

Monteray for the win... cant beat it.

If you have webbing, then 3-4 tbs to a gal and 3x a week for 2 weeks taper to 2x a week and down to 1x a week after 3 weeks.

Doing an IPM routine is a thing. We all are doing it. Just part of growing plants. Pests are well pesty and we have to be diligent. Cool thing about Spinosad, mites cant get immune to it like other chemical pesticides.

 

[pookieMW2]

Hey nivek
I'm in the same situation as u, I'm at week of of flowering and mites are like world war z. I bought predatory mites, but I like a plan B lol. Does the alcohol affect the quality of the buds or does completely evaporate with no after taste left?
Thanks

 

[MrSauga]

OK don't go away... let me get @nivek in here to see if he can help. I know you are not familiar with the site so we'll try and make it a little easier for you. Hang tite.

 

[nivek]

Thx @MrSauga,,

QUOTE="pookieMW2, post: 4292189, member: 83001"]Hey nivek
I'm in the same situation as u, I'm at week of of flowering and mites are like world war z. I bought predatory mites, but I like a plan B lol. Does the alcohol affect the quality of the buds or does completely evaporate with no after taste left?
Thanks[/QUOTE]

Pook,, yes, I use the mixture right up till harvest,, and, no,, it does not seem to cause any ill affects at all.

One does not want a river of this spray running off the plants,, but a good spray for sure,, make sure to get the underside as good as you can

Cheers friend,, karma sent

 

[pookieMW2]

Thanks for the feedback nivek that's what I was hoping to hear. I just mixed a test batch at 50% strength. Guess I'll b having some fun with those dirty mites lol.

 

[keith1975]

Pretty bud Nivek. The other wonderful thing about the Nuke Em wash and ISO wash is you can use it in flower. I would use this for all pests. The Nuke Em is also good for other things too if you research it. I cant remember!
Also the Nuke Em and ISO the bugs dont get immune cause they both kill the eggs but Im not sure. All I know is it wipes them out.

Do you maybe have a link to the nuke em stuff you are talking about? Is it this:

8 oz Nuke Em®

I am having a mite problem too and during flowering:

Spider mites 2 weeks from harvest

Your advice sounds like the best solution!

 

[pookieMW2]

Hey keith
The rubbing alcohol seems to work great, wish I tried this years ago. I did my mix at 50% strength and it desolves those little fuckers. Remember to follow up after a few days. I c why the stores try to sell u on fancy shit. I never tried nukem before but anything pyrethrum based seems to work to a point.

 

[keith1975]

x

Hey keith
The rubbing alcohol seems to work great, wish I tried this years ago. I did my mix at 50% strength and it desolves those little fuckers. Remember to follow up after a few days. I c why the stores try to sell u on fancy shit. I never tried nukem before but anything pyrethrum based seems to work to a point.

When you say 50%, do you mean half water half iso? I have super strong stuff. My whole grow room smells like a hospital now. Im worried mine is too strong. Do i stoll do half half if its 99% in strength?

 

[pookieMW2]

Sorry the mix that I made was 50% alcohol . I diluted 99% iOS with water and went to town last night.
I'm curious about iOS wash , I heard it mentioned in this thread. From my understanding alcohol evaporates completely.

 

[keith1975]

Sorry the mix that I made was 50% alcohol . I diluted 99% iOS with water and went to town last night.
I'm curious about iOS wash , I heard it mentioned in this thread. From my understanding alcohol evaporates completely.

My 4th day without a mite in sight. I think it's the Isopropyl and the diatomaceous earth that did the trick for me. Only downside is that I didnt really know how I was supposed to apply the "diatomaceous earth". Guy at the store said "just chuck it all over the plants". This was a bad idea. There are still clumps on some leaves. It's not dangerous, sure, but I was hoping there wouldnt be a trace of DE by the time harvesting comes, but there might be. It doesn't wash off that easy.

Anyway. Mite problem resolved. Isopropyl rocks!

 

[pookieMW2]

Hey Keith and nivek ,
I tried to mix things up a bit with straight iso and it seems fine, the bugs are on the decline. So far so good, next time I'll add a little pyrethrum to the mix and c that goes.

 

[bobrown14]

DE is for use on top of soil. It literally shreds insects with shards of glass.

My preferred method of mite control is Spinosad. I like Monterey Garden Insect spray @ 1 tbs per gal water as a deterrent

I.E. weekly IPM routine.

Many products have Spinosad in them. Nuk Em is one. Also Captain Jacks is another and Monterrey what I use.

With active infestation - it 2-3tbs of Monterrey per gal water and spray every other day for 2-3 weeks then taper back to 1tbs weekly. Spinosad is an organic pest treatment made from bacteria. It will break down with light very quickly (less that 15 minutes - kills on contact).

It's important to know the life cycle of your pest you're trying to get rid of.

2 spotted Spider Mites aka "the Borg" have a 2-3 week life cycle and like hot & humid conditions.

The life cycle is composed of the egg, the larva, two nymph stages and an adult reproductive stage. To get rid of them, you just need to break one of those stages; why I spray every other day with an active infestation for 2-3 weeks AND until no more seen under microscope. I've found that I need to spray everything in the flower room. Floors walls plants up and down inside out top of soil and keep a fan on the soil line 24/7.

Likely you brought them into your flower room on you. They are very common.

Once you get them you will get them again. Any work to rid yourself of them is temporary. Why we do an IPM. This is just part of growing plants and horticulture. Balance in nature is key to keep them in check.

Anyone that says spinosad in not organic needs to do research. Every organic farmer that grows veggies and fruits use this product. It works. The bad press comes from spraying on flowering plants that need pollinators (bees). The way around that problem (cannabis self pollinates so bees are not attracted) is to spray when the bees are not active.

1 quart bottle lasts me a year and I spray regularly.

Can be used up to the day before harvest with no ill effect on taste or your health. I like to give my plants a nice spray with water only about a week or so before harvest to wash off dust and dirt. I don't usually spray my flowers with anything 1-2 weeks before harvest other than water and do that sparingly.

GL with the mites. Everyone gets them sooner or later. Just be glad they are not Russet Mites. Those are the worst and VERY VERY difficult to get rid of. Takes something stronger (pyrethrin = not organic and not healthy).

Once you see webbing on flowers, you have an advanced infestation with all stages active in the garden.

Hope that helps ....

 

[keith1975]

Hey Keith and nivek ,
I tried to mix things up a bit with straight iso and it seems fine, the bugs are on the decline. So far so good, next time I'll add a little pyrethrum to the mix and c that goes.

I am trying to avoid pyrethrum. But i think the DE is working well enough. Critters stay away from plants sprayed with a bit of de. And the de stays for loooooong!

 

[keith1975]

DE is for use on top of soil. It literally shreds insects with shards of glass.

My preferred method of mite control is Spinosad. I like Monterey Garden Insect spray @ 1 tbs per gal water as a deterrent

I.E. weekly IPM routine.

Many products have Spinosad in them. Nuk Em is one. Also Captain Jacks is another and Monterrey what I use.

With active infestation - it 2-3tbs of Monterrey per gal water and spray every other day for 2-3 weeks then taper back to 1tbs weekly. Spinosad is an organic pest treatment made from bacteria. It will break down with light very quickly (less that 15 minutes - kills on contact).

It's important to know the life cycle of your pest you're trying to get rid of.

2 spotted Spider Mites aka "the Borg" have a 2-3 week life cycle and like hot & humid conditions.

The life cycle is composed of the egg, the larva, two nymph stages and an adult reproductive stage. To get rid of them, you just need to break one of those stages; why I spray every other day with an active infestation for 2-3 weeks AND until no more seen under microscope. I've found that I need to spray everything in the flower room. Floors walls plants up and down inside out top of soil and keep a fan on the soil line 24/7.

Likely you brought them into your flower room on you. They are very common.

Once you get them you will get them again. Any work to rid yourself of them is temporary. Why we do an IPM. This is just part of growing plants and horticulture. Balance in nature is key to keep them in check.

Anyone that says spinosad in not organic needs to do research. Every organic farmer that grows veggies and fruits use this product. It works. The bad press comes from spraying on flowering plants that need pollinators (bees). The way around that problem (cannabis self pollinates so bees are not attracted) is to spray when the bees are not active.

1 quart bottle lasts me a year and I spray regularly.

Can be used up to the day before harvest with no ill effect on taste or your health. I like to give my plants a nice spray with water only about a week or so before harvest to wash off dust and dirt. I don't usually spray my flowers with anything 1-2 weeks before harvest other than water and do that sparingly.

GL with the mites. Everyone gets them sooner or later. Just be glad they are not Russet Mites. Those are the worst and VERY VERY difficult to get rid of. Takes something stronger (pyrethrin = not organic and not healthy).

Once you see webbing on flowers, you have an advanced infestation with all stages active in the garden.

Hope that helps ....

I cant get spinosad in my country.

And i had one web at a stage. Not seen one since. Really awful knowing i will, going forward, always smoke buds that had bugs on them.

 

[pontiacman]

4 parts water, 1 part ISO. 2 drops Bonners. The 70% ISO works too. ISO is stoner term for rubbing alcohol.
I buy the ISO from Smart and Final. Its like $18. a gal. The "Nuke Em" stuff lasts just as long is as cheap as the ISO which surprised me. Cause the Nuke Em seemed expensive but it lasts. A bottle lasts the whole grow.
The plants love to be sprayed and launch after.
My plants are budding in the yard! What a transformation!
This stuff dosent work for fall caterpillars. I spray other stuff (Safer Cat. Spray) for that and got to do that weekly the first 3 weeks of Sept. Which is like now. Harvest in 6 weeks!!!

Use Bt for Caterpillar infestations.

 

[nivek]

@bobrown14 ,, great post,, cheers

some of the 'natural' and chemical controls are simply not available in some areas,, or,, perhaps my efforts are too simple.

however,, as you stated,, a mite problem might possibly be there forever,, as i have kinda resigned myself to in my case,, we have a slightly tense coexistence, at times tenser,, indeed

cheers,, good stuff,, thx