Trala’s Tent

[DeeBoy]

Omg I hope so.

And it is the Borg. I’ve just resprayed MC coz I saw a couple of live mites.

So annoying.

The Borg is another Star Trek reference…. Admit it … Star Trek is cool!

 

[Trala]

In that case, see if you can any or all of these? Maybe you have different predators where you are but we have these. Not sure if you need an organic grow for them to work(stay alive) though, but the next things I'm going to try are all natural but I'm in organic soil.

"
Persimilis is the main predator of spider mites and is the only one that will go directly into the webbing to eat them. They do best at a humidity of at least 60%, or you can help by misting your plants twice daily to keep the environment humid (pest spider mites love dry conditions). It may be necessary to reintroduce them after 7-10 days if you're dealing with a heavy infestation, or conditions are sub-optimal.

Fallacis are the best predator of spider mites if you seek to be preventative. They can also be introduced at the same time as persimilis, and after the persimilis have done their work, the fallacis will stick around on your crop feeding on pollen as well as helping to subdue future outbreaks of pest mites on your plants. They can even be introduced on "clean" plants. Fallacis has a varied diet that includes bamboo mites, spruce spider mites on a wide variety of crops from field berries to container nurseries and greenhouse vegetables.


Stethorus are a small black ladybird beetle that are a great predator of pest mites as well. They have two advantages over the predatory mites: they are good flyers, and they are more tolerant to lower humidity.

They are meant to be used as "hot spot" treatment, alongside the mite predators above. They are expensive to rear so realistically are to be used as a supplement as these predators will fly freely to find new mite spots."

I don’t like the thought of introducing more bugs tbh.

We introduced Cane Toads here to keep the Cane Beetles in check nek minnut carnage to our flora, look I used flora to sound clever, I hope it means native insects, if not swap it with fauna coz it’s one or the other lollll.

I’d prefer to control with sprays. Neem oil did fuck all by the way. In fact I think it worked as a mite libido increaser coz the mite increase on MC was off tap! The soap spray seems to work best.

Thank you so much for your advice tho. I’ll think about it some more today.

 

[Trala]

The Borg is another Star Trek reference…. Admit it … Star Trek is cool!

Omg is it?

I though borg was like a merican way to say shit lolllll

DB Star Trek is naff bruv. Totes naff.

 

[DeeBoy]

Omg is it?

I though borg was like a merican way to say shit lolllll

DB Star Trek is naff bruv. Totes naff.

Naff? Wtf is that? Uh, uncool?

 

[Trala]

You fight the best fight Tra! Your ladies look sweet!

I’ll keep fighting the good fight. It’s just so annoying. I really do put a lot of work into these plants, like we all do. I read in here somewhere that some just pick off the effected leaves. While I really am a reformed leaf picker, it’s something I will consider.

Oii Mr Otter do spider mites eat buds too or just leaves?

 

[Renaissance Man]

Twinning

The Familam

Bedtime on the post nit spray veg stand (OH&S Fail…) and the flower room, as you can see, it’s packed in there lolllll

Serious question tho. Do you think the reason I fail flower is coz I have too many on the go? I was thinking maybe 2 flowering 2 vegging might be better. I’m really struggling to keep the spider mites off them. Or do you think I veg too long? I’m open to feedback. It’s so devastating to get veg so right then flower so so wrong.

Look at Tee in the flower room, then look at Mimmy. Mimmy used to look like Tee; beautiful and vibrant. She was such an exquisite veg plant.. until I flipped her n fucked her lollllinggg!

Hey @Trala your plants all look great.. I think mimmy's buds will stack up nicely because more energy will go towards them. I think bringing them outside is your mite problem. Keep them in the tent. Contamination (mites) are blown in the wind so you'll always have that problem outdoors..imo.

 

[Trala]

Did someone say seeds?! On my way to @Herbies Seeds !

I was so pleased to receive that email. It demonstrates great customer service. I didn’t even whinge about the delay. I understand with covid things move slowly.

 

[DeeBoy]

I’ll keep fighting the good fight. It’s just so annoying. I really do put a lot of work into these plants, like we all do. I read in here somewhere that some just pick off the effected leaves. While I really am a reformed leaf picker, it’s something I will consider.

Oii Mr Otter do spider mites eat buds too or just leaves?

Some people pick almost all of the leaves off. The they call it the Schwazy method or something. It’s on the YouTube. But I can’t imagine you doing it…

 

[Trala]

I always want to grow more than less… probably to my detriment… so sorry about you nits! They make my gnats look minor.

I can’t even say how upsetting it is, look I can and just did. I’m all about the trama mate lolllllll

Looking good Miss T. Keep up the good fight with those vermin!!!

NTH

You like in a hot climate don’t you?

Have you got any like remedies? I’m open to any ideas. At this point I’d piss in a bottle and spray that if it would help.

Tho tbh my urine is on fleek. For those of you who don’t know, your wee should look like water with a squeeze of lemon juice. If it’s darker than that drink more water. Your kidneys are screaming for it.

 

[Trala]

Great info but will introducing good insects to help control the nits work outside? Won't they fly away or something?

Good point.

I’m not sold on this extra bug biz.

 

[Trala]

I don't use predator bugs, one of the reasons was given in the post, namely that the predator bugs often like the exact opposite environment as the target. If spider mites like dry, hot conditions and the predator bugs like cooler, moist conditions, then they likely won't be found in the same place at the same time.

Seems like you could change the environment with misting or something to encourage the good bugs, but then you would also have made it less hospitable for the bad ones in the process.

But, like I said, I don't use 'em so I am unqualified to help.

This is my concern too. And I just don’t think it will work for me.

Do you know how I use the iso? I haven’t yet incorporated that into my spray. I’m totes scrapping the neem tho.

 

[Trala]

They'll usually stick around as long as there's food for them. It's one of the issues with ladybugs. Once they've eliminated your aphid problem they fly off leaving your plant open to be re-stocked with aphids by the local ants, or an aphid that slipped by them.
Another issue is finding a predator that is allowed into your area, especially somewhere like Australia which has had a huge problem with invasive species. If that predator doesn't occur naturally, there's no telling what effect it'll have on native species.

I need to reintroduce my ant water barrier moat. I have days off tomorrow. I’ll get jiggy with it (na na na na na na na).

 

[Trala]

They would leave once the food source is gone.

Predator mites that eat spider mites are available in Australia. Persimilis are native to Australia. I imagine some of the others are as well.

Edit: Apparently Californicus are cheaper and survive a wider range of conditions. They also seem to be available AU.

Edit2: Actually found a good AU website with awesome info. Bugs for bugs , they have fact sheets on the different predators and how to deal with different problems. They may also sell them.

Omg how do you even know all this stuff?!

If we have a trivia night I call shotgun for Reave!

 

[Azimuth]

I’d prefer to control with sprays. Neem oil did fuck all by the way. In fact I think it worked as a mite libido increaser coz the mite increase on MC was off tap! The soap spray seems to work best.

True soaps seem to work because they dissolve the outer shell of the mite (and other bugs) which dries them out and kills them from the inside. You are looking for "Potassium Salts of Fatty Acids" on the label (but that will require you to actually read the label )

Some people use stuff like Dawn Dishsoap and have success, but those are often more detergents with a bunch of chemicals in them and have a different base than the soaps.

True soaps are what you want like Safer's Insect Killing Soap, or Dr Bonner's Pure Castille Liquid Soap (which also comes in scented forms which can act as bug repellents as well.)

Different scents repel different bugs.

Also, you have to actually spray the bug itself. It doesn't work if a bug lands on a wet leaf, which is why repeated applications are typically in order. It's almost impossible to get into all the cracks and crevasses where the little bastards hide.

 

[Trala]

Thank you all so much for helping me problem solve btw. I really appreciate the time you’ve al, taken to cheer me on or give me ideas.

I’ll think about it today.

Here’s my Twins. They’ve both forgiven my spray drenching from yesterday and their little arms are up and their hands are outstretched and they are ready to drink in that sun.

And here’s my girls this morning. Watered and fed and ready to embrace the day

Have a great day or night

PS THANK FUCKING GOD ITS NURSE FRIDAYYYYYYYYY!

 

[Azimuth]

Do you know how I use the iso? I haven’t yet incorporated that into my spray. I’m totes scrapping the neem tho.

The iso kind of works the same way as the soaps in that it can dehydrate soft bodied insects, but it will dehydrate other stuff too, like leaves so that one's better to use sporadically, imo.

The neem can be incorporated into your soil mix and then it will be taken up with your fertigation mix when you water. It then gets into the plant tissues and acts as a systemic. When the bug bites a leaf it gets a bit of neem. Enough of a dose can kill them, but it also seems to act as a deterrent (maybe the taste? Not sure if bugs have taste buds, but whatever it is it will also deter them from inside the plant.)

You can also spray the neem oil as a foliar which provides nutrients for good growth, but it's supposed to leave a real nasty taste so you don't want to spray on plants in flower for that reason as well as trichomes dissolve into oils, so spraying neem oil on you flowers is a good way to ruin your harvest.

 

[BooWho2]

Post number 4697 on page 235 in this journal has the link that @StoneOtter posted for you. Sorry I’m being a dummy and can’t remember how to link it back here.

 

[Azimuth]

I think bringing them outside is your mite problem. Keep them in the tent. Contamination (mites) are blown in the wind so you'll always have that problem outdoors..imo.

^^This.

The plants do benefit from the broader light spectrum of the sun, but your mite issue might just not be worth it.

 

[Azimuth]

Post number 4697 on page 235 in this journal has the link that @StoneOtter posted for you. Sorry I’m being a dummy and can’t remember how to link it back here.

Here you go

Here's Shed's thread post

 

[Reave]

I take my plants outside for 2 seconds here and they get thrips. Neem is not for flower, I didnt watch how you use it but it works very well. 1 liter of luke warm water, in goes the 8ml neem then 5ml babysoap (i use lavender jonsons baby) SHAKE and SPRAY. Once they hit flower i use ISO, I mix 900ml water with 100ml 99%ISO. The problem with ISO is it kills stuff it hits and then evaporates off so IMO once you have resorted to ISO you need to keep on the plants. With neem and ISO it needs to be applied every 3 days to stop the life cycle of the bugs.

Omg how do you even know all this stuff?!

I dont , I just do a epic ton of reading. Research is part of my actual job so I just apply that to growing now. Im scientific by nature. And also I have a thrips problem and I was looking into predator bugs too but I am also not sure I will use them. They do work though apparently.