White dots & specks - Nutrition or mites problem?

[dh420]

Hi all,

I'm quite new to the growing plants things. This is my first time and I am about 4 weeks in now. I grow outdoor in Spain.

I'm growing 3 plants of the indica Green poison. They could def use some more wind and sun but I am trying to make the best out of the situation of my balcony.

Since this morning I'm discovering some white spots on the plants, it seems that one plant is having the most issues but all are some how affected. Im getting white spots which some googling led me to believe it are spider mites. However comparing photos and the stage where in all the examples are given I dont know for sure.

Can you guys help me out and save my babies?

 

[AKgramma]

re: White dots & specks - Nutrition or mites problem?

It's not mites. Mites make little pin-dots all over the leaf. I don't know where you live, so can't Offer a bug diagnosis. But look underneath the leaves with a magnifying glass and see if you see anything eating or scraping the leaves. The damage is random, so I suspect some kind of insect or snail in your area, if you are growing outdoors.

If not pest-related, it could be heat burn, like if you spray your plants and let the droplets act like a lens and burn the leaves.

Nute burn occurs in patterns, not in random patches, if soil-related. Did you or someone accidentally spill undiluted nutes on the leaves while feeding? Did anyone spray insecticide or garden nutes on the other plants or lawn and the overspray hit the leaves?

So, bottom line: it is physical damage of some sort. You will have to track down what activity occurred in the vicinity of your plants.

 

[dirt mcgert]

re: White dots & specks - Nutrition or mites problem?

Possibly powdery mildew?

 

[AKgramma]

re: White dots & specks - Nutrition or mites problem?

Possibly powdery mildew?

Look at the patches with a magnifying glass. If the patches look fuzzy, it's powdery mildew. Mcgert may have a point.

 

[dh420]

Hi guys,

Thanks a lot for your help so fast. So until now i haven't used anything else than water and some root juice. Until now i haven't spilled anything over the plants. I have spotted some insects lurking around my plants, a spider and a little silverish dude. could it be those?

Concerning the powder dew, i have read up on it a bit and it could be. AKgramma you mention about it being fuzzy, it seems a bit oldish and burnt rather than fuzzy. when i checked the back it looks normal with the exception of some little see trough at the place where the specks appeared.

Should I use an insect spray already or even use stuff for possible powder dew. Will it affect the plants in any way if these problems are not actually what is going on?

 

[AKgramma]

If you use neem oil as directed, or a off-the-shelf spray with neem oil or pyrethum in it once or twice a week as a preventative, followed by a thorough clean water spraying down a day afterward, there should be no harm to your plants. If you're growing MJ, you WILL have bugs.

Yesterday, I had to reach into the back of my veg tent to feed some of my plants with well-diluted nutes. This morning, the leaves that got wet were dried up. Normally I am careful to pour only on the soil, but it was late, and I was tired. So even a splash of nutes can burn the leaves. Just putting this in there as an option.

EDIT: And if your area is plagued with other plant-eaters, or fungus, preventative treatments will not hurt. Some mite-cides come with anti-fungal chemicals in them.

Be sure the bottles are labelled for edible crops!