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Rorey

(8,513 posts)
Sat Sep 23, 2023, 05:49 PM Sep 2023

Big trouble: mites

I don't know if everything is ruined. My son checked my plants today and noticed mites. He also said he thinks they're very close to ready to harvest. So is there any point in harvesting, or is everything ruined because of the mites?

I've got some stuff to use on vegetables that said it can be used up to three days before harvest. I might also have some neem oil. I just don't know if I should use anything this late. Soapy water?

I should add that years ago this son grew marijuana very well (before it was legal), but his grows were always in a controlled environment. He never had to deal with issues of growing outside.

Help!!!

12 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
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Big trouble: mites (Original Post) Rorey Sep 2023 OP
There are already ladybugs trying to do their job Rorey Sep 2023 #1
You can wash it at harvest. pwb Sep 2023 #2
Thank you! Rorey Sep 2023 #3
Yes ladybugs are good as mentioned above..... magicarpet Sep 2023 #4
LOL, well I don't think I can mail it Rorey Sep 2023 #5
The mites have been munching on the cannabis leaves? Have you tried smoking the mites? 70sEraVet Sep 2023 #6
LOL Rorey Sep 2023 #7
I watch the cannabis market and it multigraincracker Sep 2023 #8
Mine wasn't really very expensive to grow Rorey Sep 2023 #9
A couple of ideas. IbogaProject Sep 2023 #10
I appreciate the advice Rorey Sep 2023 #11
Yes Neem is no go anywhere near harvest IbogaProject Sep 2023 #12

pwb

(12,198 posts)
2. You can wash it at harvest.
Sat Sep 23, 2023, 06:01 PM
Sep 2023

How to do it is on you tube. Cannabis users who smoke it consume whatever gets stuck on it. No big deal just don't bring it in to dry right away. Manure fertilizers carry seeds and eggs of insects. Fish liquid works for me indoors.

magicarpet

(16,505 posts)
4. Yes ladybugs are good as mentioned above.....
Sat Sep 23, 2023, 06:22 PM
Sep 2023

Two alternatives:

1) Get some smoked cigarettes butts with lots of tobacco left on the tossed butt. Ashtrays at grocery store, convenience stores, restaurants, donut shops - for butts if you do not smoke or have access to cig. butts. Fill up a half gallon of water in a glass gar, add the butts, then place in a sunny location. It may take a few days to get a brown colored tea.

Take the nicotine tea and spray the plants. The aphids/mites will die because the nicotine is toxic for them. You could rinse the plants off to wash away any nicotine residue and dead bugs if any are present.

■○■○■○

2) A mild dish soap unscented or minimal scent you can find. About a table spoon to 1 quart of water in a spray bottle. Wet the plants generously, particularly under the leaves and where the leaves come out of the stem. Let dry. Reapply if required. Then rinse thoroughly to wash away as much soap residue - so the pot smoker does not get the taste of any soap.

The soap will kill the aphids or mites.

Mail me a few grams so I can sample your stash.


Rorey

(8,513 posts)
5. LOL, well I don't think I can mail it
Sat Sep 23, 2023, 06:38 PM
Sep 2023

I'll have to check, but I think that's illegal.

If you're in southern Colorado, you're welcome to have some. If we can salvage it, we'll have a LOT.

70sEraVet

(4,144 posts)
6. The mites have been munching on the cannabis leaves? Have you tried smoking the mites?
Sat Sep 23, 2023, 06:42 PM
Sep 2023

Your son might just have himself a goldmine there!

Sorry, Can't resist a bit of a joke.

Rorey

(8,513 posts)
7. LOL
Sat Sep 23, 2023, 07:43 PM
Sep 2023

That son no longer has anything to do with producing, selling or using.

Many years ago he was going through a contentious divorce and his soon-to-be-ex threatened to rat him out. It's a long story, but he worked all night to dismantle the hidden grow room and transport all of the equipment and plants to a friend's house. Now he works at a job where he really can't indulge. He's fine with it.

This crop was actually started by another son who wanted to see if he could still grow. He and his family lived with me for a while last year. He bought five seedlings. Only one turned out to be female. He moved away, leaving me with the plant. My daughter does indulge. She harvested it and brought me some seeds. I started with around 20 plants from those seeds, gave some away, and ended up with five female plants. The tallest is 8 feet high. They are now VERY aromatic, and at this point I feel like the sooner I can harvest, the better.

I also don't indulge. I have nothing against it at all, and have enjoyed edibles in the past. I can't smoke. I may try to make some edibles out of some of this. If all goes well, a friend of a friend will help my daughter and I trim the weed, and she'll get some of it. My daughter can do with it as she pleases. She very much enjoyed the product last year, so she's excited. Hopefully she won't be disappointed.

multigraincracker

(34,069 posts)
8. I watch the cannabis market and it
Sat Sep 23, 2023, 07:54 PM
Sep 2023

is now cheaper to buy it rather than grow it. Not as much fun. I might do a puff before I go to bed, when I remember to.

Use to grow my own and remember the mite curse. My problem was mold when trying to cure it.

I’m old enough to remember red cellophane wrapped Mexican pounds and Thai Sticks.

Rorey

(8,513 posts)
9. Mine wasn't really very expensive to grow
Sat Sep 23, 2023, 08:07 PM
Sep 2023

I did buy some heat mats and grow lights to use when starting the plants, but once they were in the ground there wasn't a lot of expense. I probably should have done more, but other than this recent mite thing, they were doing great. I call myself "a neglectful gardener". I planted marijuana and tomatoes all together, way too close because digging the plot was so difficult. I've picked so many grape tomatoes that I am tired of it. Everyone has had their fill, and there are hundreds that aren't red yet.

There were a couple of times I forgot the water was going and watered way too long, but everything seemed to love it. It's crazy. I probably did everything wrong, and ended up with so much.

If I were to do the same thing next year, probably everything would fail. I'll have to see what happens this year. I haven't had neighbors complain about the smell yet, but I think probably only one knows where it's coming from. I talked to her about it, telling her to let me know if it was too much for her, but she probably wouldn't even tell me if it bothered her because she's just too nice.

IbogaProject

(3,645 posts)
10. A couple of ideas.
Sat Sep 23, 2023, 08:49 PM
Sep 2023

First do you have cats that you allow outside? That is often the vector for infection. You will need to be very careful next go around if you allow cats to go outside that is the primary vector for infestation. It is a very difficult problem as those mites are normally predatory and they just happen to get addicted to the fluid in the plants and since they aren't evolved to be in any balance with it they get out of control. Getting the humidity up to 50-55% makes it harder for the. Neem extract is good, but this late in the season or your indoor cycle it's too late to use as it will add a bad aroma and flavor. To treat, Sesame oil in water with a little dawn and lemon juice in a spray bottle works. Another idea is brew a tea of poultry seasoning and cloves with one or two drops of dawn, put that into a spray bottle.

Rorey

(8,513 posts)
11. I appreciate the advice
Sat Sep 23, 2023, 09:45 PM
Sep 2023

These plants are outside, so controlling humidity isn't possible. They range in size from 5 1/2 feet to 8 feet tall, so there are a lot of leaves to treat.

I'm pretty sure I'm going to do a process of cleaning them after they're harvested. It's dry enough here on the front range of southern Colorado that they won't take long to dry even after their bath. I've been reading about a process where they use three 5 gallon buckets filled with reverse osmosis water, with the first bucket having a cleaning solution in it and the other two are to rinse. With all these plants, it's going to take awhile. I've got a covered back patio to hang everything to dry. I'm looking at some hanging racks to put the bud in. My guy doesn't think it's necessary to buy racks, but I know this is going to take a lot of space, so I'll probably at least get a couple.

My son, the former grower, told me to absolutely not put anything like neem oil on it this late. My daughter, who will be the main consumer of this product, told me she's not concerned about the mites, but likes the bath idea. I was sort of surprised to hear she didn't care because she's almost as much of a clean nut as me.

IbogaProject

(3,645 posts)
12. Yes Neem is no go anywhere near harvest
Sun Sep 24, 2023, 11:09 PM
Sep 2023

Poultry seasoning tea won't add much flavor and will start the mites dieing.

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