So on to the next problem! If it’s not one thing it’s another, but keep pushing on.
I noticed on the outside of my nursery bags as well as in the soil a bunch of little white bugs running around. I do not see any on my seedlings leaves or stem as they are only a couple days old.
I have capt jacks dead bug concentrate, lost coast plant therapy, peppermint oil, and lady bugs on the way.
Last night I treated soil and leaves with lost coast and capt jacks with a soil drench and foliar spray. Also wiped down everything with H2O2 including outside of grow bags. Then sprayed everything with a essential oil peppermint water mix. It seeemed to slow them a bit but not much they are still active as of this morning. I dont see any webbing or anything, just them crawling.
Seedling #1 - 8 days old, she started upside down, I had to turn her upright. Then one of her starter leaves couldn’t get her inner skin off and started to die, clipped it off yesterday as well to prevent the rotting. And she is a little overwatered because of soil drench.
Thanks for the tag @Bracketh. I am no expert for sure. It sounds like you are on the right track. You might consider adding Mosquito Bits to the arsenal.
They look like some sort of mite but, as said, I am no expert.
Edit: As for treatment frequency, I just follow the instructions provided with each product.
Thanks for the tag @Bracketh. I recommend not treating with the CJDB unless there’s a pest issue. It is good the use some prevention like Diatomaceous Earth to kill any soil bearing pest. I have no pest issues using coco as a medium but they do love soil and often times come with a bag of soil
Not familiar with low coast but yes on the capt jacks. Mosquito bits and DE are great remedies and prevention. Till the bits in about an inch below the surface and you can layer about 1/4” of the DE on top, it’s percolate through the medium during routine top feeding I do recommend to use these only as needed, the coco loco is a great medium and what I would call a 65/35 mix of soil to coco. I’ve had some great runs with this medium
Good morning @Bracketh! My guess is going to be soil mites. Spider mites tend to go for the foliage and you don’t have a whole lot, yet lol.
But in all seriousness, you can get Mosquito Bits at most hardware/nursery centers.
Firste, let the soil get pretty dry, they don’t like it. Then, if they start getting out of hand, I’ll take a cup of the Bits, mix it in a pint of warm water, let it sit a minute or two, mix some more. After a couple of minutes, I’ll strain that into about 3/4 gallon and use as if I were watering.
Soil mites, fungus gnats, and spider mites can be hell if you don’t get the jump on them. It’s good to have a routine in place for preventative maintenance as well.
I was thinking of soil mites as well. Thanks for the tip there, as that is a great idea to soak them almost as a tea. May do that for my back porch as well.
Yeah, one of the first couple of purchases was for pests. Thought I had been diligent enough, but I think my dogs or I may have brought something in the house. I never go near my grow room before showering after being in the yard.
Spider mites destroyed some flowers near a bed where the dogs pee. Caught them way too late. Pretty sure they came in with bagged mulch from hardware store. As my gerber daisies, and crate myrtle got grey mold at the same time shortly after mulching.
If they are crawling soil pests, Diatomaceous Earth (food grade) should help. If they are larvae of flying pests, then mosquito bits should help. But in reality, adding both would not hurt anything.
On your apple tree there, that’s not grey mold. That’s apple PM. Mine get a touch every spring too. Milk, ammonia, and baking soda will all stop it. Most trees outgrow it in a few weeks and defoliate those leaves. Only treat while the Sun is down. My honeycrisp are really prone to it.
Sounds like everyone else has got you covered on the cannabis. Good luck and happy growing.
Edit: my gut made me say this. It may not be bad ones. Soil mites. They seem to be leaving the plants alone, and out of the 20,000 known soil mites only a handful are plant predatory. Most are decomposers or predators eating other decomposers. My soil is full of life. If those were root mites those seedlings would all ready be dead…
They are right above. And be very glad you don’t have spider mite. They are close to impossible to get rid of.I have only got them a couple times. And tossed some nice full flowering plants because of them. It wasn’t worth the fight once they are bad. Most other bugs seem to be easier to control. I didn’t notice above. But the yellow stick cards can be your best friend for a lot of these bugs. I use Captain Jacks and am happy with it. Other than that. These guys have you on the right track Just a FYI If you get spider mites. They eat the leaves from the under side. They are also so tiny you will need an eye loop to see them. The top of the leaves looked similar to some powdered sugar dusted on the leaves.
@noddykitty1 that is actually my crepe myrtle tree. The picture is from last week after I discovered it. I’m pretty sure you are correct in it being PM on it. My gerber daisies got the grey mold. They are both treated similarly. Grey though I use vinegar mixed with water.
Also good to know that they aren’t eating the roots.
@Not2SureYet yeah. I have seen the damage spider mites can do. They wiped out two of my flower beds out back after getting the mulch. Another reason I have ladybugs on the way.
5000 mite munching ladybugs! Lets GOoooooo!
Obviously they are all not going in a two 2x2s. Lol
I would do lady bugs but my filter would kill all of them. I would want a way to let them out into the wild when I was done. I figure if the fan didn’t chew them up. They would get trapped at the screen going out side
Yeah worried about them not having a way out. Maybe they can make it through the fan. I guess we shall see. Lol survival of the fittest
I figured I would just put a dozen or so in there to begin with.
May find something for them to eat besides mites to help keep them there. Just read they can survive off their own body fat for up to 9 months if they can’t find food. As long as it is warm and humid. And survive 1-3 months in the fidge between 35-45°
With your mosquito bits, soak em in water for a few hours before use. Like @Borderryan22 mentioned, allow your soil to dry. I use DE and Skeeter Bits for my pest issues with Jacks on the backburner in case the crap hits the fan…
Just a FYI If you get spider mites. They eat the leaves from the under side. They are also so tiny you will need an eye loop to see them. The top of the leaves looked similar to some powdered sugar dusted on the leaves.