Dangit, I've been fighting, battling,losing my fight with spider mites. I need to start flowering soon or I'll run out of my stash. Ug.
I've tried spraying them soap and oil, a mite killer spray
I've tried and am still doing so a vaporizer 100% humidity.
And they are still ALIVE. What does it take?

mysmokie,
In one word, and one link AVID
HID Hut Inc.
your welcome,
GSR

welcome to the nightmare... iv used everything except nuclear weapons, and ive still got them as well... i rub them off with my fingers when i see them now, a bit time consuming but it works for me, there cant be too many though

you may look into some friendly non plant hurting bugs that will eat the mites.

yep, what he said is best, buy bug eating bugs... lady bugs work for mites dont they?

yeah, but they dont tunnel into the soil much.. but will take care of the canopies, vegitation.

this page has some great info on mites, and predator mites that you can order.

The Spider Mite Control Info Page

found this helpful little photo clip, i have some mites currently that i think are the good kind. they are definitely not on the bad list.

From what ive been reading spider mites like it hot and dry.. if you change your conditions slightly for a day or two it may help greatly. i have read where along with what you are doing, point your fans off the plants directly to keep plants a little moister than having the fan blow on them, you can wpie the leaves down remove the webbing, and more or less make them want to leave.

do you have some photos of the damage? have they been webbing it up on your leaves?

my suggestion is to. be sure you have identified your pest, and if spider mites pull out your plants from the room, wipe down the walls, wipe down the outside of your pots, and before bringing the plants in wipe the leaves down where infestation seems to be worse, removing webs etc.. then your regiment of oil and soap will be more effective.

mist the plants down and try to keep them moist but not moldy wet.. point the fan towards the wall and not right on the plants, turn off a light or two to drop the temp a degree or two.

you can also introduce a clean houseplant that you dont treat to give them somethin to nest on/in and toss it once they have moved.

have dealt with spider mites in outdoor gardens and trees.. disrupt thier envirnment is a good way to go if you cannot introduce something that feeds on them.

I am using a 50/50 solution of Listerine and water. I cut a few leaves and tested to see if it worked. Killed them but I had a problem getting the spray everywhere so I took off almost all of the vegetation and kept spraying for a week. I can't find anymore but just when you think you got em they show back up. Now I'm trying to bring the plants back.
I received an email praising the listerine solution as a mosquito repellant. Spray it around the doors and widows or your deck if you want. This does work. Makes your place smell like mouthwash but keeps the mosquitos at bay.

If they have two dots like huge eyes you have the bad kind. They are yellowish/golden in color. If they are the good kind , they only eat other mites and depending on what kind of beneficial mites they are they either cannibalize or starve to death. So if you have the good kind they will die off.

I have a similar problem which I have managed to contain; however, I am not foolish enough to think that they will not be coming back.

What is the best way to fight them back?

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I had the same problem they were all over my plants take 1 part water 1 part clear rubbing alcohal and put it into a spray bottle and spray the tops and the bottom of the leaves. If you do this every three days it will kill them off. The eggs they lay will still hatch so you must continue to treat them for up to four weeks.

Spray with SM-90.

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What's that?

SM-90 is root system, foliar spray (multi purpose wetting agent).

You can use in the field or in hydroponics.

You can use up to two weeks before harvest. Use this weekly on outdoor grows and you will be pest free.

My hydro store guy said, "It is like gravy for plants."

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You know if you have the "Bad Mites" if you see little spots or dots on your leaves in either white, red, or brownish color which is from the mites sucking up juice from your leaves.

How does gravy for plants help with mites? SM-90 is prepared from natural plant oils that supposedly helps resist pests,fungus and root rot. I havn't seen any results to be honest.

I would suggest you go with COLD PRESSED PURE neem oil. Most of the neem products out there are either heat pressed or clarified hydrophobic extract of neem oil at a certain percentage. These types of products detract from the essential active ingredients that mites hate. If you are using neem, look for cold pressed 100% neem, like einstein oil. Don't forget to turn off the HIDs before spraying and leave it off for at least 6 hrs. I would like to try that avid stuff on my next crop, it looks promising too. For a 130 bucks a 8oz bottle it better be. Pyretherins are an another great natural pesticide and comes in fogger bombs too. Garlic, hot sauce, and safer soaps are things that mites would hate to suck on but might leave a taste of it if done in flowering. Best thing is to spray it with something then follow up three days later with a different pesticide to get the next generation and a third time in another three days. You can also make a batch of it in a bucket and dunk the plants to cover all area. It helps so you don't have to meticuliously go through every branch and leaf over and under. GOO LUCK

I have used SM-90 for the past few years. If you mix it correctly and apply correctly those mites will die.

That is why SM-90 spider mites.

I have been mite free on my outside grows for the past few years. If you haven't tried this it is like magic. The mites hate it and your plants love it.

Even good to pour any extra into the soil. It is great for the roots too.

I will take the advice of a hydro store dude who has been growing for over 20 years.

If have used it and it works wonders.

You must mix according to package directions and the above post indicates pests don't like it either.

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Go to discounthydro.com and get the zero tolerance pesticide. It has ed rosenthals name on the bottle. I have never had mites outside but inside I get them every summer after it warms up. I bomb with pyrethium and then mist with Einstein Oil till the eggs are gone. Works during flower too as long as the lights are out and you let the plants dry before you turn them back on. Einstein doesnt affect taste or flavor if you flush before harvest! Usually takes a couple weeks to get rid of all the mites. It has worked for me for years! Zero Tolerance works a lot faster and smells good too! After 2-3 applications you are done. No more mites! Takes a few days instead of weeks. Good Luck! Mites Suck!

But is it all natural? I won't be anything with pesticide residue on my plants. I am growing for a patient also. We both agree that organic is the way to go.

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