If you’re worried about how to get rid of spider mites on drying weed, manual removal and insecticides should solve this annoying problem. As a weed grower, one of the pests you might encounter throughout the process is spider mites. However, management practices should help you prevent infestation, and even if you saw them on drying weed, you can still salvage your plants.
Using a greenhouse for weeds is advantageous because you have more control over the conditions and prevent potential contamination. Some experts also recommend using hydroponic systems since spider mites are more common in the soil to feed on dead organic matter. Nonetheless, the two methods should free you of these pesky mites, and you can read further on how to prevent them in the first place.
How To Get Rid Of Spider Mites On Drying Weed The Best Ways
Manual removal
Spider mites are tiny and difficult to spot with the naked eye. This is one reason why weed growers do not immediately notice them until they are too many to eradicate. One might even mistake the webbing that these mites produce as mold, so their approach is for solving mold growth in the greenhouse instead of mites.
However, you can still manually remove these pesky critters in your drying weed. All you need to do is let them help you see them. That is right; you’re going to trick these tiny mites into showing themselves for easier removal.
Those who have experienced mite infestation on drying weed recommend not to harvest your buds. Instead, cut off the whole infested plant then hang it upside down. The idea behind this is that the plant’s upside-down orientation makes it easier for you to notice and remove the mites running up the stem.
Spider mites often go upward to the plant, so hanging your weeds should help you spot and remove them more comfortably. Another great tip is to do this when it’s quite dark since mites will run toward the light so that those hiding will come out of their spots.
Insecticide
If manual removal is too tedious with the number of mites on the drying weed, you can consider using insecticides. You can look for recommended insecticides by weed growers for spider mites. To give you one specific example, it’s the liquid ladybug spider mite spray.
We all want to stay away from insecticides as much as possible, but this brand is safe for all living things and won’t affect your plants’ quality. It has no petrochemicals and won’t leave odor or residues on your crops. Another great thing with liquid ladybug is that you can use it indoors with or without lights since it’s not phototropic.
Using insecticides like this for drying weed would be the ideal solution if you don’t want to throw out the budding since you can still keep some to smoke.
Signs Of Spider Mites On Weed
Prevention is always better than problem-solving, so it’s essential to educate yourself with the signs that your weed plants might have spider mites. The clearest sign would be noticing an off-white to yellowish speckled appearance onto your plants. You may see that the leaves look bronze in color, and the plants are noticeably stressed.
As mentioned previously, spider mites also leave a special webbing onto the vegetation. You might mistake them as mold since the webs cover flowers and buds entirely. You can also check the underside of leaves for this webbing.
How To Prevent Spider Mites On Weed
A trusted preventative method for spider mites is isolating new plants for two weeks. Cleaning and sanitation should also keep these bugs away, so never neglect dead marijuana leaves and maintain proper hygiene. And lastly, the structure of the greenhouse should not be inviting for these bugs.
For example, improve the protection from outdoor mites by adding a filter on the windows. You can also maintain the temperature and humidity at ideal levels. Spider mites thrive in high heat but have trouble reproducing in humid environments.
How To Solve Spider Mites Infestation On Weed
Hard water spray during the morning three consecutive times should help you eradicate spider mites and their webs. The spray pushes the mites to fall to the ground so they’ll die from lack of food if they cannot climb back up. Otherwise, you can use a vacuum cleaner straight onto your leaves to suck mites from the weeds.
However, spider mites can infest your plants again, so it’s necessary to maintain the preventative practices mentioned earlier. You can also get their natural predator, ladybugs, to feed on the mites.
Conclusion
Diligence throughout the growing process of weed is crucial as problems may arise anytime. One of them is the infestation of bugs, so you should learn how to get rid of spider mites on drying weed. You can manually remove the critters by hanging the plants upside down or use an insecticide that is safe and chemical-free.
Additionally, be on the lookout for webs and speckled appearance on your weed plants as they are signs of spider mites. Ensure proper hygiene, cleanliness, and sanitation to avoid bringing the mites in your greenhouse. Lastly, maintain the temperature and humidity at optimal conditions to discourage mite growth and reproduction.