End your battle with spider mites forever

As the summer gets going into full swing and the temperature increases, we’re finding that more and more customers are suffering from pest problems such as spider mites. Fortunately, there are several products available to combat the problem.

Identification

Garden pests like spider mites are tiny, and may go un-noticed until they’ve taken hold. Use a magnifing glass or microscope to enable you to identify pests as soon as they’re in your garden before they’ve seized complete control.

You can also use Yellow sticky traps as part of your pest management procedure to alert you to a problem before it becomes an infestation. Pests get caught on the sticky traps, allowing you to identify the species much more easily.

A simple application of double sided sticky tape around the base of plants can also aid in the identification of pests. Some pest species migrate up and down the plant. Double sided tape can be a cost effective method of stopping this migration and trapping the bugs for later identification.

Spider mites can be red, orange, yellow, green or brown in colour and they suck in more ways than one. They first appear on the underside of the leaves but in larger infestations they build webs that envelope the entire plant. Spider mites feed on foliage, where they insert their proboscis and extract the contents of the plants cells, including the chlorophyll which is necessary for photosynthesis.

Treatment

Spider mites can quickly build up a tolerance to pesticides due to their quick breeding cycle. The effects of spider mites are detrimental to both yield and quality. If you’re using a pesticidal approach to tackling your infestation, you should use several assorted products on rotation, with a fresh application once every few days for at least 2 weeks. This approach reduces the likelihood of spider mites building a resistance to one ingredient while ensuring newly hatched mites get an application.

SMC+

SMC+ is a broad-spectrum pest control solution that targets a range of pests including: Spider mites, Greenfly, Blackfly, Whitefly, Thunderfly. You simply mix a solution using 25ml of SMC+ to 1L of water and mist your plants with a sprayer, ensuring both sides of all leaves are covered.

 Canna Cure

Canna cure can control both spider mites and powdery mildew. It’s environmentally friendly and free from toxic ingredients. Canna Cure can aid plants in their recovery since it contains a leaf nutrient. It supplies what your plant needs after having been attacked by pests. Available as a ready to use spray, canna cure is easy to use and can be used at any stage before the onset of flower.

SB Plant Invigorator

SB Plant Invigorator is a ready-to-use, non-toxic spray that is safe to use on edible and ornamental crops. Plant invigorator combines an environmentally friendly pesticide with a foliar feed to bring plants back to peak health and vigour.

Spider mites cannot build up a tolerance to physical modes of action. Sprays that encapsulate the mites to suffocate them should not loose efficacy over time. unfortunately, these physical modes of action will frequently not kill 100% of the population of mites, leading to a quick re-infestation. Physical modes of action are frequently applied by spraying the infected plant. You shouldn’t spray anything on your plants past the onset of flower as it increases the likelihood of mould such as botrytis taking hold.

Predator Mites

Predator mites are spider mite’s natural enemy; Predators constitute a physical, biological mode of action which does not require spraying so can be used at any time throughout a plants life cycle. Biological methods such as predator mites are organic and leave no harmful residues on plants.

Fight fire with fire.

Gardeners discontinue the use of other pesticide treatments when using predator mites. Predator mites can be affected by the same products developed to kill normal spider mites.

Fortefog Smoke Bombs

Prevention is better than a cure.

so we suggest that you utilise pre-emptive applications of various products between cycles to ensure your room stays clean and bug-free. Our fortefog smoke bombs are a simple and easy to use product to prevent or eliminate infestations of several pest species between cycles. You shouldn’t use them on plants in flower and may affect plants in veg by giving them a little stress shock. Gardeners should only use Smoke bombs on severe infestations or between cycles while there are no plants in the area.

Mini Fortefog fumer is suitable for an area of 7.5m³ to 10m³.

Midi Fortefog fumer is suitable for an area of 20m³ to 30m³.

Maxi Fortefog fumer is suitable for an area of 50m³ to 100m³.

Sulphur Vaporiser

For larger spaces, you can use a sulphur vaporiser, which releases a pure sulphur vapour without burning! Sulphur vapour should not affect the growth of plants. It kills pests and mould so has a two-fold benefit for your grow environment. The vaporiser can treat areas up to 100m³. Sulphur vaporisers are used once a week as a preventative measure. For severe infestations, as often as once a day for a week should kill an entire population at all stages.

Gnat Nix

Another preventative method for pests would be to use a top dressing of Growstones Gnat Nix on your pots. Made from 100% recycled glass, it contains no harmful pesticides or chemicals.  All you need to do is apply approximately 1 – 2 cm thick layer of Gnat Nix! top dressing to fully cover the surface of the growing medium in your growing containers. Irrigate gently to avoid disturbing the protective physical barrier of Gnat Nix!

Regen-A-Root

In the increased ambient temperature, diseases such as Pythium have a stronger chance of infecting roots. Use regen-a-root to remedy Pythium issues, saving your plants! Using Regen-a-Root as a preventative can stop Pythium entering your space in the first place!