HELP! Harvesting with Spider Mites

[justabegginer]

Hi guys, I'm in a bit of a pickle:
I'm about a week from harvesting my 16 pots of unknown strain (it was a gift) and I recently found out I have a massive Spider Mites infection. The buds are covered in silky web etc.
Can I still harvest my beloved weed and dry it without worrying about the mites? Maybe dipping the freshly harvested buds in rubbing alcohol solution?
I grow in soil and can supply pics if you are interested
Thanks guys

 

[Cloud]

No you can't dip in alcohol it will ruin the weed. I've never heard of anyone harvesting a bad infestation like that but I would wash the buds in a lemon juice/baking soda solution in a 5gal bucket and then rinse in another two buckets. Even then I would prolly just extract the thc and make rso or something

 

[Cloud]

Alcohol dissolves trichomes and rubbing alcohol is not meant for human consumption. search bud washing on YouTube for a guy named pigeons420 for bud washing

 

[Wolfe0420]

Pics are a must!
no to the alcohol it will be harsh even if diluted and u will kill off the good shit like...thc
from your post it sounds like a loss but pics will be a tell all and there’s a chance someone else on here knows how to save them.
how many plants are infected?
are You growing in soil ?
whats your setup like as descriptive as possible better yet pics of the setup.

 

[Wolfe0420]

Mistakes are to be learned from if we know your setup this community has lots of people who can turn you in the right direction for your next crop

 

[kingfish]

The fact that you have webbing in the buds tells me that it is a loss. Unless you like smoking dead bugs and spider webs.

 

[MeEasy]

I would use a 50/50 water alcohol and spray them (while lights are off) then repeat it in two day then again in three more days. Make sure you have plenty of airflow and literally shake any excess moisture from the buds about 15 minutes after you sprayed them. When it's time for harvest I would wash the bugs out of the buds. Lookup George Cervantes bud washing he has a good video or two out on it mostly on washing mildew but it is the same process that I would use for mites.

 

[dilvish]

Another method would be a garden sprayer (one you can pump up the pressure on) or spray bottle with some Food grade Diatomaceous Earth (DE) diluted in the water maybe a tablespoon per litre.

Leave it on for a day or two then dunk the buds in clean cold water a few times to rinse it all out...make sure you are thorough.

DE works great on bugs of all kinds. Look it up, you'd be amazed. I've used it to get rid of spider mites on 2 separate grows.

If you plan on growing again, just make sure you disinfect the area thoroughly and then sprinkle a thin layer of DE on the tops of the pots you will be growing in and sprink.le again after every watering. The DE won't harm the grow at all, just make sure you wear a mask or have a good circulation in the room as this stuff can screw up your lungs just like it screws up the bugs. Food grade is safe to consume (not inhale) and is generally safe around pets.

Spider mites don't like water or breeze so dunking them will help but not totally, hence the DE and for new grows make sure each plant is in some sort of breeze...the little fuckers can't (or won't) lay eggs in a breeze an apparently they prefer hot humid environments so if there isn't enough air circulating in your grow (fans, fans, fans) you'll likely have a humidity issue, especially with 16 plants!

 

[Xena]

I thought water....deactivated (not sure if that’s the right word).... DE. Anyway doesn’t DE have to be dry to work.

 

[dilvish]

No Xena. the particles that screw up the little critters is still present if it's wet. it's better to keep it dry but wet still works fine you just have to use a bit more as when you water, the DE gets absorbed into the soil and you want it to be on the surface in case the mites try to come across the soil from the floor or sides/bottom of the pot were they may have been hiding or laying eggs. A thin layer works just fine...at least it has so far. The thing I like most about it is the food grade stuff is completely safe and natural so no chemicals

 

[justabegginer]

Here are my not so quality pictures. I grow 16 pots with 18 plants total in a 4X4 tent in soil.

 

[Rwise]

I would never use DE on the plant as burning Food Grade DE makes it crystallize and crystalline DE is deadly to everything!

 

[Wolfe0420]

No room for any fans on the floor. Do you have clip on fans? Also exhaust fan will help too. With a tent that crowded you need to get some air moving in there

 

[dilvish]

rwise...neither would I. That's why I said to rinse it well after spraying. the buds will still dry out just fine.

 

[dilvish]

16 pots but 18 plants? why did you double up on two pots? I realize you want weed but too much at a time can be a disaster in the making if you are new to growing. Aside from the other points mentioned, again you need air circulation. spider mites love it when there is no breeze. a breeze helps prevent them laying eggs. Don't worry about the temp. Fans don't make it cooler in the tent, they just blow the air around (assuming its a closed tent. Fans also help maintain a certain temp....