What are Spider Mites?
When I first started growing, Spider Mites were my worst fear because everything I read online were horror stories about a spider mite infestations that ruined an entire crop of weed. After a few years now, I believe Spider Mites are a far bigger problem for the indoor grower than for us outdoor growers. Some years I never see them, and yet this year I saw them only during the last couple weeks before harvesting my big Afghan Kush landrace strain.
Spider Mites are tiny red insects that typically arrive during very hot and dry weather. They show up first by attacking your leaves and leaving little white specks in an otherwise green leaf. You can confirm that the red dot you see is a Spider Mite by smashing it with your finger...if you see a red smear on your finger or leaf, that's a Spider Mite. They multiply very rapidly and eventually begin to spin webs around your buds as they colonize your plant, making the buds useless. Sounds scary right? That's what I thought, except I've never seen anything this drastic on my plants. Yes they're attacking my leaves a bit but at this point they aren't spinning webs around my flowers. I don't want to diminish their severity but I can only tell you what I've experienced outdoors here in Southern California. Budworms concern me far more than Spider Mites in an outdoor grow. I tell you this so you don't panic when you see Spider Mites; However, once you have them it's time to take action and treat them with an organic insecticide before they become a bigger problem.
Spider Mites are tiny red insects that typically arrive during very hot and dry weather. They show up first by attacking your leaves and leaving little white specks in an otherwise green leaf. You can confirm that the red dot you see is a Spider Mite by smashing it with your finger...if you see a red smear on your finger or leaf, that's a Spider Mite. They multiply very rapidly and eventually begin to spin webs around your buds as they colonize your plant, making the buds useless. Sounds scary right? That's what I thought, except I've never seen anything this drastic on my plants. Yes they're attacking my leaves a bit but at this point they aren't spinning webs around my flowers. I don't want to diminish their severity but I can only tell you what I've experienced outdoors here in Southern California. Budworms concern me far more than Spider Mites in an outdoor grow. I tell you this so you don't panic when you see Spider Mites; However, once you have them it's time to take action and treat them with an organic insecticide before they become a bigger problem.
Spider mites on the underside of a cannabis leaf. See those three little red dots?
How to get rid of Spider Mites on your Cannabis plants
There's an organic spray called Azamax that I use for Spider Mites. Monterey Garden w/ Spinosad can also be used though I usually just go with the Azamax and call it a day. A small bottle of Azamax is a bit expensive but like most of the stuff I use for my small backyard Cannabis garden it will last you a couple years or or more. Spray your plants per the directions (I usually use a half teaspoon into a quart-size bottle sprayer). Remember to spray in the morning, out of direct sunlight, and avoid spraying on really humid days if you can help it. Humidity plus wet buds creates mold and if you ask me, I'll take Spider Mites over mold any day.
How to spot Budworms and keep them from destroying your outdoor Cannabis plants
These fuckers are the worst. My rule is that anything in nature larger than a dime is worthy of life, but I make an exception for cockroaches and budworms. These fuckers burrow into your buds and eat them from the inside. You'll have no idea they're even there until you see a bud that looks a little off...one leaf is dying, or the bud looks dried out, somewhat similar to the symptoms of bud rot. If you see this, you must inspect the bud. Take the leaf or bud and pull it away from the plant until you can see all around it. Look for sand-grain sized balls that are black or brown. That's caterpillar poop, and you have a problem. The good news is that you can usually find the worm by following the poop around the buds until you find the worm or the hole he's in. The bad news is you MUST find that worm, otherwise he'll just keep eating and eating into your buds. Once you've found the worm, escort him off of the premises and feed that fucker to the birds. Cut away any buds that are dead and remove any worm poop you see, as these will eventually mold.
If you aren't already, you need to begin spraying your plants regularly with organic Monterey BT insecticide. Mix this into a quart spray bottle per the directions and spray your plants weekly with it to keep the budworms in check. You also need to begin inspecting your plants daily for worms. These guys are no joke. UPDATE: My bro built me a tented Hoop House to protect my cannabis from the fucking budworms, check out the video below where he shows you how to build it yourself on the cheap. |
A budworm worm on a cannabis plant. If you see this fucker you terminate him, immediately.
Budworms eat cannabis buds. This bud is garbage because a budworm got into it.
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How to spot budworm eggs
Budworms hatch from little yellowish eggs laid by asshole moths at night and sometimes during the day. Once you know what an egg looks for, it's fairly easy to spot them again and it's a must to remove them manually even if you're spraying with organic insecticides. Monterey BT only works if the caterpillars eat it, which is obviously impossible if the worm is chilling in an egg while you spray.
I find most eggs laid right on the sides of the buds, but I've also found them on the undersides of leaves and smack dab on the top of my most-prized colas. If I spot one egg, chances are I'll end up finding another 10-20 eggs in my same inspection session. I use a long wooden toothpick to remove the eggs. |
A budworm egg on a cannabis leaf. If you see this egg, remove it immediately and inspect your entire plant for them because there's probably 10-20 more of them.
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