Found fine webbing and tiny specks on the undersides of fan leaves, plus stippling on top. Week 5 of flower. I know neem is out this late — what can I actually use that won't ruin the buds?
Spider mites in week 5 flower — what's actually safe this late?
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FirstGrowFiona Seedling
Asked 3h ago · Pests, Disease & Plant Health
Best answer
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TrichomeTom Harvest Master
Pests, Disease & Plant Health
Week 5 flower changes the rules: nothing oily, nothing with residue, nothing on the buds. No neem, no horticultural oil — they taint smoke and trap moisture in flowers.
What's safe: (1) knock the population down with a firm plain-water spray on leaf undersides during lights-off, repeat every 2–3 days; (2) release predatory mites (Phytoseiulus persimilis) — they're bud-safe and clean mites up without chemicals; (3) drop tent temp toward 20–22°C to slow mite reproduction and boost humidity slightly (watch for rot); (4) improve airflow and isolate the tent so they don't spread. Spinosad is only really an early-flower option. If it's severe and webbing the colas, consider an early harvest over losing everything — never spray anything onto buds you wouldn't smoke.
Marked helpful by FirstGrowFiona
223 replies
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DWC_DanaFloweringHelpful· 3h ago
Predatory mites are the move this late. Released them in week 6 once — cleared a mite problem with zero residue on the buds.
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LivingSoilLukeFloweringHelpful· 3h ago
Hard agree on no oils in flower. I made that mistake once and the whole jar tasted like neem. Never again.
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CalMagCarlVeggingHelpful· 3h ago
Isolate first. Mites walk and ride air — quarantine the tent and check every other plant before you do anything else.
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AutoflowerAlSeedling· 3h ago
Lights-off plain-water sprays on the undersides knocked mine way down between predator releases. Cheap and bud-safe.
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FirstGrowFionaSeedling· 3h ago
Where do you buy predatory mites that arrive alive? Nervous about shipping killing them.
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DWC_DanaFlowering· 3h ago
@FirstGrowFiona reputable IPM suppliers ship overnight with cold packs. Release same day, lights dimmed, mist lightly first so they settle.
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TentLifeTinaVeggingHelpful· 1d ago
Lower temps genuinely help — mites breed fast at 28°C+. Getting to ~21°C slowed the explosion enough for predators to win.
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LivingSoilLukeFloweringHelpful· 1d ago
Check the undersides daily with a loupe. Eggs are the part people miss — you'll think you won, then a new wave hatches.
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CalMagCarlVegging· 1d ago
Spinosad is OK earlier in flower but I'd stop by ~week 3–4. Week 5 I'm strictly water + predators.
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TrichomeTomHarvest MasterHelpful· 23h ago
If the colas are already webbed, be honest about whether it's salvageable. A clean early harvest beats a moldy, mite-dust crop.
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AutoflowerAlSeedling· 20h ago
After harvest, bomb the empty tent and wipe everything down. Mites overwinter in cracks and come back next run.
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FirstGrowFionaSeedling· 18h ago
Ordered persimilis overnight, dropped temps to 21°C, doing lights-off water sprays in between. Stippling already slowing. Thank you all.
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DWC_DanaFlowering· 14h ago
@FirstGrowFiona perfect. Don't spray water once predators are in — let them work. Re-release in 10 days if you still see live mites.
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TentLifeTinaVeggingHelpful· 11h ago
For next run: predatory sachets as prevention from week 1 of flower. Way easier than firefighting in week 5.
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LivingSoilLukeFlowering· 8h ago
This should be the pinned mite thread. Water + predators + cooler temps + isolation, no oils. That's the whole playbook.
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