Plant problems · Pests · Any stage · Act today
Russet and broad mites
What you see
- Leaves curl up at the edges and turn shiny, glossy or bronze
- New growth is twisted and stalls
- No webbing and nothing visible without a strong magnifier
Why it happens
These microscopic mites are hard to see and often mistaken for a deficiency. They spread on clones and tools.
What to do
- Confirm with a 60x loupe on the stem and leaf undersides
- Use predatory mites or a sulfur based product in veg only (never close to harvest)
- Remove badly hit plants if the outbreak is early in the grow
Next time
- Quarantine clones
- Clean tools between plants
Easy to confuse with
- Calcium deficiency: Small brown spots with sharp edges on new and middle leaves
- Heat stress: Leaves fold upwards along the middle like a taco
- Spider mites: Tiny white or yellow dots on the top of leaves
Not sure?
Take a photo of a twisted new shoot, as close as your camera allows and ask the Grow Doctor, or send it to the grow companion on Telegram.