View Full Version : Spider Mites
Does anyone have a spider mite remedy? The leaves on my plants are turning brown and dying as fast as it can produce new ones. I'm afraid I'm going to loose it if this continues.
Taylor
06-23-2008, 03:45 PM
Insecticidal soap works well, dilute the concentrate, then spray on the leaves, both sides.
sandy0225
06-23-2008, 03:51 PM
Insecticidal soap will work but be careful not to do it in full sun or to put the plant in sun right afterwards or you'll burn it up. Avid is a good one, but $$$. I just now got to where I could afford to try it, and it does work good.
Richard
06-23-2008, 03:54 PM
Green Light Fruit Tree Spray.
buzzwinder
06-23-2008, 05:28 PM
I overwintered my nanners in a three season room in N. Il. using electric heaters ( Expensive ) not rec. Had two bouts with spider mites. 1 Ounce Fish Emulsion per gallon of water took care of them both times, not sure if it smothered them or they just couldn't stand the smell for two days, and ran off to freeze out side. I used a spray bottle and face mask, wife and kids complained but it dissipated after 2 or 3 days, no smell in the house, JUST DON"T OPEN THAT DOOR!!!!!!!! for a few of days.:bananas_b
Chironex
06-23-2008, 05:39 PM
Here's what I use, 100% organic, no chemicals and 100% effective.
Go to your nearest NAPA Auto Parts store and buy a 25# bag of "Super Absorbent" part no. 8822 for about $10-13.
It is 100% diatomaceous earth. I just scoop about 1/2 cup with a small coffee strainer. Put a funnel in your misting sprayer and set this strainer on top. Pour water through the strainer (enough water to fill the sprayer) and spray it directly onto the plant. Aphids, spider mites and such are gone in 1-2 days. 100% pesticide and chemical free. The diatomaceous earth is made up of tiny crystals that slice and dice the little pests as they crawl on it.
Another great use for this is as a soil-less seed starting medium. It's cheaper than perlite or vermiculite and you won't get any damping off. Plus if you spill some liquid or if your car leaks fluid, you can also use it to absorb the spill.
One word of advice, it is dusty when you open the bag, so do so carefully. If you're asthmatic, wear a dust mask. Keep the sack in your garage and it will last forever. Lots of bonsai books recommend it for bonsai tree soil as well. Oh, and you can also use it as cat litter.
mskitty38583
06-23-2008, 08:30 PM
Oh, and you can also use it as cat litter.
it almost sounds like the chalk i hauled in ga called "fullers earth".
kimarj
06-23-2008, 08:33 PM
Wow:2745: what a great idea the super absorbent is :D I can use it for them pesky slugs and earwigs too:bananadog::bananadog::bananadog:
Thanks
Kim:shareluvnana:
natedogg1026
06-23-2008, 10:28 PM
I have found that spraying the plant off helps quite a bit. Also take a soft rag or a sponge and rub the whole plant down after you spray it then rinse. Basically a sponge bath for your nana.:nanabath: Also, Orthanex worked for me, if you wanna go drastic. You can get it at Home Depot.
Chironex
06-24-2008, 09:00 AM
it almost sounds like the chalk i hauled in ga called "fullers earth".
It is similar in that it is a silicate. Diatomaceous earth is actually the fossilized exoskeletons of prehistoric algae. These diatoms are microscopic and extremely sharp to the tiny critters like spider mites, aphids and such. It actually cuts them open when they crawl over it. To us it just looks like "oil dry" or kitty litter.
I am using it for seed germination and keep a sprayer full of the DE water to control any invading bugs/insects that might think about harming my plants. Works like a charm!
mskitty38583
06-24-2008, 09:17 AM
thats good to know. thanks for the info. can it be sprayed in the house without harm to humans or animals in liquid form? im thinking about moving my aquarium into the den( extra humididty in the winter time for my nanas) and i hope its not harmful to fish.
momoese
06-24-2008, 09:36 AM
Diatomaceous earth is also an organic way of killing fleas and anything else that it comes in contact with. It works by dehydrating the bugs over the course of a few days. I use it as part of my organic flea prevention program in conjunction with several other things. I refuse to apply the toxic poisons like Frontline and Advantage to my dogs any longer.
From Wikipedia: Diatomaceous earth consists of fossilized remains of diatoms, a type of hard-shelled algae. It is used as a filtration aid, as a mild abrasive, as a mechanical insecticide, as an absorbent for liquids, as cat litter, as an activator in blood clotting studies, and as a component of dynamite. As it is also heat-resistant, it can be used as a thermal insulator.
mskitty38583
06-24-2008, 09:41 AM
ok im sold on it!!! thanks yall.:waving:
Richard
06-24-2008, 10:06 AM
Well I agree, Orthonex is pretty extreme and its not for use on fruiting/edible plants. Diatomaceous earth kills insects by slicing them -- on their scale it is like a pile of razors and barbwire fence. It is most effective on soft bodied insects and not on spiders or flying pests that don't contact or lay eggs in the soil -- like leaf miners. Still, it is a good ingredient as part of a pest management plan. I like to apply it on top of my mulch -- esp. since slugs and snails hate it. You'll find it at a big box store in the pool chemical section.
momoese
06-24-2008, 10:09 AM
Just be careful with it in the house. It's very messy!
mskitty38583
06-24-2008, 10:15 AM
It's very messy!
oh so it will fit in with the decor of my house. rotflmao!!!!!!! thanks mitchel. lol.
momoese
06-24-2008, 10:16 AM
Another form of organic mite control is predator mites. Here is some info.
The Spider Mite Control Info Page (http://www.growquest.com/spider_mite_control_info_page.htm)
Lard Greystoke
06-24-2008, 06:48 PM
A very cheap method is to dilute some detergent or liquid soap in water, spray on all surfaces of plant. Eliminates surface tension of water, overcoming waterproof covering of bugs' respiratory systems, drowning them. Has no residual effect so you have to keep doing it. Could damage waxy layer covering leaves, causing discoloration.
A warning on diatomaceous earth: it will "slice and dice" the inside of your lungs same as bugs' exoskeletons, so be careful not to inhale.
Chironex
12-24-2008, 11:16 PM
To update this thread for those of us experiencing spider mite invasions, etc. here is a link to a site offering both Neem and D.E. products. They also provide some good information on how to use these effectively.
www.ultrateck.net/files/UTEnglish_Neem.pdf (http://www.bananas.org/www.ultrateck.net/files/UTEnglish_Neem.pdf)
Chironex
12-24-2008, 11:18 PM
A warning on diatomaceous earth: it will "slice and dice" the inside of your lungs same as bugs' exoskeletons, so be careful not to inhale.
Although a prominent doctor has said that it is no more harmful to humans than going down a gravel road, I still suggest the use of a dust mask, especially near asthmatics.
Common sense should always be used, but once wetted, the dust is kept in check.
jack hagenaars
12-25-2008, 05:08 PM
careful with neem oil..it does do some cellular damage to some plants. I know someone who tried it on phalaenopsis orchids and did alot of damage. Certainly if you are going to try it...use one or two plants first to see if you get any damage,before applying it to all your plants...just a suggestion...
jeffreyp
12-27-2008, 08:13 PM
Try Concern Brand Insecticidal soap spray, it's the best thing I have ever seen that wipes out spider mites.
lwabirds
12-27-2008, 11:04 PM
I take rubbing alcohol on a cotton ball. I rub the leaves down (get them wet). It will kill the mites. You will have to monitor the plants for future mites. It works!
john_ny
12-28-2008, 01:01 PM
Scot - When you mentioned putting the D.E. in a coffee strainer, do you mean the metal thing with little holes, from a percolator? Surely, you don't mean a paper coffee filter.
Chironex
12-28-2008, 04:02 PM
Like a strainer you would use to strain orange juice pulp. It probably costs a buck or so at the Dollar stores.
Google Image Result for http://sadguruind.com/images/Various%20Tea%20and%20Coffee%20Strainer.jpg (http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://sadguruind.com/images/Various%2520Tea%2520and%2520Coffee%2520Strainer.jpg&imgrefurl=http://sadguruind.com/pages/Various%2520Tea%2520and%2520Coffee%2520Strainer.htm&usg=___jSYdCaoXvx6zV536sAKB1aUcWg=&h=300&w=450&sz=44&hl=en&start=1&um=1&tbnid=4blUtc07zfi0zM:&tbnh=85&tbnw=127&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dcoffee%2Bstrainer%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26sa%3DN)
http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://sadguruind.com/images/Various%2520Tea%2520and%2520Coffee%2520Strainer.jpg&imgrefurl=http://sadguruind.com/pages/Various%2520Tea%2520and%2520Coffee%2520Strainer.htm&usg=___jSYdCaoXvx6zV536sAKB1aUcWg=&h=300&w=450&sz=44&hl=en&start=1&um=1&tbnid=4blUtc07zfi0zM:&tbnh=85&tbnw=127&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dcoffee%2Bstrainer%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26sa%3DN
http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://sadguruind.com/images/Various%2520Tea%2520and%2520Coffee%2520Strainer.jpg&imgrefurl=http://sadguruind.com/pages/Various%2520Tea%2520and%2520Coffee%2520Strainer.htm&usg=___jSYdCaoXvx6zV536sAKB1aUcWg=&h=300&w=450&sz=44&hl=en&start=1&um=1&tbnid=4blUtc07zfi0zM:&tbnh=85&tbnw=127&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dcoffee%2Bstrainer%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26sa%3DN
john_ny
12-28-2008, 06:18 PM
Thanks, that's what I thought.
Chironex
12-28-2008, 07:06 PM
I take rubbing alcohol on a cotton ball. I rub the leaves down (get them wet). It will kill the mites. You will have to monitor the plants for future mites. It works!
Absolutely, 100% correct. This works great on mites, scale and mealybugs, but if you have quite a few plants, the D.E. method is easier and leaves some residual protection for future outbreaks. The D.E. spray can also get into the harder-to-reach places more effectively. Each method is great, it is just dependent upon the scale of the project. Generally, if you have mites on one plant, they will soon be found on others in the vicinity.
JCDerrick
12-30-2008, 05:42 PM
I finally got some of the D.E. for x-mas, though my family bought me the powder-like dust instead of what you all suggested. So the other day my wife and I hauled all the bananas out of the garage while it was warm and started to dust them.
After 3-5 minutes of that I said it was pointless and decided to try and mix with water and use a sprayer. The dust mixed well enough and seemingly came out in the spray. So I'm curious if what was as effective as using the strainer?
I'm going to use the dust to mix with dirt in the spring; keep the little buggers at bay. I've already decided though that next year all my bananas (except a select few) are going in the ground. They just take up too much space in the garage and are a buffet for spider mites and aphids alike; and I need the room for my truer zone 10-14 tropicals.
Chironex
12-30-2008, 06:47 PM
Hi John,
Actually the water method works best as dusting gets on everything and is actually less effective.
I had to chuckle when I pictured you and your wife dusting the plants.
The fine slurry is what you want in your sprayer. Eventually it will clog, but just take off the tube, back-flush the strainer and nozzle and reassemble - you're good to go.
Trial and error has taught me the best way to do it. Definitely go with the NAPA stuff and you will find 100% effective results.
I am considering buying a big bag of this and re-packaging it into smaller amounts for everyone. This would be a lot easier for everyone to handle and would save having to buy the big bag that would last for about 5 years or more! Anyone having an interest in this, PM me and if enough people want it, I will go ahead with it. I would think it would cost about a $1.00 plus shipping for a sandwich bag sized lot.
I will also include a diagram of how to properly prepare it.
JCDerrick
12-30-2008, 07:25 PM
Thanks Scot. The dusting with a duster (also provided by them) was quite humorous, I think I got more on myself than the bananas.
I just tried the water method again indoors using a nice slurry, much much better than all those nasty soaps and chemical sprays. Only real issue is the white chalk look. I sprayed one of my pothos plants - came back a half hour later and the wall, the hardwood floor, and curtain were all chalky white. My wife about skinned me alive. Guess I better get a mop and use less powder in the mix next time. LOL
Richard
12-30-2008, 08:46 PM
Scot, the D.E. that is sold in ~20 lb bags for swimming pools -- is this the same granularity as the product you are recommending?
Chironex
12-30-2008, 09:27 PM
Scot, the D.E. that is sold in ~20 lb bags for swimming pools -- is this the same granularity as the product you are recommending?
Although I haven't seen the stuff for swimming pools, I would imagine that it is much finer in granularity than the kitty litter sized granules in NAPA's "Super Absorbent". I would think too that the pool grade stuff is much more "washed" to prevent cloudiness in the water. We actually want the dusty stuff. It is the dust that goes into suspension in water that does the trick.
Richard
12-31-2008, 09:36 PM
...
Go to your nearest NAPA Auto Parts store and buy a 25# bag of "Super Absorbent" part no. 8822 for about $10-13. ...
O.K., I'm going to check it out. For a retail price, that seems appropriate for a 25 lb bag of D.E.
Chironex
12-31-2008, 11:25 PM
Here is what it looks like. Difficult to find on their online pages, so just call your local NAPA store and ask for part number 8822 -"Super Absorbent"
http://partimages2.genpt.com/partimages/214603.jpg
mskitty38583
01-05-2009, 11:18 AM
greetings on the spider mite issues....
being that i cant bend over and pick up my nanas and put them in the shower i found something that really does work. i put 2 drops of dawn dishsoap in a spray bottle, filled it up with warm water and them sprayed the !@#$ out of the mites. after a day they had all dried up. and the angles on high sing...... i will repeat this again in a week...i hope this helps you.
Patty in Wisc
01-08-2009, 03:35 PM
I use more Dawn. One big squirt into about 6 oz. HOT water works. Alcohol is also good.
Lagniappe
01-08-2009, 06:57 PM
Although I haven't seen the stuff for swimming pools, I would imagine that it is much finer in granularity than the kitty litter sized granules in NAPA's "Super Absorbent". I would think too that the pool grade stuff is much more "washed" to prevent cloudiness in the water. We actually want the dusty stuff. It is the dust that goes into suspension in water that does the trick.
I've read that much of the DE that's packaged for swimming pools is mined from marine sources and may have a high level of salinity. Most of the spill clean up types are mined in NV or UT (there are the great salt lakes there too....hmmm ....I had not considered this until now) and are used by some for hydroponics. Anyways, just some stuff I read ,worth checking into though.
I did look up the brand name on the ones I bought and went to their website to see where it was mined. Those are the two states I came up with. These could be ancient sea beds but, from what I read, I gathered that they were freshwater deposits.
Chironex
01-08-2009, 08:15 PM
Good job, it's difficult to tell from where they came as the entire United States was once covered by a huge shallow sea.
The salinity aspect shouldn't really make any difference though when used for killing external pests.
I would guess that I can spray about 50 plants with one spray bottle, so very little would actually get into the soil.
The thing I like about this method is that it remains in place to keep killing until it rains, then washes right off.
Lagniappe
01-08-2009, 08:44 PM
The two brands that I have (I've thrown the packaging out so idk which) claim to be mined in NV from freshwater deposits. This is important to me because I've mulched my plants with it and have basil in cups of it in my hydroponics table. I'm hoping that it'll keep the blasted slugs/snails at bay this year.
JCDerrick
01-08-2009, 09:32 PM
I've sprayed with it indoors using a 1/2 gallon sprayer - seems to be working very well and very little seems to get in the soil. Funny thing is how it sprays on clear - ten minutes later it looks like it snowed in the house.
Hasn't worked as well on the mealy bugs or spider mites yet - but I might just need to give it more time. They've gotta crawl over it sometime.
Richard
01-08-2009, 11:42 PM
The there is a health and safety regulation that diatomaceous earth labeled for swimming pool filtration be pH neutral. So regardless of the source, this D.E. should have no significant salt content. I say "should" because checking the pH of a teaspoon of it in a cup of distilled water is a prudent thing to do.
By the way, most people are familiar with salts making things alkaline, but there are plenty of salts that are acid forming.
jack hagenaars
01-08-2009, 11:58 PM
Best Luck I've had JC is with alcohol (70%) and or plain soapy water with a few drops of oil to increase surface area tension.
JCDerrick
01-09-2009, 12:03 AM
Best Luck I've had JC is with alcohol (70%) and or plain soapy water with a few drops of oil to increase surface area tension.
How's the smell with the alcohol? I might try that in mist form if the smell's not so bad - I have two in the foyer now bc of their height (the actually outgrew my 11' garage last week), so I have to watch the odor in the house.
I've always been hesitant to use dish soap in a spray - but I guess as long as I don't poor it on, what's the harm. Anything to avoid the more serious chemicals.
Lagniappe
01-09-2009, 02:53 AM
I tell you guys, these mites have me worked up pretty good this year. My recent outbreak was explosive and took me by surprise. I've applied the DE, and fogged with an organic pyrethrin but these devils are making a comeback.
After researching chitinase producing organisms in compost tea and finding out that they can be applied as a foliar spray, I've decided to give it a go. I usually only treat my outdoor bedded plants with this but now I understand the biology of container plants can be as rich as those [plants] in the ground.
There are claims of tea applications promoting the production of chitinase by plants too.
It would be great to have my plants repel the insects on their own and I have a mealy bug infestation on my pony tail palms that could serve,alongside the mite infestation, as a control group. I'll apply the tea to half of my mite infestation and one of my pony tails and keep you guys up to date on the progress.
Fingers crossed now!
JCDerrick
01-09-2009, 09:27 AM
Good luck Pete. I'll especially be interested in your results on the mealy bugs. Spider mites annoy the heck out of me, but normally I can fight them off. The mealy bugs keep getting on my pothos plants and are the devil to get rid of again - too many hiding places.
jack hagenaars
01-09-2009, 06:17 PM
Well,my experience is that the alcohol works on the mealy bug too...the smell is not too bad...it disapates into the air quickly......good luck!
JCDerrick
01-09-2009, 07:16 PM
Well,my experience is that the alcohol works on the mealy bug too...the smell is not too bad...it disapates into the air quickly......good luck!
Thanks, I also meant to ask if you use a specific type?
Patty in Wisc
01-09-2009, 11:35 PM
JC, any rubbing alcohol will do. You can get it at Walgreens or even your grocery store. It doesn't leave a bad odor...if anything it smells clean.
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