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Kenny1948
10-13-2009, 10:27 AM
Hi,
I'm new to this forum. I live in Bayonet Point Florida, where they arrest you if you don't keep your lawn green.

I moved here from the Northwest, and believe me all the horror stories I heard are true! I find gardening in this chemical and pesticide happy place, difficult at best.

I am hoping I can find some people here who share my desire to try and garden with earth friendly products, and not with toxic chemicals. Right now I have a terrible spider mite infestation on my lawn. Don't know what to do, as most things I could use cannot be sprayed in direct sunlight. Well guess what? This is Florida, and we get direct sunlight all day. What can I do? Everything here burns up. I have never lived in such a place! Then we are expected to have a lush and green lawn no matter what.

Richard
10-13-2009, 10:34 AM
Welcome!

:woohoonaner:

Many fertilizer concentrates are better for the earth than the so-called earth-friendly variety. Check out this article: Beer Is A Synthetic Pesticide (http://www.plantsthatproduce.com/column/PTP_2009_10_Beer.htm).

cherokee_greg
10-13-2009, 10:47 AM
welcome from California

LilRaverBoi
10-13-2009, 12:41 PM
Welcome to the site! I've never heard of spider mites infesting a yard before...thought they were only prevalent on house plants and not outdoors. Guess not! Enjoy the site...sure you'll find plenty of great people here to share your love of plants with!

sbl
10-13-2009, 01:07 PM
Welcome! You can have a nice garden here in Florida without toxic chemicals, if you really know what a toxic chemical is. You are obviously using horticultural oil, which is good for many of the pest--you can apply it late in the evening or early in the morning. Lime sulfur and soap are also useful against spier mites. I do use pesticides like synthetic pyrethroids, but rarely. The main reason I avoid pesticides that leave a residue is to avoid killing beneficials. I use soap a lot, because it only kills what I put it on. You can buy beneficials like lady bugs (they will eat mites). Learn to recognize good bugs, like assasin bugs, lacewings as well as their larvae.

CValentine
10-13-2009, 01:19 PM
Diatomaceous Earth can be used on dry lawn to kill those nasty critters...and slugs, snails...etc...
I'm with sbl on the use of good bugs too! :)

Richard is a plethora of information on all things green & beautiful also!!
There's not much regarding Fert. & Pesticides he doesn't know about!!

Have a great week Kenny & Welcome!! Hope to see you here alot on the Org! :) ~Cheryl

Kenny1948
10-13-2009, 01:49 PM
Thanks to all of you for the hearty welcome.:woohoonaner:

Regarding my spider mite lawn. I had never heard of spider mites infesting a lawn before, but that is what it appears to be. There are webs among the blades of grass. This all happened overnight. At first I thought someone had sabotaged my lawn with weed killer, as it looks as if the grass has been burned. However on close examination one can see the tight webs all through the grass. This grass looked beautiful, and had finally begun to spread. I couldn't believe my eyes when I saw it yesterday. It has gotten worse today, also as soon as I started digging about I started itching. A sure sign of spider mites.

I was an interior plant tech for over twenty six years. So I pretty much am familiar with pests and chemicals. Just that here in Florida they seem to use stuff, we couldn't use up in Washington State. I heard some lady say she uses Kelthane! That stuff was banned years ago I thought. Avid likewise.

I guess we live and learn. I simply don't want to kill all the krittters in the neighborhood. Lots of squirrels and unfortunately cats that like to chase them. I had a pet that was poisoned by a neighbors overuse of pesticides once. Don't want to be the same way.
That was what I meant by using "toxic chemicals". I also have my own medical problems, due to exposure over the years. Don't care to add to them.

sbl
10-13-2009, 03:00 PM
I agree with you on the kelthane--much of it is contaminated with DDT--way to persistient for me. Like you I have never heard of spider mites on lawns-- might want to take a sample to your extension agent or somewhere to get the pest identified.

Eric
10-13-2009, 03:46 PM
Welcome aboard, Kenny :) ! Looks like you're already getting some great info to help with your problems. Not much I could add. It's a very friendly & info-packed forum. If ya have any questions about using the forum, just ask.
Good Luck with your lawn!

Btw, remind me never to move to Bayonet Point.