Spider mites | Controlling Pests & Diseases

Spider mites

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Renny Joined: 3/06/2007 Location: Arlington, Texas Posts: 13	Posted: Jun/11/2007 2:13 PM PST Does anyone have a secret to getting rid of spider mites on tomatoe plants? I have tried everything I know and they still take my plants down. Quote \| Reply \| Report

butterfly1 Joined: 3/17/2006 Location: Aiken SC Posts: 543	Posted: Jun/12/2007 5:45 AM PST Go to your local home store and look for something called neem oil. It's derived from a tree in india. It's a concentrate you will have to mix with water so get you a good hand sprayer. Spray your plants twice a week and I think it will take care of your problem. HTH Quote \| Reply \| Report

AngelsGarden Joined: 5/30/2006 Location: Central Louisiana Posts: 1261	Posted: Jun/12/2007 8:02 AM PST I use a sprayer filled with water, add a squirt of dish soap, then a drop of organic insecticide (active ingredient sesame oil). If I am concerned about injuring delicate foliage I just leave out the insecticide. Soapy water kills all insects I have tried it on. Quote \| Reply \| Report

mckraz Joined: 6/27/2007 Location: South Florida Posts: 1	Posted: Jun/27/2007 12:06 PM PST Get some lady bugs, they sell them online and they will literally devour the spider mites and then some will stay but most will fly away. They will not leave until the job is done though. Quote \| Reply \| Report

emily_gardener Joined: 7/25/2007 Location: Orlando Posts: 9	Posted: Jul/25/2007 10:04 AM PST Renny, I have an article written on Spider Mites here: http://garden-ideas.completesources.com/garden-pro blems-and-pests/how-to-kill-spider-mites/ But the jist of what you're looking for is has already been summarized by the other posters and is here: If you find or suspect spider mites on your plants there are several ways to control them naturally. Wash both sides of your plant leaves every other day for 2-3 weeks. Be sure to use a fairly forceful spray from your garden hose. Try spraying your plants with soapy water or horticultural oil once a week for 3 weeks. Be sure to cover soil with mulch to prevent the soil dust from blowing on to your plants and attracting spider mites. Another natural way to fight spider mites is to purchase predatory mites that will devour the spider mites. Check with your local nursery to determine what type of predatory mite will work best. since you're talking about tomatoes, I'd stay away from pesticides, unless organic. Also, I know the above talks about using a fairly forceful spray from your hose, but be mindful of what you're spraying. don't pummel your 'maters to death to kill the buggies! - emma Quote \| Reply \| Report

mbvirtue Joined: 3/01/2006 Location: McFarland (Madison), Wisconsin Posts: 4572	Posted: Jul/25/2007 8:10 PM PST Wow, Welcome to GG, emma!! You really hit that one outta here...on only your third post, too. Where have you been hiding? That answer was great, you really know your stuff. Don't be a stranger, 'k? Quote \| Reply \| Report

emily_gardener Joined: 7/25/2007 Location: Orlando Posts: 9	Posted: Jul/26/2007 8:39 AM PST Thanks for such a warm welcome mbvirtue! I just found you guys yesterday. I hang around over at helpfulgardener and gardenweb, but I have to admit, this is a VERY friendly site and I love all of the helpful posts here. Gardeners are the best sort of people to get to know! They always have food, (Though this time of year my immediate response is I HATE zucchini!) and they always have a great garden story to share! Emma Quote \| Reply \| Report

alankgore1969 Joined: 7/22/2007 Location: San Antonio Tx, Posts: 13	Posted: Jul/28/2007 7:28 PM PST spinosad works for me heres some info on it if you like http://www.homestead.com/ipmofalaska/files/spinosa d.html Quote \| Reply \| Report

bobe Joined: 7/02/2009 Location: Posts: 3	Posted: Jul/02/2009 6:53 AM PST sorry but washing doesn't work. I have a good magnifier and although you think you did a good job the SPIDER MITES will come back, you don't see because your eyes can't see but under magnifier i see even after wash dozens of eggs each one will start new colony. The only thing that washing the plants or leaves will do is to keep theirs numbers low BUT WON'T eliminate them. I have tropical plants inside my home and i wash their leaves but if i forget after 2 weeks their numbers increase so much i have to cut the leaves heavily infested. th Quote \| Reply \| Report

bobe Joined: 7/02/2009 Location: Posts: 3	Posted: Jul/02/2009 6:58 AM PST Again WASHING YOUR PLANTS doesn't work i have a very nice magnifier and the reason you think you got rid of SPIDER MITES is because their eggs are practically invisible to your eyes but under good magnifier i can see the eggs, and each one of them will start new colony that will become thousands in weeks. Quote \| Reply \| Report

Member

Message

Renny
Joined: 3/06/2007
Location: Arlington, Texas
Posts: 13

Posted: Jun/11/2007 2:13 PM PST

Does anyone have a secret to getting rid of spider mites on tomatoe plants? I have tried everything I know and they still take my plants down.

Quote | Reply | Report

butterfly1

Joined: 3/17/2006
Location: Aiken SC
Posts: 543

Posted: Jun/12/2007 5:45 AM PST

Go to your local home store and look for something called neem oil. It's derived from a tree in india. It's a concentrate you will have to mix with water so get you a good hand sprayer. Spray your plants twice a week and I think it will take care of your problem. HTH

Quote | Reply | Report

AngelsGarden

Joined: 5/30/2006
Location: Central Louisiana
Posts: 1261

Posted: Jun/12/2007 8:02 AM PST

I use a sprayer filled with water, add a squirt of dish soap, then a drop of organic insecticide (active ingredient sesame oil). If I am concerned about injuring delicate foliage I just leave out the insecticide. Soapy water kills all insects I have tried it on.

Quote | Reply | Report

mckraz
Joined: 6/27/2007
Location: South Florida
Posts: 1

Posted: Jun/27/2007 12:06 PM PST

Get some lady bugs, they sell them online and they will literally devour the spider mites and then some will stay but most will fly away.

They will not leave until the job is done though.

Quote | Reply | Report

emily_gardener
Joined: 7/25/2007
Location: Orlando
Posts: 9

Posted: Jul/25/2007 10:04 AM PST

Renny,

I have an article written on Spider Mites here: http://garden-ideas.completesources.com/garden-pro blems-and-pests/how-to-kill-spider-mites/

But the jist of what you're looking for is has already been summarized by the other posters and is here:

If you find or suspect spider mites on your plants there are several ways to control them naturally. Wash both sides of your plant leaves every other day for 2-3 weeks. Be sure to use a fairly forceful spray from your garden hose. Try spraying your plants with soapy water or horticultural oil once a week for 3 weeks. Be sure to cover soil with mulch to prevent the soil dust from blowing on to your plants and attracting spider mites.

Another natural way to fight spider mites is to purchase predatory mites that will devour the spider mites. Check with your local nursery to determine what type of predatory mite will work best.

since you're talking about tomatoes, I'd stay away from pesticides, unless organic. Also, I know the above talks about using a fairly forceful spray from your hose, but be mindful of what you're spraying. don't pummel your 'maters to death to kill the buggies!

- emma

Quote | Reply | Report

mbvirtue

Joined: 3/01/2006
Location: McFarland (Madison), Wisconsin
Posts: 4572

Posted: Jul/25/2007 8:10 PM PST

Wow, Welcome to GG, emma!! You really hit that one outta here...on only your third post, too. Where have you been hiding? That answer was great, you really know your stuff.

Don't be a stranger, 'k?

Quote | Reply | Report

emily_gardener
Joined: 7/25/2007
Location: Orlando
Posts: 9

Posted: Jul/26/2007 8:39 AM PST

Thanks for such a warm welcome mbvirtue! I just found you guys yesterday. I hang around over at helpfulgardener and gardenweb, but I have to admit, this is a VERY friendly site and I love all of the helpful posts here.

Gardeners are the best sort of people to get to know! They always have food, (Though this time of year my immediate response is I HATE zucchini!) and they always have a great garden story to share!

Emma

Quote | Reply | Report

alankgore1969

Joined: 7/22/2007
Location: San Antonio Tx,
Posts: 13

Posted: Jul/28/2007 7:28 PM PST

spinosad works for me heres some info on it if you like http://www.homestead.com/ipmofalaska/files/spinosa d.html

Quote | Reply | Report

bobe
Joined: 7/02/2009
Location:
Posts: 3

Posted: Jul/02/2009 6:53 AM PST

sorry but washing doesn't work. I have a good magnifier and although you think you did a good job the SPIDER MITES will come back, you don't see because your eyes can't see but under magnifier i see even after wash dozens of eggs each one will start new colony.
The only thing that washing the plants or leaves will do is to keep theirs numbers low BUT WON'T eliminate them. I have tropical plants inside my home and i wash their leaves but if i forget after 2 weeks their numbers increase so much i have to cut the leaves heavily infested.

th

Quote | Reply | Report

bobe
Joined: 7/02/2009
Location:
Posts: 3

Posted: Jul/02/2009 6:58 AM PST

Again WASHING YOUR PLANTS doesn't work i have a very nice magnifier and the reason you think you got rid of SPIDER MITES is because their eggs are practically invisible to your eyes but under good magnifier i can see the eggs, and each one of them will start new colony that will become thousands in weeks.

Quote | Reply | Report

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