How to Get Rid of Mites From Roses

Spider mites are small arachnids that thrive on just about any plant in your garden, especially roses. Killing spider mites can be difficult, because you don't want to kill the beneficial bugs that feed on spider mites. There are organic and chemical methods that target just spider mites.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Magnifying glass
• Hose
• Sprinkler head
• Water
• Neem oil
• Beneficial bugs
• Herbicide
• Miticide

How To Get Rid of Spider Mites

1. Locate the spider mites on the underside of your rose bush leaves or on the top if your infestation is very bad. Mites are very small, so you may not see them at all unless you use a magnifying glass. A sign of infestation are leaves that look yellowed, curled, dry and have small holes where the spider mites feed. Sometimes the leaves dry up and fall off completely.

2. Hose down your rose bushes to knock off the spider mites. Spider mites thrive on dusty, dry leaves. Provide overhead irrigation by hand watering or using a sprinkler system once a day, especially if you live in an area that has little rainfall. This will wash off the dusty leaves and knock off the mites at the same time. Gently spray the underside of the leaves, as well. Water in the morning so that the leaves will be dry by nightfall. After you have gotten rid of your spider mites, gently spray your roses periodically to prevent another infestation.

3. Apply neem oil, which is an environmentally friendly, nontoxic vegetable-based oil, to your rose bush leaves. Neem oil can discolor some rose blooms, so use with caution or test an area first. Spray the neem oil on the tops and bottoms of the leaves and around the base of the rose bush. Spray your rose bush leaves once a week until the spider mites are gone. Neem oil will not affect beneficial insects or harm pets or humans.

4. Introduce beneficial bugs that eat spider mites. These bugs can be purchased at garden warehouses and online vendors. Bugs that may be helpful in eating spider mites are pirate bugs, big-eyed bugs, lady bugs or beetles, lace wings, thrips, spiders and predaceous mites, according to the University of California Agriculture Program.

5. Spray your rose bushes with an insecticide to kill the spider mites. This is a last resort, as it may also kill the beneficial bugs in your garden. There are miticides that come under the chemical names of abamectin, bifenthrin and dicofol. Applying miticides and insecticides works best when done in conjunction with spraying the leaves daily.

Tips & Warnings

• Use the least-invasive method to get rid of mites. You want to achieve your results with the least damage to your rose bushes, pocketbook and the environment as possible.
• Use insecticides and miticides with caution, as they are toxic to pets and humans. Do not spray on windy days.

References

• University of California Agriculture Program: Pests
• MarinRose.org: Spider Mites
• How to Get Rid of Stuff: Garden Pests