How to Treat Spider Mites on Plants
Red spiders mites are barely visible to the human eye. They fall into the category of an arachnid with other spiders. Their appearance is that of tiny, red pinhead baby spiders that live mostly on the underside of leaves. They leave behind fine lacy webbing on plant leaves and stems. Spider mites enjoy feeding on leaves. The leaves will begin to dry and curl from the infestation. Left to progress, the plant will eventually die from leaf loss. Does this Spark an idea?
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Instructions
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Remove infestation using a blast of water from a garden hose. Wash the lower leaves first and then work your way up the plant. Wash away all spiders and webbing. Wash the plant thoroughly every two to three days.
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Spray the plant with an all purpose miticide. Be careful because many plants are damaged by miticides. Spray only one leaf and then wait a few days to see if the leaf dies or becomes discolored. Be sure to follow the directions on the miticide label completely. Miticide can be purchased at any garden center or home improvement store.
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Thoroughly wash the plant using a miticide soap. Miticide soaps can be purchased at any garden center or home improvement store. These soaps only kill the adult spider mites. The eggs can continue to hatch, so use the miticide soap every two to three days for two weeks to control infestation. Follow the directions on the soap for usage.
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Purchase predator mites to kill spider mites naturally. Many garden centers or online retailers sell live predator mites that prey on spider mites but do not damage the plant. This is a natural control method. The best predator mites to purchase live are Galendromus occidentalis, Phytoseiulus persimilis, Mesoseiulus longipes and Neoseiulus californicus. The retailer will provide care instructions to keep the predator mites alive. Never use miticide around predator mites or they will also be killed.
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Order or purchase live ladybugs to kill spider mites. Ladybugs eat spider mites and aphids. They are beneficial at pest control in the garden. They can easily be purchased online or at a garden center.
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Tips & Warnings
Many over the counter insecticides kill spider mites easily but the products are extremely toxic. They should never be used around children and pets. If spraying outside keep away from ponds, bird baths and bird feeders. Only use this toxic method as a last resort. Keep all miticide and miticide soaps away from children and pets.
