How to Rid the House of Red Spider Mites

Red spider mites attack plants giving them a wilted, speckled appearance.

Red spider mites are difficult to see with the naked eye. The tiny mites eat juice from house plants by cutting into the leaves with sharp mouths. They avoid sunlight and primarily feed from the underside of the leaves. The plants begin to wilt from the attack of the mites, and foliage appears yellow or white speckled. Remove red spider mites from house plants before they destroy them.

Things You'll Need

• Garden hose
• Paper towels
• 1/4 cup buttermilk
• 1/4 cup potato flour
• Bucket
• Wooden spoon

Instructions

Use a Garden Hose

1. Take house plants outside to the driveway or patio.

2. Turn the sprayer on the garden hose to a soft flow of water.

3. Spray the plants with the garden hose. Hold leaves up to spray the underneath side.

4. Shake the plants to remove excess water. Press paper towels against the foliage to remove additional moisture. Place the plants back into the home.

Use Buttermilk and Potato Flour

1. Mix 1/4 cup buttermilk and 1/4 cup potato flour into a gallon of water in a bucket. Stir the mixture with a wooden spoon until the flour dissolves. Add additional water if needed to create a thin consistency. Pour the mixture into a spray bottle.

2. Place plants into the bathtub. Spray the mixture onto the plants. Lift the leaves and spray the underside also. Thoroughly saturate the plants with the solution, leaving it on the plants for 24 hours.

3. Take the plants outside, and rinse with a slow stream from the garden hose. Dry the plants and place back into the home.

References

• Container Gardening For You: House Plant Pests