Spider mites (Tetranychus urticae) are tiny sap-sucking mites from plants and can be very difficult to get rid of. They are a little larger and tending to orange in autumn, so this can be an ideal time, but whatever time of year you choose to hunt them, here is an organic method to get rid of them.
Steps
Step 1. Look for them
They can be found in the house as well as in the garden. They are not particularly picky as long as there are plants to suck. Almost all indoor plants are prone to spider mites, especially if they are grown in stressful conditions such as hot, dry air, inadequate watering or poor nutrition. Among the signs of an infestation of this mite you can note:
- Leaves with yellow, red or light silver patches.
- Very small white spots on the underside of the leaves (the eggs of the red spider), but you need to do a careful inspection and have a good view!
- If you see thin white filaments between the stems and leaves, this is also a sign of their presence, and in this case the infestation has now reached extreme levels.
- If you can't see them but suspect their presence, put them on a white piece of paper. They will tend to run on the edges to escape (but only if there is something underneath that they can perceive as a leaf).
Step 2. Increase the humidity
Spider mites don't like high humidity levels, so spray and water the plants regularly if you want to get rid of them and discourage future infestations.
Step 3. Make a mixture of soap and water, or purchase an organic version from the nursery
Spray it under the leaves and rub it with a cloth on top. If you squeeze a few mites, it doesn't hurt.
Step 4. Continue spraying the plants with insecticidal soap
However, this solution can damage plants (phyto-toxicity), so you should already know which plants can handle it, or you can test a leaf or two first.
Step 5. Remove any leaves that show signs of a bad infestation
Throw these leaves in the trash so you don't spread the mites to other areas of the garden. And if one plant is really very infested, consider sacrificing it to save the others and allow them to thrive again.
Step 6. If the plant is in the garden, wash it with the water hose
Repeat this treatment every week.
Step 7. Continue to grow your plants by providing them with adequate nutrition and the right amount of water for them to be able to fend for themselves in the future
Keep them constantly checked and remove the mites at the first signs
Step 8. Know that spider mites show a certain preference for some plants
This can help and warn you. They seem to be more attracted to:
- Rose
- Hemerocallis
- The flowers of quince (Chaenomeles)
- Apple trees, (Malus)
- Bilberries and other rubus
- Boxwood (Buxus)
- Juniper
- And any plant grown indoors.
Advice
- Spider mites prefer tropical to temperate areas, and love to be indoors and in greenhouses.
- You can introduce predatory mites that feed on these spider mites. Ask at your trusted nursery or inquire in online stores. However, keep in mind that this is a rather expensive solution.
