Browse > Home / Hydroponics Articles, Pest Control, Pests, Plant Health / Spider Mites- How to eliminate them

Spider Mites- How to eliminate them

July 9, 2008

Spider mites are a bane to indoor gardeners and knowing their life cycle is very useful in assisting you with eliminating them. Spider mites lay eggs when they are threatened with death. The best naturally occuring active ingredient to kill them is Pyrethrum (Pyrethrin) this active ingredient is extracted from the Chrysanthemum Flower and is the oldest natural insecticide known to man. Pyrethrin is a CONTACT kill product only ( must contact the pest to kill the pest) and has no residual activity-thus it is safe to use up to the day of harvest on all food crops.

The highest level of this active ingredient in the product that you chose to use is recommended. Insecticidal soaps which are recommended in a lot of articles and blogs are NOT EFFECTIVE-they contain the lowest amount of this active ingredient and contain high levels of soap which is very Phyto-toxic to your plants= they cause more damage than good.

Treating your plants with a very high quality pyrethrin based product will give you excellent results with the least amount of product used saving you time and money.

Spider Mites when treated with anything to kill them immediately lay eggs-this is there evolutionary defense. An indoor growing environment with high temperatures and humidity is the ideal environment for spider mites to procreate. In this environment they can go through a entire life cycle in 4-7 days. so to successfully eliminate them you must treat your plants every 3-4 days for 3 complete life cycles.

The best eradication method is to treat the underside of the foliage with a Plant Spray containing a high concentration of Pyrethrin .20% or higher. After treating the underside of the foliage it is time to Fumigate or Fog the growing area with a Total Release Bomb- Doktor Doom makes two excellent products for this application (Doktor Doom Botanic’s Insecticide Plant Spray-Canada, Doktor Doom Spider Mite Knockout Plant Spray -USA and Doktor Doom Total Release Foggers (Fumigators)- Canada or USA. repeat this application every 3-4 days for 3 cycles.

Additional growing area tips: Remove all dead foliage daily, do not allow pets or visitors into the growing area (spider mites are hitch hikers and can attach to all sorts of surfaces from the hair on your arm to the sleeve of your shirt) always use the same clothing for doing maintenance in your growing area and keep it laundered regularly in hot water and dried in a hot dryer. Be certain that the area that you are drawing fresh air from is either treated with Pyrethrin regularly or use very fine screens on your intake ventilation systems. Most infestations in indoor rooms occur near this source of fresh air! Cleanliness is very important- keep your growing area clean and free of debris daily.

Be certain that the source of your cuttings is a “Clean Source” to assist you with this treat your cuttings with the suggested Plant Spray from a distance of about 3-4 feet away-spray a mist in the air and allow it to land on all surfaces of your cuttings-do not soak the foliage- a light mist every 3-4 days is all that is required.

By following the above application and indoor growing area tips you should be well on your way to a spider mite free environment and produce excellent crops ready for consumption



Written by Doktordoom · Filed Under Hydroponics Articles, Pest Control, Pests, Plant Health 

Comments

2 Responses to “Spider Mites- How to eliminate them”

  1. alea on September 4th, 2008 5:40 pm

    Rather than a comment, I have a question. I am not sure how familiar you are with Jade Trees, but I have one in which I am sure has spider mites. I have done a lot of research on these plant killers in the past few days in hope of finding a way to save my 35 yr old Jade.

    This tree is an outside plant in the late spring through early fall. during the winter I like to bring it in the house; however, I cannot do that now because I am afraid that it will spead mites to my other house plants.

    Is Pyrethrum going to harm my tree? I know that Jades are hardy plants but when it comes so certain substances that can be quite fragile.

    Also, does dishsoap and water kill spider mites? I have read on line that it does from several sites, and my mother uses this method on her plants. I did try the soap and water method, but still am finding mites on the tree. Do u suggest I do the soap and water bit again for a couple more life cycles?

    I am nervous do to too much so as not to harm the plant, but if I dont do something soon that the mites are going to be the only ones doing the damage.

    What do you think?
    Alea

  2. Matt on September 4th, 2008 6:13 pm

    Hi Alea,

    yes the soap and water mixture will work, but it may not work very well, and needs to be applied every couple of days for several life cycles. I don’t know if the Pyrethrum will cause harm to your tree or not, but I do know what WON’T harm your tree; Green Lacewings.

    Using natural predators is easily the safest way to clear an infestation on your plants, You might want to put a fine mesh over the plant to keep the predators in. you will want to identify the exact type of spidermite you have and find the best predator for that type of mite.

    Good luck,
    Matt

Got something to say?