Spider Mites

[PlantDad]

I have spidermites like no other and I've been spraying daily with neem oil and have been for 2 weeks and it doesn't seem to do anything. I don't know what to do. I'm getting desperate. Any advice or recommendations for products to use on then? Thank you 

[JohnAndSancho]

Hit them with a hose or put them in the shower. It's worked for me. Also, since I've been misting all of my indoor palms pretty regularly, I haven't had any issues. 

 

No guarantees that this solves your issues, but it's worked for me. I wish I figured it out before I bought a whole case of insecticidal soap, but it is what it is. 

[Keys6505]

Agree with John, hose them every day for a week or so and you should be good to go.  Works much better than the Neem.  Just make sure to spray them off the plant not down into the pot where they can just climb back up.

[Silas_Sancona]

1 hour ago, PlantDad said:

I have spidermites like no other and I've been spraying daily with neem oil and have been for 2 weeks and it doesn't seem to do anything. I don't know what to do. I'm getting desperate. Any advice or recommendations for products to use on then? Thank you 

Can't remember the name of the product off hand but while knocking them off with water will knock them back, you have to break the life cycle for complete control.. which means killing the eggs which are laid in the soil. Otherwise they will return.

Would increase the humidity/ air flow around effected plants as well if you can.

" Spider mite Season " sets in on anything i keep under my patio here once it gets hot, breezy days cease, and humidity drops below the teens daily..

[floridaPalmMan]

It took me weeks and multiple applications of neem oil, diluted dish soap and direct sunlight to get rid of the spidermite infestation on my queens.

They're tough bastards

Edited April 18, 2021 by floridaPalmMan

[Philly J]

Only way I beat a major infestation on my Christmas was with alternating between potassium fatty salts insecticide spray, and forcefully hosing down every frond and every leaf afterwards.  It took three separate dual treatments.

[sashaeffer]

I know it's tough when you have a lot of indoor palms and the mites really seem to like some species more than others.

Nothing beats being outside where wind, rain and other friendly bugs eat mites.

That being said I don't think you ever can get rid of ALL of them, you just have to keep the numbers low enough where they don't cause damage.  That is why when it comes to ANY insecticide they call it "insect control"

I've killed palms using Neem oil and it was only after I read a article from a Florida nursery that uses it saying they spray it on infected plants in greenhouse and the next morning using water spraying it off. Thought process was, that the Neem oil had time to smother the target pests, but didn't want the pores of the plants to become blocked, hence spraying it off again. Made sense and maybe why my palms died.

For me, I try the shower method first....again, I know it sucks if you have a lot of palms. Just because you don't see mites doesn't mean they aren't on the palm so in some cases it's also preventative maintenance.    In some cases after a couple of showers a week apart, I get lucky and never seem to see them again on that palm. Others, like my Christmas palm that is always indoors it's a ongoing battle. Doesn't seem to make a difference what insecticide I spray on it has no affect, so just keep spraying it off in the shower.

 

[cristi]

Try a fan with airflow directed to the plant combined with misting with plain water. It should work.

If this is unsuccessful try Vertimec (this is the commercial name in my country, active substance is: abamectin). This is kind a nuclear for mites, but it is an insecticide, after applying this you need to leave windows open for some time.

This substance is absorbed by the plant tissue and it will be affective for a long time. This is a systemic insecticide. 

 

 

Edited April 18, 2021 by cristi

[PlantDad]

On 4/17/2021 at 5:46 PM, JohnAndSancho said:

Hit them with a hose or put them in the shower. It's worked for me. Also, since I've been misting all of my indoor palms pretty regularly, I haven't had any issues. 

 

No guarantees that this solves your issues, but it's worked for me. I wish I figured it out before I bought a whole case of insecticidal soap, but it is what it is. 

Ok i will try that. Thank you 

[PlantDad]

On 4/17/2021 at 6:50 PM, Keys6505 said:

Agree with John, hose them every day for a week or so and you should be good to go.  Works much better than the Neem.  Just make sure to spray them off the plant not down into the pot where they can just climb back up.

Ok good to know. I will make sure to spray them off the plant 

[PlantDad]

On 4/17/2021 at 7:32 PM, Silas_Sancona said:

Can't remember the name of the product off hand but while knocking them off with water will knock them back, you have to break the life cycle for complete control.. which means killing the eggs which are laid in the soil. Otherwise they will return.

Would increase the humidity/ air flow around effected plants as well if you can.

" Spider mite Season " sets in on anything i keep under my patio here once it gets hot, breezy days cease, and humidity drops below the teens daily..

I will for sure increase airflow.  Is the product you're talking about a common well known product?

[PlantDad]

On 4/17/2021 at 10:12 PM, floridaPalmMan said:

It took me weeks and multiple applications of neem oil, diluted dish soap and direct sunlight to get rid of the spidermite infestation on my queens.

They're tough bastards

Yes they are! I hate it. They are really liking my Phoenix seedlings and my citrus

[PlantDad]

On 4/17/2021 at 10:55 PM, Philly J said:

Only way I beat a major infestation on my Christmas was with alternating between potassium fatty salts insecticide spray, and forcefully hosing down every frond and every leaf afterwards.  It took three separate dual treatments.

I can't believe it takes that much to to get rid of such a tiny creature 

[PlantDad]

On 4/18/2021 at 3:57 AM, sashaeffer said:

I know it's tough when you have a lot of indoor palms and the mites really seem to like some species more than others.

Nothing beats being outside where wind, rain and other friendly bugs eat mites.

That being said I don't think you ever can get rid of ALL of them, you just have to keep the numbers low enough where they don't cause damage.  That is why when it comes to ANY insecticide they call it "insect control"

I've killed palms using Neem oil and it was only after I read a article from a Florida nursery that uses it saying they spray it on infected plants in greenhouse and the next morning using water spraying it off. Thought process was, that the Neem oil had time to smother the target pests, but didn't want the pores of the plants to become blocked, hence spraying it off again. Made sense and maybe why my palms died.

For me, I try the shower method first....again, I know it sucks if you have a lot of palms. Just because you don't see mites doesn't mean they aren't on the palm so in some cases it's also preventative maintenance.    In some cases after a couple of showers a week apart, I get lucky and never seem to see them again on that palm. Others, like my Christmas palm that is always indoors it's a ongoing battle. Doesn't seem to make a difference what insecticide I spray on it has no affect, so just keep spraying it off in the shower.

 

Yeah that's true. Putting them outside would probably really help. Also I do have a lot of palms but putting all of them through the shower is worth it if it helps combat these little pests. I had no idea you should rinse neem oil off. That's really good to know 

[PlantDad]

22 hours ago, cristi said:

Try a fan with airflow directed to the plant combined with misting with plain water. It should work.

If this is unsuccessful try Vertimec (this is the commercial name in my country, active substance is: abamectin). This is kind a nuclear for mites, but it is an insecticide, after applying this you need to leave windows open for some time.

This substance is absorbed by the plant tissue and it will be affective for a long time. This is a systemic insecticide. 

 

 

I will really increase the airflow for sure. And if all else fails I will look into that insecticide. Thank you

[PlantDad]

Thanks everyone for your advice and help

[floridaPalmMan]

Just now, PlantDad said:

Putting them outside would probably really help.

I forgot to specify that this is what I meant earlier when said "direct sunlight" was one of the methods used to kill them off.

I put them outside once the weather permitted and kept applying the neem oil & dish soap mixture.

So I don't know exactly which finally killed off the mites, but the combination worked well after a couple of weeks.

[Silas_Sancona]

13 minutes ago, PlantDad said:

I will for sure increase airflow.  Is the product you're talking about a common well known product?

The one i recall everyone discussing awhile back was Avid.. Definitely not the cheapest option.  There's another " Spider Mite Killer" option from Grower's Trust you might research, but have never tried it ( yet, lol ) so not sure how well it actually works.  https://www.growerstrust.com/products/spider-mite-killer

[PlantDad]

23 minutes ago, Silas_Sancona said:

The one i recall everyone discussing awhile back was Avid.. Definitely not the cheapest option.  There's another " Spider Mite Killer" option from Grower's Trust you might research, but have never tried it ( yet, lol ) so not sure how well it actually works.  https://www.growerstrust.com/products/spider-mite-killer

Ok thank you! And yeah I get that. You haven't tried it yet because you know spidermites are bound to happen and you will probably end up trying it lol. 

[Silas_Sancona]

9 minutes ago, PlantDad said:

Ok thank you! And yeah I get that. You haven't tried it yet because you know spidermites are bound to happen and you will probably end up trying it lol. 

I may just escape spider mite season here this year since i'm moving back closer to the coast soon but may pick up the Grower's Trust product to test when needed out there since no matter what,  the little buggers follow you where ever you go.

[PlantDad]

2 hours ago, Silas_Sancona said:

I may just escape spider mite season here this year since i'm moving back closer to the coast soon but may pick up the Grower's Trust product to test when needed out there since no matter what,  the little buggers follow you where ever you go.

Wow what's the hardiness zone at the coast where you are going? And yeah they will hitch a ride to whereever you are going. Lemme know how the product works if you end up using it

[Silas_Sancona]

1 minute ago, PlantDad said:

Wow what's the hardiness zone at the coast where you are going? And yeah they will hitch a ride to whereever you are going. Lemme know how the product works if you end up using it

That part of San Diego County ( Vista / Escondido / Oceanside ) is mostly high end zone 9B, & 10A/B.  ..Much more humid, not near as hot thru the summer compared to here. While they'll always be an issue anywhere,  I'd never had to deal with them as much anywhere else i've lived until moving to AZ.

[PlantDad]

3 hours ago, Silas_Sancona said:

That part of San Diego County ( Vista / Escondido / Oceanside ) is mostly high end zone 9B, & 10A/B.  ..Much more humid, not near as hot thru the summer compared to here. While they'll always be an issue anywhere,  I'd never had to deal with them as much anywhere else i've lived until moving to AZ.

Wow lucky! I wish I could live there. Yeah Arizona makes sense because of the dry heat

[PlantDad]

7 hours ago, floridaPalmMan said:

I forgot to specify that this is what I meant earlier when said "direct sunlight" was one of the methods used to kill them off.

I put them outside once the weather permitted and kept applying the neem oil & dish soap mixture.

So I don't know exactly which finally killed off the mites, but the combination worked well after a couple of weeks.

Wow I wouldn't have guessed that the sun would help that much 

[Silas_Sancona]

Just now, PlantDad said:

Wow lucky! I wish I could live there. Yeah Arizona makes sense because of the dry heat

Heat and the dust.. even an average windy day can leave a light coating of dust on stuff.. That's another thing Spider Mites like.  Start of Monsoon season, when we can see the big dust storms, leaves a lot more.. Will be nice not having to deal w/ that.

Grew up in the Bay Area and still have family there. Wayy too expensive there now to move back to the area. North County area of San Diego is close enough.. and not quite as expensive, or crowded ..at least for now.  Is close enough to San Jose to visit family,  and close enough that i can return to AZ to explore more, etc.. -When it isn't 110F/ 110+ every day,  lol.

[PlantDad]

3 hours ago, Silas_Sancona said:

Heat and the dust.. even an average windy day can leave a light coating of dust on stuff.. That's another thing Spider Mites like.  Start of Monsoon season, when we can see the big dust storms, leaves a lot more.. Will be nice not having to deal w/ that.

Grew up in the Bay Area and still have family there. Wayy too expensive there now to move back to the area. North County area of San Diego is close enough.. and not quite as expensive, or crowded ..at least for now.  Is close enough to San Jose to visit family,  and close enough that i can return to AZ to explore more, etc.. -When it isn't 110F/ 110+ every day,  lol.

That sounds like an almost perfect spot where you are in easy reach of all the things that are important to you like family and stuff. And dang. I didn't know wind in Arizona would sweep dust onto things like that. I would want to explore too if I could but absolutely not on days over 100 lol. Wow I bet it was nice growing up in the bay area 

[Silas_Sancona]

1 hour ago, PlantDad said:

That sounds like an almost perfect spot where you are in easy reach of all the things that are important to you like family and stuff. And dang. I didn't know wind in Arizona would sweep dust onto things like that. I would want to explore too if I could but absolutely not on days over 100 lol. Wow I bet it was nice growing up in the bay area 

The dust here can be something else.. not really an issue up in the mountains or as bad down by Tucson though. One reason it makes national headlines when we have the bigger " Haboob"-type storms during the summer. Have posted some of the bigger events i've seen in the weather section here a few times. As far as exploring the area, fall, winter, spring are the best times in the Desert.. Summer is when most people head up into the mountains, or wish they could. Whats crazy is there are people here in Phoenix who will hike local trails -when it is well above 100-105F. I think they're completely nuts, lol.

Bay Area is a great area, though too crowded now, imo.. Name a big tech company there and i likely watched it get built, along with tons of homes.

[PlantDad]

On 4/20/2021 at 12:07 AM, Silas_Sancona said:

The dust here can be something else.. not really an issue up in the mountains or as bad down by Tucson though. One reason it makes national headlines when we have the bigger " Haboob"-type storms during the summer. Have posted some of the bigger events i've seen in the weather section here a few times. As far as exploring the area, fall, winter, spring are the best times in the Desert.. Summer is when most people head up into the mountains, or wish they could. Whats crazy is there are people here in Phoenix who will hike local trails -when it is well above 100-105F. I think they're completely nuts, lol.

Bay Area is a great area, though too crowded now, imo.. Name a big tech company there and i likely watched it get built, along with tons of homes.

That is so cool. It's sad that the bay area is so crowded and expensive now. Wow those people are crazy. 100-105 that is way too hot 

[Ryland]

I had some limited spider mite success with small plants by submerging them for a couple hours.  This is a bit like the shower method I suppose.  I say "limited" because they did reappear after a few weeks.  Perhaps an insecticide in addition to a washing method is required.

[lzorrito]

Get some spider mites natural predators: https://greenmethods.com/product/phytoseiulus-persimilis-spider-mite-predator-2/

Ladybugs usually solve the problem around here.

Edited April 23, 2021 by lzorrito