|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
GARDENING TIPS HOME
MIILLINGTON SEED COMPANY
HIGH QUALITY GARDEN SEED |
|
Organic Spider Mite Control |
|
|
Spider Mites
are very difficult to see by the
untrained eye. Gardeners who are
experienced with identifying these
nuisance arachnids know the tell tale
streaks and light discolored marks are
the Spider Mites signature.
Inexperienced gardeners may not notice
mites until they see webbing which in
most cases is too late.
Spider mites are very common and live
nearly everywhere. These tiny pests are
like vampires. Spider Mites suck the
nutrients right out of your plants,
literally draining the life from them.
It’s hard to believe such a tiny
creature can kill a large full sized
plant but they are prolific and can take
over fast if not kept in check. If you
already have an indoor mite problem
there are |
|
effective measures to make your
environment undesirable to the spider
mites. If you don’t have spider mites
you can still use these measures as a
means of prevention.
Humidity
Spider mites thrive in dry environments.
One way to help make your environment
unsatisfactory to spider mites is by
keeping the humidity over 65% in the
growing area. You can do this by adding
a humidifier with a climate control type
feature that will come on when the
humidity drops below a set point. Once
it gets back to a certain level it will
turn off. It basically operates like
your home furnace but instead of having
a thermostat it has what’s called a
humidistat.
|
|
|
|
You can also mist your plants and should
3 times a day if you know you have
mites. Mites breathe through “pores” in
their bodies, when these pores get
plugged with water spider mites
“suffocate” and die. Adding an organic
substance called Neem Oil to the water
makes it “stick” to the spider mites
longer and is more effective. Some folks
use soapy water which also helps kill
the mites better than plain water. The
thin is soap isn’t usually organic and
it can cause more damage to your plants
than Neem Oil. The thing is a small
amount of soap is usually added to the
Neem oil to emulsify it with the water
as oil and water don’t mix well. |
|
Predatory Insects
Nature has rain and predatory insects to
keep spider mites in check. Indoors we don’t
have these options so we have to do our best
to simulate mother nature.
Releasing some
Lady Beetles into your grow
environment can be useful for mite
prevention but it will not work for a stand
alone cure to your indoor mite problems.
Even releasing predatory mites won’t work as
a stand alone cure.
Green Lacewings
are good spider mite
predator.
|
|
|
Diatomaceous Earth
is another organic method of
Spider Mite control. Be careful though I have seen
diatomaceous earth at certain large chain
stores that had poison in it. I don't
understand the logic behind that myself.
Diatomaceous earth is Made from the finely
ground fossils of prehistoric fresh water
diatoms. Diatomaceous earth kills common
household and garden pests like slugs, beetles and countless
others. It also works great in the
house on cock roaches, ants etc. Some insects actually eat
diatomaceous eat which is extremely fatal.
2 other effective products for Spider Mite
control include:
|
_________________________________________________________________ About The Author:
Written By Steve Snyder
Visit my garden seed website. We offer high
quality fresh flower, vegetable and herb seed
for the home gardener.
Millington Seed Co
_________________________________________________________________
|
|
|