As usual, red spiders have attacked and killed most of my indoor
plants this winter. I can overwinter just about anything until about
late January or February, then the spider mites appear out of nowhere
and destroy everything. It's just about time to start planting seeds,
and I don't have them under control yet -- including the one remaining
pepino cutting that's still alive barely.

How to get them under control? I know most insecticides are not
effective because they are not insects. Will soapy water kill them?
How about nicotine sulfate? (I still have an ancient half-bottle of
that stuff.) Or just jack the humidifier way up so the air is almost
dripping in the grow room?

I think I'll try dunking in *very* mild soapy water first, along with
that humidifier thing.

Bob

In article ,
zxcvbob wrote:

As usual, red spiders have attacked and killed most of my indoor
plants this winter. I can overwinter just about anything until about
late January or February, then the spider mites appear out of nowhere
and destroy everything. It's just about time to start planting seeds,
and I don't have them under control yet -- including the one remaining
pepino cutting that's still alive barely.

How to get them under control? I know most insecticides are not
effective because they are not insects. Will soapy water kill them?
How about nicotine sulfate? (I still have an ancient half-bottle of
that stuff.) Or just jack the humidifier way up so the air is almost
dripping in the grow room?

I think I'll try dunking in *very* mild soapy water first, along with
that humidifier thing.

Bob

Old saved post.

Bill

...........................

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NNTP-Posting-Date: Sat, 22 Mar 2008 14:55:19 -0500
From: Doug Houseman
Newsgroups: rec.gardens
Subject: key lime tree
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In article
,
Bill wrote:

In article ,
"Val" wrote:

I wish there was something I could do to get rid of the #%$! spider mite on
my key lime tree. I give a thorough blasting shower once a week. I've
sprayed it numerous times with soap and twice with BioNeem in the past
three
years. This morning when it was getting its regular Saturday shower...WEBS!
There's no other plants in the house with spider mite that I can
tell...I've
even checked them over with my magnifying glass just to make sure I'm not
missing something...most of them also get a shower at least once a month
just to stay clean and healthy looking.

I grew this tree from seed and its now about 4 feet tall, very healthy and
full, except for the persistent spider mites...#%$!!!!

Val

Where do you live Val? My Kaffir Lime has problems usually in early
winter as it gives the soft shell (Scale) time to get it together.
Sometimes. Once it is warm and the plant is outside no problem.

Bill who has been known to scape the creatures off.

If you want them all gone, and it is inside, get a large clear trash
bag, big enough to put over the tree and completely cover it.

Order the smallest set of lady bugs you can find on the web (but at
least 50).

Cut the container for the lady bugs open, but do not dump them out -
cover the tree with the bag, and tie it off on the pot. Then using a
small knife - make a few small holes in the bag - to equalize the
pressure between the two.

Wait - one egg cycle for the ladybugs to do their thing. If it is spider
mites - about 3 weeks for the full life cycle - eggs are about a week.

If you don't like lady bugs you can try - Phytoseiulus persimilis -
commonly called spider mite destroyers.

I prefer lady bugs, because they are large enough to remove when done -
and they go after everything.

I normally put a straw in the bag and then use it to water - if needed.

Doug

--
Garden in shade zone 5 S Jersey USA

On 3/3/2010 1:42 PM, zxcvbob wrote:
As usual, red spiders have attacked and killed most of my indoor plants
this winter. I can overwinter just about anything until about late
January or February, then the spider mites appear out of nowhere and
destroy everything. It's just about time to start planting seeds, and I
don't have them under control yet -- including the one remaining pepino
cutting that's still alive barely.

How to get them under control? I know most insecticides are not
effective because they are not insects. Will soapy water kill them? How
about nicotine sulfate? (I still have an ancient half-bottle of that
stuff.) Or just jack the humidifier way up so the air is almost dripping
in the grow room?

I think I'll try dunking in *very* mild soapy water first, along with
that humidifier thing.

Bob

I have them on my gardenias. I periodically spray with water with a
drop of dish soap in it. I think it kills them but not all and sets
them back so they are not a problem if I spray maybe once a week.
Few years back, I thought they had killed a gardenia but turns out it
was a scale insect that responded to a systemic insecticide.

"zxcvbob" wrote in message
...
As usual, red spiders have attacked and killed most of my indoor plants
this winter. I can overwinter just about anything until about late
January or February, then the spider mites appear out of nowhere and
destroy everything. It's just about time to start planting seeds, and I
don't have them under control yet -- including the one remaining pepino
cutting that's still alive barely.

How to get them under control? I know most insecticides are not effective
because they are not insects. Will soapy water kill them? How about
nicotine sulfate? (I still have an ancient half-bottle of that stuff.)
Or just jack the humidifier way up so the air is almost dripping in the
grow room?

I use a systemic. It works every time. None of the organics worked for me.

D. Arlington wrote:

"zxcvbob" wrote in message
...
As usual, red spiders have attacked and killed most of my indoor
plants this winter. I can overwinter just about anything until about
late January or February, then the spider mites appear out of nowhere
and destroy everything. It's just about time to start planting seeds,
and I don't have them under control yet -- including the one remaining
pepino cutting that's still alive barely.

How to get them under control? I know most insecticides are not
effective because they are not insects. Will soapy water kill them?
How about nicotine sulfate? (I still have an ancient half-bottle of
that stuff.) Or just jack the humidifier way up so the air is almost
dripping in the grow room?

I use a systemic. It works every time. None of the organics worked for
me.


I sprayed the plant yesterday morning with Windex, then rinsed it off
with water. The little webs were not back today, and the leaves were
not burned... (fingers crossed)

Bob

On Fri, 05 Mar 2010 09:54:57 -0600, zxcvbob
wrote:

D. Arlington wrote:

"zxcvbob" wrote in message
...
As usual, red spiders have attacked and killed most of my indoor
plants this winter. I can overwinter just about anything until about
late January or February, then the spider mites appear out of nowhere
and destroy everything. It's just about time to start planting seeds,
and I don't have them under control yet -- including the one remaining
pepino cutting that's still alive barely.

How to get them under control? I know most insecticides are not
effective because they are not insects. Will soapy water kill them?
How about nicotine sulfate? (I still have an ancient half-bottle of
that stuff.) Or just jack the humidifier way up so the air is almost
dripping in the grow room?

I use a systemic. It works every time. None of the organics worked for
me.


I sprayed the plant yesterday morning with Windex, then rinsed it off
with water. The little webs were not back today, and the leaves were
not burned... (fingers crossed)

Bob


I like to use warm water with a very small amount of dishwashing
detergent added. Use as little soap as possible, just enough to break
surface tension. Don't get the soapy water into the pots, plants do
not like soap on roots. Spray every 2-3 days to get it under
control. A one-time spray won't work on spider mites. Look for
predators of this mite, spider mites can be difficult to erradicate
but fairly easy to control. Spider mites hate water misting, but
(most) plants enjoy it.