Spider Mite Remedies

[orchidsarefun]

I have tried a couple of different products, the best to me is the following:

Insecticide | %post_title%

to that recipe I add about 1/4 cup ispropyl/rubbing alcohol and about 1 tsp of cinnamon powder. Adjust the quantities to what works for you...a good tip is that you must smell the Bronners when you spray the concoction.
It works like a charm and is safe to use indoors too.
With spider mites its best to have a preventive programme, so spraying at least monthly is advisable - and that is ALL plant surfaces except roots. I have learnt the hard way to isolate and thoroughly spray all new plants too.

Any other remedies ? Maybe we can keep in one place as a sticky ?

[Nexogen]

[lepetitmartien]

It's a sort of cinnamon decoction, I know it and it's commonly used in France in the following proportions:

- half a liter of 70° alcool
- 3 tsp of cinnamon powder
- left the cinnamon infuse in a little bag for 24 hours, stir a few times in that time.
- remove the bag
- spray

Note it can be used as mild external bactericide too.

The water/alcohol/soap spray works too.
- one liter of water
- 2-3 tsp of alcohol (can be 70-99°, it's diluted anyway)
- 1 tsp of liquid soap
- shake before use
- spray

[Leafmite]

I just treated most of my plants with rose systemic. If I do this, my orchids are usually safe.
It is curious that cinnamon works well in this case as my cinnamon tree is very well loved by all bugs. I wonder if this is because the cinnamon used in the treatments is cassia and not zeylanicum. Most likely.

[lepetitmartien]

The best part is the roots in fact in the cinnamon tree, there's less active products in the bark. The bark of the aromatic tree is all right for a medium answer to pests and diseases. But it may not cure everything. Plus the powder is desiccating, in some issues, it's a big plus.

[Leafmite]

That sounds reasonable. I do wonder if cinnamomum cassia has the same problems. (I think this is going to lead to another house tree....)
I was hoping to use the leaves for flavoring but can't as I must use systemic to avoid having the leaves and trunk solid with scale and mealies. Perhaps, I will need to try a more organic solution next year.

[lepetitmartien]

If your cinnamon has tons of mealies it's not a happy camper and the conditions are not great for it. It may be a vulnerable plant to them and attracts them first before they go elsewhere (like : on orchids). You can try nettle manure, I did on the phals I had that were with mealies all the time in the last 2 years :

On top of the very nasty treatment I had come to (2 chemicals alternated) + the alcool/soap spray to kill on sight, I sprayed nettle manure 1-2 % all over the plants the first time, then at each watering for a month. The mealies sure did not like it and since spring (6 months now) the only phal with still a mealy showing off (2 in 6 months) is the one I forgot first hand…

So, since, for the phals save this peculiar one, no mealies (and no treatment since). First time in years I don't come back of holidays to meet a mealy congress.

Nettle manure is perfectly safe for us, will act as a strengthener and maybe repulsive at this concentration. It's used as insecticide at higher levels.

On the spider-mites front, there's neem oil. I have not tried yet as I'm cautious with it. It must be soluble (with soap added) it's important. And in a dusty/dirty environment (my case) you must clean the plants 2 days later, or dirt with the neem oil will clog the stomatas. It has other "virtues" so inform you well before use (it can lead to reversible male sterility, not good either for pregnant women). If someone who tried firsthand can give his input?

[tucker85]

Horticultural oil works well on mites. Unfortunately it must be used outdoors because it will stain anything it gets on, even concrete. It's not a poison. I use one called Organicide but I've seen several others. Don't use it during the summer because it will magnify light and burn the plant. Make sure to spray the undersides of the leaves and repeat treatment in 7-10 days.