Dealing with spider mites can be a real pain, but it’s important to get rid of them if you want to keep your plants healthy. If left unchecked, they can cause serious damage to both indoor and outdoor plants.
Spider mites are tiny little pests that love to hide and feed on the bottom side of leaves [1]. They suck out plant juice from the leaves, which can seriously damage your plants. Be sure to take control before adult females start laying eggs.
Here’s how to get rid of spider mites naturally:
1. Remove Infested Leaves
To tackle the problem effectively, heavily infested leaves need to be removed and disposed of properly.
Just place them in a plastic bag, seal it up tight, and dispose of it. However, if the whole plant is infested, you’ll need to get rid of it entirely.
Taking these measures will help prevent other plants from becoming infected with spider mites.
2. Hose Them
This is one of the cheapest and quickest ways to deal with these plant pests. Using a garden hose to spray water on your plants should flush away webspinning mites.
If the pressure is strong enough, this will wash them away entirely. But be careful not to damage your plants in the process.
3. Soap and Water
Another effective home remedy to kill spider mites is to put a little dish soap in some water and spray it on them.
Just combine three tablespoons of liquid dish soap with a gallon of water. Shake well and use it to mist your plants. The soapy water solution will suffocate the critters.
Alternatively, purchase an insecticidal soap such as this one. It works great to get rid of the two-spotted spider mite.
4. Rosemary Oil
Rosemary oil works great as a natural repellent for spider mites [2].
Make a homemade spider mite spray by mixing three teaspoons of rosemary oil and a teaspoon of organic liquid soap with a liter of water.
Shake well and spray indoor, outdoor, and greenhouse plants.
5. Lemon Juice
This is another easy DIY remedy you can try. To make your own natural spray for spider mites, mix together some water and fresh lemon juice in a 2:1 ratio.
Finally, fill up a spray bottle and douse all the affected plants. This solution is safe to use on your plants and will help keep mite pests at bay.
6. Natural Predators
Beneficial insects like ladybugs, minute pirate bugs, and lacewings will prey on spider mites. Predatory mites are also helpful in this way.
7. Neem Oil
Neem oil is a popular pest repellent that works great against mite pests. Therefore, use it to make a DIY spray to help control spider mites.
For the recipe, combine two tablespoons of neem oil, one teaspoon of liquid soap, and a gallon of water. Shake well and spray your plants.
8. Diatomaceous Earth (DE)
Food-grade DE is a great home remedy for killing spider mites on houseplants. It also works great at controlling many other garden pests.
Diatomaceous earth causes a dehydrating effect that will kill these pests if they come into contact with it. It is very effective in the larval and adult stages.
Dust the powder on the plant’s leaves, stems, and surrounding soil.
You can also make a homemade spider mite killer spray by mixing 4 tablespoons of diatomaceous earth with a gallon of water. Spray the critters.
Once the solution dries out, it will dehydrate them to death.
9. Hot Pepper Spray
Hot pepper sprays are great at controlling spider mites and other garden pests. Use jalapenos, chili, or cayenne pepper.
For a basic recipe, combine one teaspoon of hot pepper powder, a few drops of liquid soap, and a quart of water.
Shake well, and then let it sit overnight. Afterward, use the solution to spray both sides of the leaves.
10. Debug ON
This powerful organic pest control product contains an ingredient that has been shown to control many plant pests, including spider mites.
Debug ON acts as a repellent by keeping certain pests away from your plants. It also works as an insecticide that will kill certain pests right away.
11. Organocide
Organocide is another organic product that you can use to kill spider mites on plants. It is great for use in the vegetable garden.
Additionally, it acts as a fungicide, suppressing plant diseases such as powdery mildew and downy mildew. But it is not advisable that you use it on indoor plants.
12. Garlic Spray
The garlic water solution is another impressive home remedy for spider mite control.
Blend five cloves of garlic in two cups of water. You can also add to the solution a little liquid dish soap.
Blend until smooth, and then strain. Use this homemade spray immediately on the affected plants.
13. Bonide Mite-X
This is a botanical pesticide containing azadirachtin. Apart from working against mites, Bonide Mite-X also kills aphids and thrips.
Moreover, you can use it on indoor and outdoor plants, including shrubs, fruit trees, flowers, and greenhouse plants.
14. Suffoil–X
This product has a suffocating effect, as the name suggests. It is made with refined, pre-emulsified mineral oil. Dilute Suffoil-X according to instructions and saturate infested plants to treat spider mites.
You can also use it on your organic vegetables. Additionally, it doubles as an effective fungicide. In that sense, it works great at controlling plant rust and mildew.
Besides, it does not leave a toxic residue, so beneficial insects may not be affected.
See also: Natural Russet Mite Treatments.
Takeaway
Spider mites can be a great menace in the garden and to indoor plants.
Once an infestation becomes severe, it can be difficult to get it under control. However, by using a combination of these natural and organic pest repellants, controlling them becomes easy.
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