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 some 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 up the bag 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.
2. Hose Them
This is one of the cheapest and quickest ways of dealing with these plant pests. Using a garden hose to spray water on your plants should flush away the mites.
If the pressure is hard enough, this will wash them away entirely. But, be careful not to damage your plants in the process.
3. Soap and Water
Combine three tablespoons of organic liquid soap with a gallon of water. Shake well and use it to mist your plants. The soapy water solution will suffocate and kill spider mites.
Alternatively, purchase an insecticidal soap such as this one. It works great to get rid of the two-spotted spider mite, also known as red spider mite.
4. Rosemary Oil
Rosemary oil works as a natural repellent that will also kill 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 fresh lemon juice and water in a 2:3 ratio.
Fill up a spray bottle and douse all the affected plants. This solution is safe to use on your plants and will help keep the mites 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
Use neem oil to make a DIY spray for the control of 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)
DE is an effective control home remedy for killing spider mites on houseplants and outdoor plants. It also works great at controlling many other garden pests.
Diatomaceous earth causes a dehydrating effect that will kill these pests if they come in contact with it. It is very effective in the larval and adult stages, but you will need to repeat applications after watering or rainfall.
Dust the powder on plant leaves, stems, and surrounding soil. Or, 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. Azera
This powerful organic pesticide combines Pyrethrins and Azadirachtin. These ingredients have been shown to control certain plant pests, including spider mites.
Moreover, Azera is safe to use up until the day of harvest. However, to reduce the risk to bees, spray this spider mite treatment in the late evening.
It is also wise to be sure the pesticide has time to dry before morning when pollinators come out.
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.
Add one mashed clove garlic bulb and a small chopped onion to a quart of water. You can also add to the solution one teaspoon of cayenne pepper and a little liquid soap.
Steep it for a few hours and then strain. Use this homemade spray liberally on the pests and plants.
13. Azaguard
This is a botanical pesticide containing azadirachtin. Apart from working on these pests, Azaguard also destroys harmful nematodes in the soil.
Moreover, its properties are active at all stages of the pest life cycle — egg, larva, nymphal stages, and adults.
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 use it on your organic vegetables. Additionally, it doubles as an effective fungicide. In that, it works great at controlling plant rusts and mildews.
Besides, it does not leave a toxic residue, so beneficial insects will not get affected.
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.
Add comment