Spider mites are no friends to gardeners. Their presence in your garden only spells trouble – your plants will become their food. Spider mites multiply fast, and soon, your plants will show signs of infestation.
In worse scenarios, they may even destroy heavily infested plants. When dealing with spider mites, there are many ways to kill them. But which method is best? And what are the most effective sprays for spider mites?
In this article, we will discuss the following:
- What are spider mites?
- How to identify spider mite infestation
- Can spray kill spider mites?
- The most effective sprays for spider mites
What are Spider Mites
Spider mites belong to the Tetranychidae family. They belong to the class of arachnids, the same as spiders and ticks. Like other mites, spider mites are tiny and less than 1mm long. Their colors range from red, yellow, orange, brown, and green.
Spider mites get their name from spiders because they spin fine webs around leaves and stems to protect them from predators. While there are over 1,200 species, the most common ones are the red spider mite and the two-spotted mite.
They infest gardens and can move indoors to feed on indoor plants in winter. But this is not common as they most times remain inactive underground. Spider mites feed on the sap of various plants, including strawberries, cucumbers, and chrysanthemums. They are most active in hot, dry seasons.
How to Identify Spider Mite Infestation
Spider mites are hard to see, but the havoc they wreck is visible. They live and lay eggs on the underside of leaves, but the sign of their infestation is most visible at the top. If spider mites have infested your plants, you will notice the following:
- Yellow or white spots on the top of leaves
- Silky webs spun on the underside of leaves.
- Moving dots on the underside of leaves (especially white dots). These are mites.
- In heavy infestation, leaves turn yellow or bronze, drying up and falling.
Can Sprays Kill Spider Mites?
Yes, sprays can kill spider mites. There are several types of spray – chemical and organic. But it’s advisable to try organic methods first. Luckily, most organic sprays are inexpensive, and you can make them at home. Also, before spraying plants, trim out heavily-infested leaves. If possible, pull out heavily-infested plants to prevent the mites from spreading.
Organic methods will require continuous application. They are not as effective as chemicals, so, most times, you will need to reapply them daily. Also, ensure to spray them directly on the leaves, focusing on infested areas. Spider mite sprays work when they come in direct contact with the mites.
The Most Effective Sprays for Spider Mites
Horticultural Oil Spray
Horticultural oils are organic products. They serve as insecticides to get rid of insects. The best horticultural oil for spider mites is neem oil. Neem has repellant properties and is widely used as a pesticide. It is also less harmful to helpful insects. Some other essential oils, like rosemary and peppermint oil, also repel mites. To make an oil spray:
- Put clean water into a spray bottle.
- Mix 1 teaspoon of neem oil and 1 teaspoon of rosemary oil.
- Spray generously on the leaves of infested plants.
- Repeat every day till the mites are gone.
Soap Spray
Soap kills spider mites by suffocating them. When making a soap spray, use a dish soap that will be gentle on your plant, like Castile soap.
- Add two to three tablespoons of dish soap in a gallon of water.
- Put the solution into a spray bottle.
- Spray the infested plants (leaves and stems) daily until the mites disappear.
Pepper Spray
Pepper is an enemy of insects and mites alike. Making a pepper spray from strong pepper like cayenne, jalapenos, and chili pepper can help kill spider mites.
- Mix 1 teaspoon of cayenne, chili pepper, or hot sauce in warm water.
- Add dish soap to the solution
- Allow the mixture to sit overnight.
- Add onion and garlic for a more pungent smell (optional)
- Filter the solution by morning and turn it into a spray bottle.
- Spray on infested plants.
Alcohol Spray
Rubbing alcohol dehydrates and kills spider mites. Making a spray with it is effective in controlling mites.
- Make an alcohol and water mixture with ¼ alcohol and ¾ water.
- Pour into a spray bottle.
- Spray infested plants daily until you achieve the expected result.
Chemical Sprays
Using chemical sprays should only be an option if all else fails. Chemicals are toxic to health and are not friendly to helpful insects. The chemical sprays used in killing mites will also end up killing other insects. So while you would have completely gotten rid of the spider mites, there’s a high chance of re-infestation.
Spider mites might re-invade your garden when the chemicals kill off all the helpful insects that would have kept mites away. Hence, after using chemical control, make sure you purchase predator insects, like ladybugs, lacewings, pirate bugs, and predator mites, to keep your garden safe.
Also, most broad-spectrum pesticides can’t handle spider mites. They end up worsening the situation by increasing plants’ nitrogen levels. And since nitrogen helps spider mites to thrive, their population will increase.
When choosing chemical sprays, go for miticides. Mites are not insects, so general insecticides will not be effective. Mites quickly build resistance to products. Thus, it’s best to rotate chemical products.
5 Effective Sprays for Spider Mites Conclusion
Spider mites are a type of mites that infest indoor and outdoor gardens. They feed on the sap of several plants and live on the underside of leaves. You can kill spider mites with sprays, and, fortunately, you can make most of them at home.
Some of the most effective sprays include pepper spray, alcohol spray, and horticultural oil spray. Chemical sprays are very effective, but they will also destroy helpful insects. Hence, you should only use them as a last resort.
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