Moving outwest to calgary from ontario, i figured that there would be some new challenges to growing housplants. I have never encountered Spidermites in ontario ( where im from ), but here most of my plants have them ( ficus religiosa, philodendron selloum ( i know this is the wrong name i cant remember hte proper one ), musa acuminata (dwarf), and quite possibly, my young phoenix canariensis, and my 2 small baucarnea stricta. I really dont want to harm them with chemicals, or anything really. IS there a way to get rid of them wit out using chemicals or anything that will harm the plant?
Spider mites do not like high humidity. Raise the humidity and mist the plants and the spider mite population will drop. It's very difficult though, to completely eradicate spider mites permanently, even with chemicals.
Huditity is the very best control. But a little plant soap won't hurt and is an easy control. Check with any local nursery.
ive read that if the plants are small enough you can jsut fill a sik with water and sbmurge that plant, and rinse it like that.
I had a brainstormng session last night. What if i put the infected plants in my bathroom and turn on the shower for a few minutes? ITs instant humidity, hot air too, just what they hate. The high humidity shouldnt hurt them seeing as 99%of them are tropical in nature. What are your thoughts?
Can't hurt. I know I never see spider mites in my atrium which has a humidity of 85% or higher all the time. Another board to which I contribute is the International Aroid Society board Aroid l (that's an L). There was a lot of conversation on that board about spider mites a few months ago and a lot of people commented the pests are not seen in humid climates. Just don't scald the plants with the steam!
Go ahead and do it, it's part of how I got rid of them from my hibiscusses when I lived in Alberta. It's so dry there that they just multiply if left unchecked. Try to find Safer's Insecticidal Soap; it's at Revy and Home Depot for sure, and spray 'em down but good before you steam them. The double-whammy should knock them right dead. Often, I found that the Safers was enough.
What about preditory mites? This is a question to the informed, not a suggestion. My indoor gardenia and indoor chilli peppers have recently been infested. I used Garden Safe Insecticidal Soap, re-potted and have been misting to raise humidity. Love the idea of the shower - thanks. However the overwhelming pulse is that spider mites are mighty opponents. Is there a drawback to using Persimilis mites, P. (Mesoseiulus) longipes mites, or Neoseiulus (Amblyseius) mites in addition to the above methods? I've just started looking for them in our local botanical stores, so maybe cost / availability is the largest...but IF one could get them, are there drawbacks?
I just visited a site yesterday, a large open area in a mall that has two 15 foot tall Gleditisa trees in big planters. COATED with spider mite webbing, looks like tent caterpillars its so bad. My suggestion was to release predatory mite, Phytoseiulus persimilis on to the foliage. Once the predators have brought the spider mite population down significantly they will die from lack of food or they may migrate to another source if there is a spider mite colony near by. Raising the humidity is important when releasing the predators also, manufacturer suggest 60% is best. To buy them try www.thebugfactory.ca I know the Gardenworks locally carry most of the product line in their stores.
Now you guys are talking! Natural control, including natural predators, soaps, and high humidity are better for the plant and the environment. And I'm not an environmental "nutcase", just one that is concerned about what is best for the plants.
Hey, I'm just a chemically sensitive pragmatist.... If you can't find an insecticidal soap that you like, you can also mix dish detergent with olive or sunflower oil and a drop or two of essential oil of oregano, and spray that on. This smells a great deal better than commercial insecticidal soaps, and is also cheaper. But if you can find predatory mites, by all means use them. I know I had a hard time in Edmonton; I could find ladybugs, but anything else I had to order in. You could try emailing the Muttart Conservatory in Edmonton to find out where they get their predatory bugs; they're completely over to complementary pest control. And I'll bet they're sourcing from somewhere in Alberta.
oddly enough, i went to superstore and bought myself some safers without even reading this thread lol. The only reason is it was chaper then the other stuff. I doused them pretty good, left them outside for awhile, and for the most part my dwarf cavendish is rebounding pretty fast. Also, i have a young philodendron selloum (I cant remember the right name), that has faded spots on the leaves, very smll and many of them, IM asuming its from the spidfer mites.
Philodendron selloum is now Philodendron bipinnatifidum. But that's OK! Seems almost nobody can remember it! Just for information, botanist Simon Mayo of the Royal Botanic Garden Kew in England (who is the world's leading expert in Brazilian Philodendron sp.) documented both "species" were actually a single species in the early 1990's. The two had been differentiated previously since they had slightly different growth forms. Differences in growth form (leaf shape) often causes confusion, especially among non-scientists. But I see so many people use the old name I guess we'll all just live with it!
Residents of Vancouver are restricted from using harsh chemical pesticides outdoors on their landscape plants. http://vancouver.ca/engsvcs/solidwaste/grownatural/pesticideUseBylaw.htm http://www.cityfarmer.org/PesticideReduce.html
Eric, most of the local cities and municipalities have bylaws restricting the use of cosmetic pesticides. Check your bylaws folks, most are available online.