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What's eating your plants?
As temperatures increase, so does the spider mite population. These tiny arachnids reproduce exponentially during warm weather, to the point that they can go through an entire generation in as little as five days!
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Both indoor and outdoor plants are attacked. The most common local perpetrator is the Two Spotted Spider Mite, but there are many other kinds, including the Spruce Spider Mite, which is particularly fond of Dwarf Alberta Spruce. In short, no plant is safe.
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Spider mites suck the liquid from the plant's cells, so serious mite attacks can kill a plant one leaf at a time, especially during a dry spell. Damaged leaves will take on a stippled look, and you may see fine spider mite webs on the plant. As the infestation increases, the worst leaves might look scorched or curled, eventually dropping from the plant. Usually the oldest leaves are affected first, falling off from the bottom up.
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Because these sap-sucking spiderlings are less than a millimetre in size, they can be difficult to see. Both eggs and mites will be visible if you look at the underside of the leaf with a magnifying glass. Fine spider mite webs are a dead giveaway. If you aren't sure one way or the other, you can also tap the leaves over a piece of white paper and look for tiny, moving dots.
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My plants have spider mites! Now what?
Hot, dry weather and dusty conditions are ideal for spider mites to thrive, and because of their astronomical reproductive rate, they can take advantage of even the briefest dry spell. You can't control the weather, but you can control the water! Spray outdoor plants with a powerful jet of water to knock as many mites and eggs loose as possible. Concentrate on the undersides of the leaves, and be sure to destroy all webbing, as spider mites will stop producing eggs temporarily until they spin more. Water your plants well whenever it's dry.
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If your plants are indoors or too fragile to withstand a jet spray, put a few drops of dish soap in water and wipe down the undersides of the leaves, rinsing your cloth or sponge between leaves.
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The water treatment may not be enough to combat a serious mite infestation. If you still see signs of mite activity afterward, you'll need to use a product that can kill mites. Ordinary insecticides won't do the trick, because mites are arachnids, not insects. For an organic miticide, we recommend Ferti-lome Triple Action. Make sure to follow the instructions on the label and make several applications, because you'll need to knock out multiple generations of spider mites at once in order to succeed.
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If you have questions or you'd like our firsthand opinion about what's affecting your plant, give us a call at (309) 691-4561, drop by, message us on Facebook or Instagram, or email a horticulturist at expert@hoerrnursery.com. Photos and/or bagged samples are very helpful!
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Join Ethan Wise and Dan Diorio of the Greg and Dan Show for a weekly discussion about all things gardening! Tune in Saturdays at 7am on 1470 WMBD.
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