Hello fellow plant lovers! I’m new here... I have a question regarding spider mites... I’ve had plants for years and have never had any issues besides the occasional fungus gnat. My plant collection has increased in the last few months and I noticed a silk strand on my croton a few weeks ago. I thought nothing of it and wiped it away... 4 days ago I noticed more silk strands and then spotted a itsy bitsy bug. I grabbed my magnifying glass and spotted a spider mite. Upon further inspection I spotted a few more... not a bunch but maybe 10. I washed my plant and gave it a spray with end all. Today I spotted two more so gave it another wash and sprayed it again with end all. It’s now in quarantine. However it was sitting on a ledge with about 10 other plants. None of them seem to be affected though and I’ve given them a very thorough inspection with a magnifying glass. What are the odds that they will not be affected? I’ve never dealt with pestiferous insects before... any advice would be highly appreciated!
Spider Mites!
- Thread starter sjeppe3
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In my experience with them I have found two things that work well on them. Neem Oil and Spinosad. If they are only on one plant you are lucky as they are only in the soil in that particular pot. Neem Oil effectively kills them and their eggs. Spinosad will also kill them by contact but it is also a systemic if applied as a soil drench. I would treat every plant you have if it were me. I think Safer End All is made with Neem Oil.
thank you for your reply! Would you suggest that I also repot my croton in new soil?
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It sure wouldn't hurt anything.
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Spider mites will attack your weakest plant first and then spread. If you have one plant that has a infestation, that should be the plant you take outside and spray every 3 days with neem to kill the different stages of mites. Every 3 days for 12 total then check back every day with you magnifier. Spider Mites don't live in the soil, and if you repot your plant when your plant it doesn't need it, you will hurt the plant and possibly kill it. Post a photo of the plant in the soil so we can see what you have.
This is my croton... I’ve sprayed it twice now and will treat it again in two days. I’ve caught them really early on though cause it wasn’t completely covered. I noticed a few strands of wil and then had a closer look and saw maybe 5 spider mites. The second time there was like two... I know this doesn’t mean I saw them all but my croton wasn’t covered in mites everywhere....
but yesterday I saw spider mites on my fiddle leaf fig which isn’t even in the same room as my croton so I’m wondering if the mite eggs were dormant over winter and now that we’ve finally had some warm weather they’ve hatched and are now coming out?!?! I bought both the croton and the fiddle leaf over winter but from two different places... I treated my fiddle leaf and my rubber plant which was close to it but didn’t see anything on my rubber plant. Just did it out of caution.
but yesterday I saw spider mites on my fiddle leaf fig which isn’t even in the same room as my croton so I’m wondering if the mite eggs were dormant over winter and now that we’ve finally had some warm weather they’ve hatched and are now coming out?!?! I bought both the croton and the fiddle leaf over winter but from two different places... I treated my fiddle leaf and my rubber plant which was close to it but didn’t see anything on my rubber plant. Just did it out of caution.
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I’ve now found a total of 5 plants with spider mites. Some are not even from the same room so I’m wondering if I inadvertent spread them with my watering can? I don’t understand how this could happen... none of my plants touch and these are from different nurseries it stores. I’m so frustrated! I’ve had houseplants for years and this is my first time encountering a pest... also I have close to 70 houseplants. I’ve isolated all the offending plants....
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They are spread by the wind among other things. Even the smallest breeze will move them along. Every plant in the house is susceptible. And don't forget to spray or drench the soil. They don't live or reproduce in the soil but they are certainly on the surface and/or slightly under it.
Thanks so much for the advice! I feel like I need to spray all my plants as a precaution!
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If they are under the same roof you do. Spider mites are the absolute best hitchhikers in the world. They will drift onto your clothes and then you will walk by a plant and all of a sudden every plant you own is infected.
Okay thank you! I will start treating them all.., will increasing the humidity help at all? I’m sorry if I’m asking unintelligent questions here lol
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They love humidity here in South Texas. Don't know about Canada