mattjonesphotography
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Joined: Sun Jun 17, 2018 9:27 pm

Spider Mites :(

Hello! I'm new here and excited to join the community! I have a quick question on mites....

I have identified what I believe to be thousands of spider mites in my raised garden beds. They are about the size of this period: . and range from tan to red in color.

They only seem to be on the too layer of soil. I have inspected my tomato and pepper plants and cannot find any sign of them on the plants or any damage they have caused. Could these be something else?

If they are in fact spider mites, how can I organically kill them off? I've tried praying mantis, but I think there are just too many mites. Would lady bugs work? Suggestions?

Thanks!

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applestar
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Joined: Thu May 01, 2008 7:21 pm
Location: Zone 6, NJ (3/M)4/E ~ 10/M(11/B)

I’ve been buying and releasing predatory mites to take care of pest mites on my tomatoes and pppers. The pest mites are likely broad mites and russet mites. The predatory mites are red or tan. As far as I know, I don’t have red spider mites on my plants. So every time I see reddish or tan visible mites on the plants, I cheer them on (predatory mites are large enough to see, but the pest mites I’m dealing with are too tiny to see without magnification).

So just because they are red doesn’t mean they are the bad kind.

Another possibility might be that they are recent hatching event of something like red velvet mites. Red velvet mites are predatory and prey on pests in the soil. Their babies cling onto daddy long legs.

imafan26
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Location: Hawaii, zone 12a 587 ft elev.

Spider mites are a problem in hot dusty weather. I get them on eggplant. The predators do help, but I also basically jet water under the leaves every day when I do water the plants to knock as many off as possible. Neem oil can be used to smother them. If the plants are small and in pots, I find it easier to dunk plants rather than spray them. I can dunk the entire plant in water with horticultural oil and that way I get the best coverage. I try to keep the plants under for a few minutes.

If it gets really bad, I usually just cut the plants back, bag the infested leaves, and hope the new leaves will come out after the spider mites are done for the year.

Ksk
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Joined: Sun Jun 25, 2017 11:57 am

I use Diatomaceous Earth - food grade. Dust on plants and around base of plant. I have raised beds and they show up every year. This will kill lady bugs, ants, beetles and any other hard bodied insect as well so it is indiscriminate and would also kill predatory mites. Do it when the leaves are dry.
Reapply if it rains. Does not work for soft bodied pests.



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