Home Remedies for Spider Mites

Spider mites are so small they are difficult to see without a magnifying glass. Also the spider mite thrives in dusty dry conditions. These insects, especially the two-spotted spider mite, cause significant harm to plants. Signs of a spider mite infestation are when you see brown and yellow dots on the leaf of a plant. A spider mite infestation requires emergency treatment of the plant and isolation from other plants if possible. Household plants when left uncared for with routine watering can very easily attract spider mites.

Damage

• The damage of spider mites is greater at the end of a planting season. The spider mites live on the underside of plant leaves and spin a protective web of silk around itself and the leaf so it can puncture the cells for food. The first sign of a plant having been infested with spider mites is that the leaves look off color. The leaves appear off color because they are speckled with green, yellow and brown spots. Tap the leaf of a plant over a white piece of paper and look at the droppings with a magnifying glass. Doing this will allow you to determine if the two-spotted spider mite has found a home.

Control

• Degreasing dish soap will reduce the spider mite infestation on most plants.

  To control spider mite infestations mix 3 tbsp. of dish soap with 1 gallon of water. Spray the underside of the leaves with the soap mixture and then douse the whole plant with the soapy water. Let the soap sit on the plant for two to three hours and rinse with fresh water. Repeat the treatment every five days until the infestation is gone. If soapy water doesn’t work, use rubbing alcohol. Wipe rubbing alcohol on the plant leaves infected with spider mites. Use cotton balls to apply the alcohol. Let the rubbing alcohol sit on the leaves for two to three hours. Wash off the alcohol with fresh water. It will take a few applications for the spider mites to disappear.

Conditions

• Spider mites thrive in dusty dry environments. When spider mites take over a plant, the leaves look scorched. To prevent a spider mite outbreak keep plants misted and keep the soil moist. Every climate has a particular dry season. Routine watering during these dry seasons is the best prevention for spider mites. To retain moisture on plants and in the soil, you can run water over the leaves. Also, keeping plants away from the afternoon sun when the sun is at its hottest is helpful. Running a humidifier also helps with indoor plants.

Follow Up

• Spider mites often go undetected until they have caused a significant amount of damage. Since damage to the plant is so severe, it is important to retreat every five to six days. You can tell if spider mites are still present by wiping a white cloth along a leaf that appears off color. If the white cloth has a brownish residue, the plant still has spider mites. It is important that treatment of the plant includes areas at the base of the plant. During treatment you can add 1 tsp. of baking soda to prevent fungus growing on the plant and on the soil because of the increased moisture. If spider mites persist for longer than a month, you can try using dog shampoo. The recommended mixture is 2 tsp. dog shampoo to 1 gallon of water. Make sure days between treatments do not extend beyond seven days.