Spider Mites and conflicting info have me dizzy

[StoneCloud]

..........

They are here. So far only see few strands of webs and a few mites but they are on all 5 of my branched friends......

Oh and the Hibiscus has Aphids......

Our weather for the last 2 weeks has been pretty much dry and windy. Yes I know.

I have been using Safer's insecticidal soap every 3 days for almost 2 weeks now. No dice.

I've hosed them down repeatedly, but can only do that so much for obvious reasons.

I opted for Ortho Max Malathion.
http://www.ortho.com/smg/goprod/ortho-malathion-plus-insect-killer-spray-concentrate/prod180018

I have never used this product but have researched it pretty well and know the dangers. However, any advice would be appreciated.

I have no pets but do have a child. Should I remove everything in the backyard to avoid floating mist? I find it hard to believe that after it's dry it's safe.....

I've seen some great reports some not so great about the results, and the same for everything else out there. I'm confused won't lie and just don't know what is best.

Here is one conundrum:

Do I cover the soil prior to spraying? Or not? If I cover it will the mites in the soil assuming they are there die as well?

If it matters, I do have a lot of trees and plants around my property that are mother nature or on neighbor's land and I can't really control those things. I am guessing I probably will have to start spraying monthly?

I have read numerous posts on this on this forum and thank you for everyone's input (went as far back as 2013, I did.)

With the knowledge you have given me the above are my conclusions. Pass or Fail?

 

[Spdyracer]

..........

They are here. So far only see few strands of webs and a few mites but they are on all 5 of my branched friends......

Oh and the Hibiscus has Aphids......

Our weather for the last 2 weeks has been pretty much dry and windy. Yes I know.

I have been using Safer's insecticidal soap every 3 days for almost 2 weeks now. No dice.

I've hosed them down repeatedly, but can only do that so much for obvious reasons.

I opted for Ortho Max Malathion.
http://www.ortho.com/smg/goprod/ortho-malathion-plus-insect-killer-spray-concentrate/prod180018

I have never used this product but have researched it pretty well and know the dangers. However, any advice would be appreciated.

I have no pets but do have a child. Should I remove everything in the backyard to avoid floating mist? I find it hard to believe that after it's dry it's safe.....

I've seen some great reports some not so great about the results, and the same for everything else out there. I'm confused won't lie and just don't know what is best.

Here is one conundrum:

Do I cover the soil prior to spraying? Or not? If I cover it will the mites in the soil assuming they are there die as well?

If it matters, I do have a lot of trees and plants around my property that are mother nature or on neighbor's land and I can't really control those things. I am guessing I probably will have to start spraying monthly?

I have read numerous posts on this on this forum and thank you for everyone's input (went as far back as 2013, I did.)

With the knowledge you have given me the above are my conclusions. Pass or Fail?

Have you tried dunking your tree? I bought a juniper last year that found out had spider mites and the advice I got on here was to dunk it in water. I put the whole tree under water for an hour. Took care of them and the tree bounced back pretty quick after that. Good luck

 

[MichaelS]

If you have mites on all your trees, they are not exposed to the elements enough. If you want something safe that works, use a horticultural oil on a cool cloudy day and spray every square mm of the plant to and bottom. No need to cover the soil when using either oil or Malathion. Malathion will not control all species. Kelthane is better. Oil will kill them all but they will come back if you don't improve on their environment. Micro fine sulphur works too but be careful of leaf damage.

 

[StoneCloud]

Have you tried dunking your tree? I bought a juniper last year that found out had spider mites and the advice I got on here was to dunk it in water. I put the whole tree under water for an hour. Took care of them and the tree bounced back pretty quick after that. Good luck

I did try this and it was clean for a few days but then back again...... my juniper is healthy as hell too, growing very nicely so hopefully i'm really early on this.

If you have mites on all your trees, they are not exposed to the elements enough. If you want something safe that works, use a horticultural oil on a cool cloudy day and spray every square mm of the plant to and bottom. No need to cover the soil when using either oil or Malathion. Malathion will not control all species. Kelthane is better. Oil will kill them all but they will come back if you don't improve on their environment. Micro fine sulphur works too but be careful of leaf damage.

I have not looked into Kelthane, thank you for that suggestion!

Also my trees are always outside, never inside. I'm not sure what you mean about not being exposed to the elements enough. The past 2 weeks have been windy and rainless which I thought was the problem. Is this what you mean?

 

[MichaelS]

I did try this and it was clean for a few days but then back again...... my juniper is healthy as hell too, growing very nicely so hopefully i'm really early on this.




I have not looked into Kelthane, thank you for that suggestion!

Also my trees are always outside, never inside. I'm not sure what you mean about not being exposed to the elements enough. The past 2 weeks have been windy and rainless which I thought was the problem. Is this what you mean?

I mean that every time I have seen mites, it has always been on trees (or plants) that are either in shade or with overhead cover, or not watered enough (and from above) or too protected somehow. If yours are getting infested right out in the open in full sun and wind you have a problem which I have never faced but I would make a habit of hosing them down twice per day (if you don't already)

 

[Carol 83]

I noticed my gardenia had some yellowing leaves, and suspected overwatering until I inspected further, and saw some webs. I doused with a three in one insecticide/fungicide/miticide, hopefully that will take care of the problem, and save the buds. Doesn't seem to have moved on to any of the trees nearby
.

 

[StoneCloud]

I now understand, and you are 100% right. They are in a partly shaded area that gets full sun about 6 hours of the day. and I have kept them over night next to my shed under an overhang to protect from the winds over night but the winds have finally stopped yesterday.

I water them about 2x a day this time of year....I let the soil stay dry for good while before watering them again. And I do water from above rain style spray nozzle

2 weeks ago winds started ----> moved trees to sheltered area ---> Got Spider Mites.

I mean that every time I have seen mites, it has always been on trees (or plants) that are either in shade or with overhead cover, or not watered enough (and from above) or too protected somehow. If yours are getting infested right out in the open in full sun and wind you have a problem which I have never faced but I would make a habit of hosing them down twice per day (if you don't already)

 

[StoneCloud]

@Carol 83 Damn, sorry! I'm curious to see how that stuff works

 

[MichaelS]

I now understand, and you are 100% right. They are in a partly shaded area that gets full sun about 6 hours of the day. and I have kept them over night next to my shed under an overhang to protect from the winds over night but the winds have finally stopped yesterday.

I water them about 2x a day this time of year....I let the soil stay dry for good while before watering them again. And I do water from above rain style spray nozzle

2 weeks ago winds started ----> moved trees to sheltered area ---> Got Spider Mites.

Leave them in the wind! Just tie them down. Trees love wind.

 

[Carol 83]

@Carol 83 Damn, sorry! I'm curious to see how that stuff works

We'll see. If it doesn't I have an insecticide from work that will kill any bug, and not harm the plant whatsoever. I work at a farm co-op. It doesn't require a commercial pesticide license. I spray everything with it before I bring them in for the fall. Thought I'd start with the little gun first.

 

[StoneCloud]

Leave them in the wind! Just tie them down. Trees love wind.

Just got ready to get my ass out there and I'm moving them all now................ to the top of my roof LOL...j/k

But all jokes aside going out there right now to move them to the open

 

[StoneCloud]

Leave them in the wind! Just tie them down. Trees love wind.

Just got ready to get my ass out there and I'm moving them all now................ to the top of my roof LOL...j/k

But all jokes aside going out there right now to move them to the open

 

[Lobaeux]

I had some webbing too. With the winds lately I've tried to keep them protected just a bit. My Premna had a little webbing and some yellowing leaves. I sprayed with some Neem Oil, that has worked in the past. I'll let you know what happens.

 

[StoneCloud]

I had some webbing too. With the winds lately I've tried to keep them protected just a bit. My Premna had a little webbing and some yellowing leaves. I sprayed with some Neem Oil, that has worked in the past. I'll let you know what happens.

These daily weather changes something to keep up with! Hopefully the neem oil does it for you!

 

[sorce]

I'm a dunker, smasher, good bug keeping, Hater of mites.

Last year, I got complacent and stopped looking for mites since I got every other pest but them....

I will not make that mistake again.

Vigilance and early detection is a must.

Constant observation.

Sorce

 

[iant]

I've had mites... hate them.
But not all spider webs are mites. There are lots of beneficial spiders in spring and summer... and they make webs too. You should look closely!
I've found mites to be very seasonal. 2 or 3 years of no issues, then a really bad year. It really depends on whether or not it's hot and dry. I find that they're worst when it's hot and dry early in the spring. I haven't found shade to be a problem for my trees. When mites are around they're in both my shaded areas and in my hot dry areas of my yard... I think it's more likely due to the weather and such rather than your tree placement.
just my humble opinion,
Ian

 

[sorce]

I've had mites... hate them.
But not all spider webs are mites. There are lots of beneficial spiders in spring and summer... and they make webs too. You should look closely!
I've found mites to be very seasonal. 2 or 3 years of no issues, then a really bad year. It really depends on whether or not it's hot and dry. I find that they're worst when it's hot and dry early in the spring. I haven't found shade to be a problem for my trees. When mites are around they're in both my shaded areas and in my hot dry areas of my yard... I think it's more likely due to the weather and such rather than your tree placement.
just my humble opinion,
Ian

That's more than just...
Lotta great info there!

I always get spider webs early in spring.
Don't wanna go nuking them!
Webs from tree to tree, or even branch to branch ........usually spiders.
Webs circling individual sections of foliage......usually mites.

I think placement effects the situation greatly, but not in the manner the OP states.

I used to be on a 3 story brick and concrete sill wall, got mites all the time.
They like the hot, and the texture gives them great cover.

I wonder if they weren't accumulating on the wall due to their wind bound travels...

@StoneCloud they do travel on the wind so that could account for their arrival.
But placement in that regard isn't going to make much difference IMO.

"Life will find a way!"

Sorce

 

[jacob letoile]

2 pieces of advice for spider mites. Pay attention to their life cycle time. The sprays you use are generally ineffective on eggs so you need to kill several generations of adults and larva before they can lay more eggs. Hot dry weather shortens their life cycle time, increasing their population. If you treat with insecticide you will get larger, faster population growth than if you had not, due to the shorter life cycle of the spider mites compared to there predators, which you will invariably kill as well. You should be able to ameliorate this by only spraying where needed and keeping the trees close to a reserve population of predators. Hope this helps.

 

[StoneCloud]

I know they are mites for sure as I know which are spiders. It's lines of web, around new pads on the juniper. That is mites for sure.

I did move them to the middle of my yard and left another plant under those trees to see what happened this morning. The plant under the tree shaded area of the yard that I left had web all over it.

This Juniper this morning did not.

I'm not using the spray yet, and if and when I do it will be 2x 6 days apart, and I have a concrete slab behind my shed where I can spray them. Very very localized as I only have a few trees. I Even have plywood to put around them to stop over spray. I think that should be good if I have to spray.

I'm going to give this some more time and a few more app's of insect soap and see if they completely go away. They haven't done any visible damage yet and I've only seen a few with a magnifying glass.

I have a palm tree in my backyard and I have heard that spider mites love the palms when they are dry. They have like burlap froth at the top between the branches......I wonder.

 

[vicn]

It also helps to use a fairly strong water spray on the underside of the leaves. This actually dislodges a lot of the mites. Just not so strong of a spray to damage your tree. And when you spray insecticides, don't forget to spray your bench....top, bottom, gaps, etc.....