Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

What is the best to treat spider mites in the grow bed?
I've tried to hydrotons in hot waters and spray garlic liquids.
any good suggestion?

I had spidermites infest my marigolds, I just threw them away. Sorry Im unsure of a remedy.

Hi ycsarang84
spider mites are a real pain in the system especially in greenhouses but there is an effective and simple solution. If your mites are the two spotted or bean mite type then you can use predatory mites (Phytoseiulus persimilis) or just persimilis. It is more of a long term soluition but if you put enough in they can act like an insecticide (ie very rapidly remove them). The trick is to keep a population of persimilis in the plants over the course of the year so they can quickly get on to the 2 spotted mites before they build up.
Check out http://www.goodbugs.org.au/Good%20bugs%20available/persimilis.html for more info and google where you can buy some in your area. They can easily be delivered by mail and often arrive mixed in vermiculite or on bean leaves or some other substrate.

It is worth taking your time to work out how to use Persimilis effectively (ie their life cycle, needs etc) as they are such a great solution.

I have been using them for years.

PS if your eyes are good or if you have a good hand lens watching them feed is fun.

Cheers
Mark

I have watched my plants die in the past from mites.......it was pretty cool ....after i had seen so much great growth, it was cool I thought to see the other side of life too....

Apparently a salt solution and blasted with a hose might work

http://www.ehow.com/how_5992632_rid-spider-mites.html


when you take out the infected plants you should bag it and take to the tip so not to keep the infection in the garden