Spider Mites vs. Geek
My Epic Battle with the Tiny Tyrants
Spider mites, the bane of indoor gardeners everywhere, decided to throw a rave on my hydroponic tower garden. Just imagine waking up to see your precious plants being devoured by these nearly invisible invaders. After many days of cleaning, panicking, and some not-so-friendly words, I found a lifeline in a YouTube video by the amazing Drea from Aloha Plant Life. Her DIY spray recipe turned the tide in my favor, and I’m here to share the saga of my victory.
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A Rough Start:
It all began after a particularly grueling week at my day job. After a long 10-hour day, I was ready to unwind when John, my husband, informed me about a bug problem in our garden. He felt it was too urgent to wait another day. Reluctantly, I agreed to take a look, and we discovered an epic spider mite infestation. Overnight, these pests had covered our strawberry plants with webbing, and we could see the mites crawling on the white PVC piping of our tower garden. Clearly, the situation had escalated while we were unaware.
Initial Panic and Neem Oil Overload:
In our initial panic, we grabbed our trusty Captain Jack’s neem oil, which had worked for other pest issues in the past. Despite the instructions to treat plants once every 7 to 14 days, we doused our plants daily for several days. I later learned that overuse of neem oil could harm the plants by coating their leaves, which inhibits their ability to flourish. Though I’m a firm believer in neem oil for some scenarios (I even sell it through affiliate marketing on my blog), I realized that using it more frequently than recommended wasn’t the solution. Despite our efforts, the spider mites persisted. I also wanted a better option that felt less “chemically”.
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The Intensive Cleanup:
Realizing that our neem oil strategy wasn’t working, we embarked on a labor-intensive cleanup. We removed all the plants from the infected aeroponics tower and soaked each one in a hydrogen peroxide and water solution to remove as many mites as possible. Then, we moved the plants to another area to dry.
While the plants were drying, we took apart the tower garden, thoroughly washed and sanitized all the individual pieces, and reassembled everything. We drained the reservoir, cleaned the pump, and replaced the old solution with a fresh fertilizer solution.
Afterward, we returned to the plants, rinsed them under the shower with the shower sprayer to dislodge any remaining insects, shook them dry, and sprayed them with more pesticide product. Once the plants were dried again, we introduced them back to the newly cleaned aeroponics tower garden.
Understanding the Spider Mite Life Cycle:
To effectively combat spider mites, it’s essential to understand their life cycle:
- Egg Stage:
- Spider mites lay tiny, round, translucent eggs, typically on the underside of leaves. These eggs hatch in about 3 days.
- Larva Stage:
- The eggs hatch into six-legged larvae. These larvae begin feeding on plant cells immediately.
- Protonymph Stage:
- After the larva stage, spider mites molt into the protonymph stage, gaining an additional pair of legs (eight in total) and becoming slightly larger. They continue to feed and grow.
- Deutonymph Stage:
- The protonymphs molt again into the deutonymph stage, looking more like adult mites but still immature. They continue their feeding frenzy.
- Adult Stage:
- Finally, deutonymphs molt into adults, which are fully grown, eight-legged mites capable of reproducing. Females can lay dozens of eggs in their short lifespan, perpetuating the cycle.
This entire cycle can take as little as 5-20 days, depending on environmental conditions, which is why infestations can escalate rapidly.
One of the key lessons I have learned is that these types of pest issues are hard to stay on top of. Natural solutions can work and are also great preventatives, but there isn’t a quick or easy fix. Even with diligence, these types of issues may come about from time to time.
Drea’s DIY Spider Mite Spray:
After some research, I found Drea’s highly effective DIY spider mite spray. For more information on her excellent tips and tricks, product comparisons (some of which we recommend at GardenGeekGrub), and her detailed DIY recipe starting, check out her video below:
My Results and Tips:
After applying Drea’s spray, I noticed a significant reduction in the spider mite population. My plants started looking healthier, and I could almost hear them sighing in relief. Here are a few tips I learned along the way:
- Be consistent with the treatment.
- Quarantine severely infested plants to prevent the mites from spreading.
- Clean the area around your plants regularly to remove any fallen leaves or debris.
- Understanding the lifecycle of spider mites can help in timing treatments effectively.
- Preventative measures such as maintaining proper humidity and air circulation can help avoid future infestations.
Why Drea’s Spray Works:
The castile soaps help break down the mites’ protective coating, the rubbing alcohol desiccates them, and the hydrogen peroxide provides additional cleaning power. It’s a one-two-three punch that these tiny terrors can’t withstand. Plus, it’s gentle on the plants, unlike some of the harsher chemicals.
Conclusion:
Spider mites may be small, but they are fierce adversaries. Thanks to Drea’s DIY spray, I was able to reclaim my garden from their clutches. If you’re facing a similar invasion, I highly recommend giving her recipe a try. And don’t forget to check out Drea’s YouTube channel for more fantastic gardening tips.
Please note that even with these methods and preventatives, spider mites can be a challenge. Since this experience, I have fought these pests on other more recent occasions. Be patient and stay strong! You’ve got this!
May your gardens be ever green and mite-free! For more product recommendations from GardenGeekGrub, please check out our GardenGeekGrub’s Top Picks!
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