Mites!!!

[cgorchid]

I have been looking around here to find out what has been damaging my plants. At first I thought it was a virus but then I found some small specs on the leaves...I put them under a microscope and discovered that they were MITES!!!(They look awful by the way) Will neem oil treat them? I would also like to try an insecticide. I read on here about a product called safers soap. Can I pick that up at Home Depot or Lowes? Any other suggestions? I really want to save my collection!! They have destroyed a few plants so far...

Also, Is there an insecticide that I could just dip the whole plant into like a bath. I also have some little critters running around in the media but as near as I can tell they are not harming the plants. I would just like to be rid of them.

Thanks!!

[Shirley]

Hi CG, Yes, Safer's Insecticidal Soap is a nice safe one to try and is readily available, almost any store that has a plant section. Or you might look for something that is labelled as a miticide -- even better. I've never used Neem Oil so can't be of help there. If you have any way of upping the humidity, that would be worthwhile as mites love it hot and dry. If there aren't too many plants, wiping the leaves, particularly on the underside with isopropyl alcohol and water half and half is also a help.

[Bird Song Farm]

Yup, Safers Soap will work just fine. I make my own "killer mite" solution by adding a teaspoon of liquid dish detergent to an old Windex spray bottle. Be sure to clean out the spray section by spraying throughly with clean water first. Make sure you spray the undersides of the leaves. They like to hide under there!
Al

[DelawareJim]

I use Ortho systemic insecticide. Being a systemic, it makes the plant poisonous to any sucking insect, which is helpful for ridding the plants of scale which sometimes go hand-in-hand with mites.

Cheers.
Jim

[Gin]

Hi , If you use Safers treat about every 3 days the hatch cycle is short on them , rinse leaves before re spraying . Miss an egg and they are back . Gin

[cgorchid]

Thank You all for the great help! I will beat these mites!!! Also, do they attack roots? Im just wondring. If they do I will have to treat the whole plant.

Thanks!