Beginners corner

[Andreas Wistuba]

Hello all,

as requested, I just created a "Beginners Corner".

You may ask all questions you don't dare to ask in the more "sophisticated" sub-forums here, or just chat with other members.

All the best

Andreas

[David]

What is the best product to control spider mites on Myrmecodia and Hydnophytum?  I am using Seven spray but they continue to appear. 

[Frank]

Hi David,  Spider mites can be irritating!  Seems like sometimes they just explode onto the scene. After a while you learn to anticipate them, like when humidity drops with the seasons.  If your collection is small enough spraying the entirety of every plant with water from a spray bottle on a daily or almost daily basis can be useful.

With a larger collection in a confined area biological control with predatory mites can be very effective.  This worked very well for me a number of years ago when I was growing on two 4-shelf light carts in a 9 foot square foot plastic tent in my basement.  The tent had a humidifier in it for humidity but I still had a big spider mite problem.  I bought 10 packets of predatory mites sold at that time as Thripex by Koppert Biologicals.  They are for thrips but also eat spider mites.  I laid one packet on each shelf and went several years without any serious spider mite problems.

I take it Koppert now has other products that are better for spider mites because they no longer are recommending Thripex for spider mites as they did back then.  It also looks to me like they reformulated the Thripex product.  Koppert may no longer sell direct but they have a number of distributors.  Here is a link to lots of suppliers of biologicals in North America.  http://www.cdpr.ca.gov/docs/pestmgt/ipminov/bensup.pdf

Sorry for the NorthAmericancentric reply here, but it is where I live and what I know about.  Plenty of room here oh "members of the ant-plant nation", so please tell us how you control spider mites where you live.