Everything You Need To Know About Getting Rid Of Spider Mite Pests With An Effective Solution –Method 1 pps
What are Spider Mites?
Spider mites are arachnids, and so as adults have eight legs, just like a regular spider. They are related to spiders, scorpions, ticks and more. They are arthropods, which means they have an exoskeleton. They cause damage to plants when they feed by penetrating the plants cells and sucking the sap out of them. Spider mites are very small and difficult to see with the naked eye. There are many (1200) different species but the most common are the Red Spider Mite and Two Spotted Spider Mite. For such small creatures, they are capable of inflicting a lot of damage on plants.
Where do spider mites come from?
Spider mites are virtually ubiquitous. They can live indoors or outdoors. Spider mites thrive in hot, dry conditions. Cooler, more humid conditions slow reproductive rates considerably. Outdoors, spider mites are active in the spring and go dormant over winter. Even their eggs can overwinter if somewhat protected and hatch when warm weather arrives. This is called ovipause. If you live in a region that does not freeze during the winter there is a higher risk of spider mites. Growing indoor, under lights can create ideal conditions for them and they can be active at all times.
How do you get spider mites?
They can be transported on your clothing, shoes, other plants, or surf on the wind. Since they are plentiful in nature it isn’t a matter of “if” but “when” they show up.
How do you know if you have spider mites?
Because spider mites are so small, they often aren’t noticed until their damage to the plant becomes apparent. Below are some pictures of spider mite damage. Usually, it shows up as small lighter colored spots on the leaves. More advanced damage causes leaves to look “sick” and pale in color. In extreme infestations you will see webs covering parts of the plant. Often, that is on the new growth or flowering areas. When webs are visible it indicates a very out of control infestation which can get worse quickly and result in the demise of the plant. It should be the goal to detect them early before their numbers multiply and to stop the reproduction process. Having a hand held microscope or magnifying device helps you see pests more clearly, it allows you to definitively identify the pest.
How to prevent, control, and eradicate spider mites.
Prevention is always the best first option that will save your plants from spider mite damage. The factors involved in prevention include environmental control, regular inspections, preventive treatments, and being careful about introducing new plants to the growing space, and restricting access to the area. Environmental control means controlling temperature, humidity, light intensity, etc. That is more of a possibility for indoor growing and in commercial growing conditions such as greenhouses. Unfortunately, ideal growing conditions for many plants are the same as ideal growing conditions for many pests including spider mites..
Controlling pests implies keeping pest numbers suppressed so the plant can successfully complete its growth cycle without excessive damage. The use of beneficial predatory insects such as ladybugs, predatory mites, and wasps are often used for this purpose. Generally, it is not a method that you can mix with application of pesticides since you will also kill the beneficial insects. Of course, you can use pesticide sprays to keep them down as well.
Eradication of spider mites is a sort of misnomer. We already stated that they are virtually ubiquitous. So when we speak of eradication we know that it can only be done in an limited area and it is at best, temporary. You will be able to eradicate them on a plant or from a room but not from nature. Outdoors, re-infestation is always a possibility. With that said, here is how to do it.
Control or Eradicate spider mites with Method 1 pps.
Mix up Method 1pps with water according to instructions. Either mix it or put the mixed product in a sprayer. There are many types of sprayers so do some homework and figure out which is appropriate for your use. Start by spraying lightly on the soil surface. Next, start at the base of the main stalk and spray every surface all the way around. Work your way up the stalk and follow each limb to its end, spraying the underside of the leaves. Work your way to the top of the plant and then spray the tops of the leaves. The idea is to get 100% coverage when spraying the plant. The reason is that Method 1 pps is a contact killer and needs to come in contact with the mites. When it does, it causes a neural disruption in the mite which somewhat immobilizes them. At the same time there are oils in the product that has a smothering effect. It will kill all of the living mites. It has a drying effect on their eggs.
This application should be followed up within 5 days with another treatment. This is to address any mites that may have been missed or eggs that may have hatched since the first treatment. The reason for doing it within 5 days is that this will interrupt the life cycle of the spider mite population. A newly hatched spider mite can be capable of laying eggs in a week. The reproduction cycle will accelerate under ideal (hot and dry) conditions and eradication becomes more difficult. Knowledge is your best tool for dealing with spider mites.
After each treatment it is a good idea to inspect the infested area, preferably with a scope or magnifying device. You are looking for anything that moves and any viable eggs. As long as they persist another treatment will be needed. How many times you treat depends on the degree of infestation and the environmental conditions.
Why Method 1 pps?
With Method 1 pps you will be applying ingredients that are generally regarded as safe (GRAS). It is formulated to leave minimal residues which ensures that your plants will be free of toxic volatile compounds found in many pesticides. Another consideration is that use of many pest control products can result in the pests developing immunity to the active ingredients. That is even true of some products that are considered safe for humans. Some of these products also become systemic. That means they are taken up into the plants system and become somewhat permanent. If said plant is then eaten, extracted, and/or concentrated then those ingredients also get processed along with it. That can effect the taste or consistency of the end product. Method 1 pps starts as a clean product and the active ingredients evaporate quickly. That allows you to use it throughout the growth cycle up to harvest. It is safe to use inside your home. Another reason that many people use Method 1 pps is that it smells amazing during use, unlike almost all pest control products.
