Above you can see the webbing that is the easiest to spot sign of Spider Mites - which if you weren't aware of their existence, you might mistake it for a normal spider but Spider Mites webbing is smaller and tends to be focused around the petiole to stem, across a leaf, or the sinus of a leaf (The space between the top points of a leaf).
Above you'll see the yellowing around the edges of the leaf starting along with the piercing spots where Spider Mites are munching away leaving parts of the leaf somewhat transparent.
How do I treat Spider Mites?
Luckily, Spider Mites are one of the easier pests to treat but you'll need to treat your plants regularly to keep them away.
- Isolate any plants that are affected (Any plants that are next to a plant that has Spider Mites should also be isolated, especially if the foliage of these plants may touch)
- Spray down the foliage thoroughly with water and do your best to rinse off any visible signs of the pest. Next, you'll want to mix a few drops of a gentle soap (I like an unscented liquid castile soap) in a spray bottle with water and spray all over the foliage heavily - it should look like a bubble bath is happening to your leaves! Leave on for 5-10 minutes and then thoroughly rinse it off. Do your best to keep the water from saturating your soil.
- Repeat this process once a week for at least 4 weeks to kick the Spider Mites to the curb.
How do I prevent Spider Mites?
The easiest way to keep Spider Mites away is keep the conditions they like away - keep your plants watered (To the extent they'll happily tolerate - you know we're not fans of overwatering at PP) and keep the foliage clean from dust and debris that may attract them. I recommend at the minimum either spraying off the foliage of your plants once a month or using our Planti Leaf Cleaning & Care Gloves paired with Reset Leaf Conditioner .
While Reset Leaf isn't marketed as a treatment for Spider Mites, I personally use it as both a leaf shine on all my plants but also as a pest prevention overnight treatment - simply mist all over the foliage of a plant and instead of wiping off with your Planti Leaf Cleaning & Care Gloves allow it to sit on the foliage and fully dry (When doing this, keep the plant out of direct sunlight for 24 hours). This method is the only reason my Alocasia Frydek is thriving!).
Good luck peeps - I have no doubt you'll not only conquer those pesky Spider Mites but also keep them from coming back with these tips!