non-toxic mite control that works
See any mites on this rose bush? You can’t in person, either. But you should have seen it a week ago when there were nearly more mites per square inch than plant. I’m trying to get away from using chemicals in the yard, so I did a search online, including our trusty source What’s That Bug?, for non-toxic pest control. What I ended up doing was cobbling together an application based on advice from several sites: equal parts biodegradable dishwashing soap and vegetable oil diluted with about three times the amount of water. We spritzed the heck out of the plants — with me thinking, I confess, that it probably wouldn’t work. Well, it did. Immediately! Our roses and rose-of-sharon plants are mite-free without any damage to the leaves or flowers that we can see. Plus one for green gardening! –Mary T.
June 21st, 2008 at 4:59 am
So glad you’ve found a way to get rid of mites that works, and doesn’t kill off the plants. I know so many people that say they’re doing “organic gardening” but don’t think they realize what really goes into it to make it organic.
June 21st, 2008 at 7:20 pm
Don’t the soap and the oil cancel each other out? I think the soap is what worked.
June 24th, 2008 at 1:05 am
oh thank you! my rose bushes are looking like swiss cheese, but i hope this will do the job
June 24th, 2008 at 8:23 pm
Hmm, you may be right, Innisfree. I did shake it up like crazy before the spritzing commenced!
June 28th, 2008 at 2:24 pm
Innisfree –
It IS the soap that kills the bugs; but the oil causes the solution to spread more readily, covering the entire surface of the leaf. Shake well before using and frequently while spraying.
Commercial pesticides have oils in them for the same reason; but they also have chemicals that keep the oil and other ingredients in suspension, or at least prevent them from separating quickly after you’ve shaken them up.
I’d rather shake the spray bottle. Wouldn’t you?
July 15th, 2008 at 6:26 am
[...] Non-toxic mite control that works [...]
July 16th, 2008 at 3:26 pm
warning: don’t use this on veggies. all the leaves on my tomato and pepper plants fell off within a day after spraying this
July 16th, 2008 at 4:07 pm
Wow, mingaling, : ( indeed! I have to say that I used the same solution on my cilantro and mint plants with no issues at all. I’m sorry to hear that — maybe mine was more super-diluted (or sprayed earlier in the year so that rain combated any residual effects that may have happened?)
July 17th, 2008 at 6:48 am
not quite sure. i’m hoping i can salvage them with some intense watering? ack.