I have around 50 indoor plants, and for the past year, nearly all of them have been suffering from spider mite damage or infestations. I've tried various remedies suggested here, including a wash of alcohol, Dawn dish soap, and water, neem oil, Captain Jack's Insecticidal Super Soap, an actual miticide (Avid 0.15EC) three times, and even released 2,000 predatory mites from Nature's Good Guys. Each time, I quarantined the plants and carefully treated the front and back leaves, along with the petioles, and manually removed the webs and eggs with a brush. Despite my extensive research and the countless hours I've spent, this problem doesn't seem to go away. I'm at a loss—maybe it's just bad luck, my apartment environment, or something I'm doing wrong. Any advice would be greatly appreciated!
3 Answers
One suggestion is to repot all your plants in fresh, uncontaminated soil. You could even soak the plants bare root in a mixture of neem oil, soap, and water for about 30 minutes before repotting. Make sure to wash all pots and trays thoroughly with hot soapy water. Treat your space like it's bedbug-infested—clean everything! I know it sounds like a big task, especially for 50 plants, but I believe it's worth it. After that, you’ll still need to keep treating them weekly.
I usually just toss out any plants that get a bad infestation. It might sound harsh, but sometimes it's just not worth the headache trying to save them, especially if you've already done so much. If you decide to keep them, just be prepared for a tough battle ahead.
Spiders are the worst! I live in a hot and dry area where they thrive too. What works for me is ordering beneficial insects that feed on spider mites—it's made a huge difference for my plants. Just be sure to keep them out of direct sunlight when you move them outdoors; nature has its way of balancing things. You could also try rinsing them in the shower every now and then. It's a hassle, but it's better than letting them take over.