I've been dealing with a heavy spider mite infestation on my tomato plants and have started using predatory mites to bring it under control. I've also been working on removing dead leaves and branches while retaining any that are still green to support recovery. Some tomatoes still have superficial spider mite damage but seem to ripen and taste fine. I'm fertilizing every couple of weeks since they're in deep planters with good drainage. Is there anything else I can do to help my plants bounce back, and should I adjust my fertilization schedule?
1 Answer
If you’re in a hot, dry area, regular washing of the plants can help, so try rinsing them off weekly. I also use Safer Insect Soap, but I alternate that with spinosad to avoid harming your predatory mites. Neem oil can be effective too, but only if there aren’t any beneficial bugs around. Just make sure not to disrupt your good mites since they're helping with control right now.
Good point! I think the predatory mites are critical for now. My main focus is also on plant recovery, not just control, so at this stage, should I just stick to watering and ensuring sunlight?