Mites: A Sneaky Fall Problem

As long as it keeps raining you might never have a mite problem. Daily storms simply wash them away. But when the rains stop mites can cling to plant foliage and begin raising damaging populations. Also plants protected from the weather indoors and on the patio could be attacked at anytime.

Mite

Mites are eight legged spider and tick relatives in the class know as arachnids. They are often no bigger than a pencil point or period at the end of a sentence. Mites have piercing sucking mouth parts that drain the juices from stems and leaves. They cause the plants to turn a yellow to brown color and eventually decline.

Because they are so small and multiply very rapidly gardeners often fail to notice mites until damaging populations are present on tomatoes, peppers, roses, marigolds, foliage plants and more. Some produce webs that help move them to other nearby plants.

Periodic inspection of susceptible plants is the best way to prevent mite damage during the fall months. Check both the tops and bottoms of leaves with a hand lens to spot the very small eggs and developing stages. Pay special attention to leaves with yellow areas near the veins.

At the first sign of mites use one or more of the following controls to reduce the plant damaging populations.

	Isolate infested container grown foliage plants from others in the collection and treat.
	Remove heavily infested leaves and stem portions; destroy declining plants in flower beds and containers.
	Wash mite populations from leaves and stems with a soapy water solution.
	Use a strong stream of water to dislodge and wash mites away.
	Apply soap or oil spray as a natural control.
	Apply a synthetic miticide available from garden centers.