Spider mites: natural tricks and remedies to keep them away from plants and your windowsill

The so-called red spiders are coming back into the open. What do they involve? They are dangerous? How to keep them away from our windowsills or from the vegetable garden?

He is about to end up run over, his mother saves him

In spring, when temperatures reach or exceed 20 degrees, the infamous begin to come out of their hiding places and invade windowsills, walls and vegetable gardens. red spider mites (Tetranychus urticae) which are actually not spiders, but acari.

Luckily they don't stay long because too much heat kills them, but on mild weather days we can see them everywhere. And woe to "crush them". Not only for ethical reasons, but also for the consequences on clothes and walls that would be indelible: the red substance released, in fact, which is not blood but hemolymph, is difficult, if not impossible, to remove on fabrics and surfaces.

Also because these little mites they pose no health risk, are completely harmless and rarely enter the house because they tend, however, to avoid contact with humans or pets. There tend to be no consequences for plants either, although they are often invaded because these insects feed on larvae and bird droppings. For this reason we find them in large quantities also on windowsills or in any case in places frequented by pigeons and birds. Furthermore, the red spiders concentrate on railings and walls precisely because they literally "recharge" themselves with the sun: during the winter they hide among the plants or under the bark of the trees, using the energy accumulated in the spring. In summer, on the other hand, they go back to hiding because of the "too hot".

Even if, as mentioned, they do not represent a danger to plants, their concentration can lead to the drying of leaves and their early fall in particular of various vegetables, including tomatoes and beans, as well as ornamental plants and trees. from fruit. In the case of beans, and with particular reference to soy, it can attack both the leaves and the pods.

With them it is completely useless to use insecticides or other herbicides. So how is it possible to act in a natural way to prevent the spider mite from ruining our plants and our crops? How to keep them away from our windowsills?

Index

Biological fight

La biological struggle the red spider occurs through the use of another mite, a predator towards it. It is called phytoseid mite Phytoseiulus persimilis The latter is placed on the leaves of plants infested with red spider mites in such a way that it can naturally counteract them. Other useful predators are represented by ladybugs.

Garlic

THEgarlic it's a natural insecticide which can be used to counteract the presence of the red spider, as well as in the case of aphids. We recommend getting 20 grams of garlic to divide into cloves and pour into a saucepan containing half a liter of boiling water. The garlic will need to simmer for 15 minutes. Then you will have to turn off the flame, let it cool and filter the liquid, and then apply it on the plants and their leaves with a nebulizer, in the evening hours. (Read also: How to use garlic against garden pests)

Expanded clay

Red spider mites can't stand them humid environments. For this reason it may be useful to cover the bottom of your jars with a layer of expanded clay balls, before filling them with soil, so that it can retain humidity and discourage the arrival of mites. The expanded clay also contributes to maintaining a correct temperature of the soil inside the pots and regulates the drainage of water. It should therefore always be used in this sense to prepare pots for transplants.

Irrigation

The red spider is more widespread in hot and arid areas. These are climatic conditions that contribute to favoring its proliferation and diffusion among plants, fruit trees and in the vegetable garden. Especially on days of intense heat and drought, it is therefore good increase irrigation, to be performed preferably in the evening, so that humidity discourages its presence.

Water spray

To eliminate the red spider from potted plants it is possible to act using sprays containing simple water, in particular in the case of a presence that is still rather mild and to limit its diffusion. The use of water, to be sprayed directly on the leaves and shoots, is the quickest deterrent for the spider mite, which hates humidity. For potted and indoor plants it is possible to carry out a complete washing with water, but always in the evening or keeping the plants still damp away from direct sun.

Marseille soap

One of the most used biological methods for the fight against parasites of plants and the garden is represented by the use of natural Marseille soap to be dissolved in water in small quantities, in order to obtain a liquid to be sprayed directly on the leaves of the plants after sunset. Dissolve a tablespoon of liquid castile soap or soap flakes in hot water, let cool and used on plants to combat aphids and spider mites, applying it with a spray container. (Read also: Marseille soap: 10 alternative uses for cleaning the house and garden ...)

Onions

Proceed by slicing and chopping an onion, without discarding the peel. The onion must be poured into a pot containing 1 liter of water. Everything must be brought to a boil and left to simmer for 20 minutes. It must be allowed to cool and filtered before use on plants and in the garden, using a spray bottle. The application must always be carried out in the evening so as not to risk burning the plants. (Read also: Natural remedies: 10 alternative uses of onion)

Rosemary essential oil

One of the natural remedies against the red spider is made up ofessential oil of rosemary. A few drops of rosemary essential oil can be dissolved in a container filled with water, equipped with a spray pump. The container will need to be shaken before use. The preparation can be sprayed on plants and their leaves in the evening.

Removal of leaves

In the presence of particularly infested leaves by the red spider, it is recommended di carry out their removal. The leaves must be picked by hand and removed from your garden, plants or vegetable garden. They can be packed in a bag or burned. It is a measure that allows to prevent the infestation of other plants by the parasite.

Homemade mix

Un homemade mix against the spider mite can be prepared by mixing a teaspoon of ecological dish soap and a teaspoon of vegetable oil to a liter of water. The ingredients must be poured into a container from shake before using. The preparation can be sprayed on the most infested plants in the evening.

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