Do you need an insecticide for spider mites? I understand you! This is a very common parasite that affects practically any plant, whether or not it is outdoors. The discolored dots that appear on the leaves, as well as the fine cobwebs that it weaves between them, give it away.
Fortunately, we have both chemical and home remedies that we can use to help our crops overcome it.
What types of insecticides are there?
Insecticides can be classified into two large groups:
- Chemical insecticides: are those that contain an active material (usually an organophosphate, which is an organic compound that contains phosphorous-carbon bonds) used to control pests.
- Advantages:
- They are very fast effective.
- They are usually inexpensive.
- Disadvantages:
- They harm the environment, especially if they are used intensively.
- They are toxic to humans too.
- Advantages:
- Natural insecticides: are those that come from nature itself.
- Advantages:
- They help the plant to fight pests in a natural way, strengthening its immune system.
- Many of them also serve as fertilizers.
- Disadvantages:
- They are slow effective.
- Therefore, they are used more as preventives.
- Advantages:
Which is the best against spider mites?
Image - JabonesdeGuara.blogspost.com
Now that we have an idea of the insecticides that we find in the market or at home, we have to know which one to use against the red spider:
Chemical insecticide
I recommend using the chemical insecticide when the pest is very advanced and the plant has already started to have a bad time; that is, when its leaves already look more yellow than green, and / or have started to fall.
So, since the spider mite is a mite (and not an arachnid), you have to buy an insecticide that is miticidal, like this:
Natural insecticide
The natural insecticide it is very effective both to prevent and when the plant shows the first symptoms plague; that is, when we begin to see some cobwebs or yellow dots on the leaves.
In nurseries there are many ready-to-use, like this:
However, we can't forget about home remedies that will be very useful:
- Sprinkle sulfur on the leaves.
- Ensure that the ambient humidity is high. This is achieved by spraying the leaves if the plant is outside and it is summer, or with a humidifier.
- Eliminate wild herbs, as they tend to act as a reservoir for the pest.
- Use natural products, such as potassium soap (you can get it here) or the neem oil (on sale here).
- Rotate crops (here you have information about it).
I hope that with these remedies you can enjoy very healthy plants 🙂. If you want to know more about the Red spider, click on the link.