My calocasia has spider mites:( Just noticed it yesterday so I threw it into quarantine. This is my first plant to have pests, so I was wondering if I need to take it out of the soil and scrub the roots down with a hydrogen peroxide mix also or just the leaves?? And the new leaf is super chewed up from the mites I assume so I should try to clean that guy off as much as I can without damaging it?
Good clean with loop warm shower, pot bag over top of soil, before showering, then only the top 2inches of soil dispose off, then top of with new soil, I wouldn’t scrub or disturb the roots as it could stun the new leaf growth . Once done apply solution at end, many on the underside of the leaf, you with need to reapply again after 3 or 4 days to get any new hatch ones that manage to stay on leaf
1 mi piace Would also be best to spray a solution to any plants that were near it, normally some neem oil with peppermint oil or caster oil with hydrogen peroxide. But only tiny amounts , and add to water, you can find recipes for qualities online
1 mi piace Best to use 3 percent hydrogen peroxide, not any stronger
1 mi piace Thank you so much!!
0 Mi piaceDefinitely don't dislodge the roots and start scrubbing them. Generally, spider mites do not inhabit the soil. They lay their eggs on the backs of the leaves so when you spray make sure you're spraying the backs of the leaves also. Mitesides would be available at any good garden center. Make sure you get a miticide. I like to use neem sometimes but remember it only kills insects that it touches. It works as a suffocate on soft bodied insect and inhibits feeding so that it interrupts their life cycle. It works but you have to apply it frequently. Spider mites are pesky little critters. Difficult but not impossible to get rid of. I would give it a good shower as Tom recommended and then follow that with a treatment of mitecide or consistent neem treatments.
2 Mi piace Sounds good! Thank you so much!
0 Mi piace