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My Mom is having a severe invasion of red spider mites on her peach tree and is looking for some natural ways to keep them off or kill them. She does not want to use any sort of pesticide as they have fruit. Any suggestions ?
My first thought was something as simple as soap and water - so I went off to do a search on that and found the following interesting tidbit...
Spider mite infestations are most likely to begin in very hot and dry weather (they seem to dislike moist conditions so you can discourage them with a daily (morning) misting of your plants with the garden hose). But once you see the signs of spider mite infection environmentally safe control may be accomplished by hosing down the plants every couple of days with a forceful water spray. Insecticidal soap works well too. Broad spectrum insecticides should NOT be used as spider mites are rapidly becoming resistant to most chemical pesticides, which, by the way, also kill off their natural predators. As a result, the spider mite population often increases, rather than declines, following an application of insecticide.
The other product that came to mind - it is a newer natural solution that many garden centers have recommended for some of the many bugs that are immune to other pesticides. The product is called BioNeem by Safer. You would need to mix quite a bit and apply it a few times...the water and the soap option may be a good first choice to try...
a GREAT NEW PRODUCT has hit the market. It is called Spinosad and is made by GreenLight. It is like cream of tartar, but instead of finding it in wine barrels, it is the residue left over from rum. It kills fire ants and any leaf sucking bug, like spider mites. It does not kill beneficial bugs like lady bugs.
