Spider mites are a common garden pest that can quickly wreak havoc on your aarons beard plant. These tiny arachnids pierce plant cells and suck out the fluids, causing the foliage to yellow, wilt and dry out. Left unchecked, spider mites spread rapidly and can kill a plant in a short period of time. Don’t let these minuscule monsters destroy your beautiful aarons beard! With some diligence and the right techniques, you can get rid of spider mites from your plant and restore its health and vigor.
Identifying Spider Mite Infestations
The first step in eradicating spider mites is learning how to spot the signs of an infestation Some telltale indicators include
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Fine webbing on leaves and stems – Spider mites spin silky webs for protection so look for delicate threads dangling from your plant.
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Tiny red yellow, green or brown spots on leaves – These speckles are caused by the mites sucking out plant fluids.
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Stippled, yellowing foliage – Leaves will develop a mottled, bleached appearance as mites drain them of chlorophyll.
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Specks of dirt on leaves that move – Use a magnifying glass to confirm that the “dirt” consists of tiny crawling mites.
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Leaf wilting and drying – Left uncontrolled, mites will literally suck the life out of your plant.
Regularly inspect the undersides of leaves and the places where leaves join stems. These are favorite hiding spots for these nearly microscopic pests. Catch an infestation early before major damage occurs.
Non-Chemical Methods to Eliminate Mites
Once you confirm the presence of spider mites, take prompt action. But avoid toxic chemical miticides which can harm beneficial insects, pets and people. Instead, control mites with these safe, natural methods:
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Strong water spray – Blast mites off foliage with a forceful jet from your hose. Remember to spray the undersides of leaves.
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Insecticidal soap – Mix soap with water per label instructions and spray mites directly. Kill mites on contact while leaving plant unharmed.
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Neem oil – This organic pesticide smothers mites and disrupts their reproductive cycle. It’s safe for people and pets.
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Rubbing alcohol – Wipe down leaves with a soft cloth dipped in 70% isopropyl alcohol to dessicate mites. Don’t use on delicate vegetation.
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Horticultural oil – Smother mites by coating plants with lightweight summer oil. Avoid cooler weather use which can burn foliage.
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Diatomaceous earth – This powdery mineral pierces the exoskeleton of mites, killing them by dehydration. Use food grade only.
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Predatory mites – Release beneficial mites like Phytoseiulus persimilis which feed on spider mites but not plants. They’ll eat infestations and stick around to fend off future outbreaks.
Physical Removal Tactics
In addition to applying pesticides, you can manually eliminate mites with some diligent hands-on effort:
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Prune away heavily infested parts – Remove badly damaged leaves and stems which likely harbor large mite populations. Properly dispose of the trimmings.
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Use a soft brush to dislodge mites from foliage. Hold a collecting tray underneath and discard the pests.
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Vacuum mites with a handheld vacuum. Empty and dispose of the vacuum bag afterwards so mites don’t escape back onto plants.
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Wash small plants by submerging entirely in warm soapy water to detach mites. Rinse thoroughly afterwards.
Regularly cleaning plants helps suppress mite numbers before they explode out of control. Combine manual removal with other organic treatments for best effect.
Environmental Controls
You can also implement certain environmental modifications to create an inhospitable habitat for spider mites:
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Raise humidity around plants. Mites thrive in hot, dry conditions.
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Remove dust from leaves with a damp cloth. Dust particles can serve as food for mites.
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Avoid overcrowding of plants which allows mites to spread rapidly to new hosts.
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Add reflective mulch around plants which drives away mites by increasing light intensity.
Making the local environment less favorable to mites will help eliminate an infestation and discourage future ones.
Preventative Measures
An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure when it comes to dealing with spider mites. Here are some tips to avoid infestations in the first place:
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Hose plants down periodically to keep mite populations low.
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Release predatory mites before problems start as an early intervention.
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Avoid excess nitrogen fertilization which produces soft, susceptible growth that attracts mites.
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Check new plants closely before bringing home to ensure they are pest-free. Quarantine new arrivals for a few weeks to be safe.
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Provide proper growing conditions for plant health and vigor which helps deter pests.
With diligence and attentiveness, you can prevent catastrophic mite infestations and keep your landscape thriving.
What to Do After Getting Rid of Mites
Once you banish the spiders from your aarons beard, take a few additional steps to help the plant recover and prevent a repeat outbreak:
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Move the treated plant away from uninfested vegetation until it fully recovers.
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Apply a nitrogen-rich fertilizer to encourage lush new growth after pest damage.
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Continue monitoring closely for any lingering mites and promptly spot-treat as needed.
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Consider applying a systemic insecticide to the soil for root uptake and lasting residual protection.
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Improve growing conditions by addressing any cultural issues weakening the plant.
With some finish-up care, your plant will make a full comeback from the spider mite attack. Just don’t let your guard down against their return!
Left unchecked, spider mites can rapidly multiply and seriously hurt your prized aarons beard. But by recognizing the signs of infestation early and taking prompt countermeasures, you can successfully rid your plant of these tiny tormentors. Employ a multipronged approach combining manual removal, natural pesticides, cultural modifications and prevention. With persistence and dedication, you can reclaim a healthy, flourishing aarons beard free of damaging spider mites.
How Do I Get Rid of Spider Mites?
Over the years, weve written many articles on how to control spider mites. The methods below are the ones we have found to be most effective at killing spider mites with the least amount of harm to the hibiscus plants. The method each of us chooses depends on the circumstances – how many hibiscus plants we have, how big the plants are, whether they are indoors or outdoors, in a house or greenhouse, in pots or in the ground, etc. At HVH we have hibiscus growing in the greenhouse, in the ground in an outside garden, indoors in a house environment, and outside on porches and decks in pots. We use different pest control methods for each of these different sets of hibiscus. Very few of us have extra time to waste, so efficiency matters! Both of these methods work. Its just a matter of finding the method thats quickest, easiest, and most efficient for your hibiscus and their growing circumstances.
This is our favorite method for all hibiscus growing in small-medium pots and for houseplant hibiscus. You only have to do it ONCE to kill all spider mites and their eggs. It kills every kind of spider mite, even the most microscopic ones that can hide in cracks in the bark. This method does require precision and care. Youll need a timer and a thermometer – a kitchen “candy” thermometer is perfect. If the water is too hot or you leave the plants too long, you can damage the leaves and they will all fall off after treatment. If the water is much too hot and you leave the plants much too long, you could actually kill a very young plant. But if the water is too cool or if you dont leave the plants in the water long enough, you wont dissolve the covers of the eggs and kill the growing larvae, which means the infestation will come right back.
 A Large Sock on a Small Pot |
- Wrap the hibiscus plant pots in some kind of fabric or extra heavy aluminum foil and use a twist tie to secure the fabric or foil around the base of the plant. Fabric and aluminum foil let water through to the pot, while keeping the soil in place, so any spider mites in the pot will be drowned. Dont use plastic bags to secure your pots or you will carefully protect any spider mites that are living inside the pot and soil. Large socks or pantyhose work well, as does cheesecloth to wrap up small pots, and pillow cases work well for large pots. Extra heavy aluminum foil works for pots of any size.
- Lay several hibiscus plants on their sides, pots and all, in a bathtub. You can put many of them close together in a single layer in the bottom of the tub.
- Fill the tub with water that is bathwater temperature – about 90°F (32°C). It should not be so hot that you cant comfortably keep your skin in it. What feels too hot to skin will risk damaging your plants leaves.
- Fill the tub until all the plants are covered, and weight the plants down to make sure all parts of all plants are submerged in the water. (An easy way to weight them is to cover the plants with two large towels, then to pull the two shelf racks out of your oven and lay those carefully over the top of the towels.)
- Leave the plants submerged in the water for 45-60 minutes.
- Drain out the water and stand the plants up in the tub until the excess water drains out of the pots.
- Remove the fabric covers, and scoop any loose soil in the fabric back into the plant pots.
- Leave the plants out of bright light for a few hours to rest, then put them back where they belong. Be careful not to water the plants again until the soil dries out after this thorough soaking.
Unless plants are recontaminated by exposure to another infected plant, plants should remain free of spider mites, aphids, and other pests for 4-6 months or more. This method has the added advantage of leaching out any build-up of fertilizer salts in potted plants, which needs to be done once or twice a year. So it is two plant-care activities in one.
My Hibiscus Leaves are Turning Yellow!
 Yellow Leaves on an Otherwise-Healthy Plant The First Sign of Spider Mites |
Spider mites pop up in hot, dry growing conditions, such as a very sunny window inside a house or outside in high heat in a dry climate. Spider mites dont tolerate rain or plants that get wet frequently. They need dry plants in high heat to survive. If you are seeing yellow leaves on your plant and it is raining every day, this is not spider mites! Spider mites die in that kind of rain. Rain alone can cause leaves to turn yellow if it goes on and on. But if you are seeing an increasing number of yellow leaves and your plant is inside a house in a sunny window, or outside in a hot dry summer, then chances are that your hibiscus does have spider mites. In these kind of perfect, hot, dry conditions, spider mites can reproduce rapidly and eventually kill off every leaf on your plant, so it is important to deal with them as early as possible.
Super Simple Spider Mite Control and Prevention
FAQ
Can a plant recover from spider mites?
What is the best treatment for spider mites?
What is the best homemade spider mite killer?
How long does it take to get rid of spider mites on plants?
How do you kill Spider mites?
Dust the powder on the plant’s leaves, stems, and surrounding soil. You can also make a homemade spider mite killer spray by mixing 4 tablespoons of diatomaceous earth with a gallon of water. Use it to spray the critters. Once the solution dries out, it will dehydrate them to death. 9. Hot Pepper Spray
How do you get rid of spider mites on plants?
Simply wash the buggers away! Pressure-sprayed water is a surprisingly effective against spider mites, whether using a power spray from your hose outside or just a strong stream from a spray bottle on houseplants. Blast plants from below to hit the back of leaves.
Can Horticultural oil remove spider mites?
Horticultural Oil & Soaps Ultrafine horticultural oil sprays can be effective for removing spider mites on contact, but make sure to thoroughly spray the plants as they work on contact. Apply in the morning, or when the weather does not get above 75 degrees Fahrenheit.
Do I need a UVB lamp to kill Spider mites?
However, unless you specialize in greenhouse-grown fruits and vegetables, you don’t need UVB lamps to rid your plants of spider mites. Just use the methods described above. They’re both easier to use and more affordable overall. Water: Honestly, I have no idea why so many people tout water as an effective spider mite killer.