I was told that misting helps, they don't like water, but it's to cold to do this, also what about Cinnimen I was told that works also, nasty little buggers. I try to find natural ways to get rid of pests, it is safer for all of us. Norma

Try Bayer 3-in-1 insecticide, available in a ready to use sprayer, or as concentrate. It is effective against mealy bugs, fungus, and spider mites.

I use that as well, but found a few more receipes, too late tonight to type them out for you but will try to get to it tommow. I think I had beetles eating my San. It didn't kill them however. *Try this one 2 cups flour 1/4 c. of buttermilk
in two gallons of water use handheld mist sprayer,
and douse your mite-plagued plants from top to bottom. We have wiped out their natural enemies (of whom they have zillioins) have been wiped out by chemical pesticides. *FROM Supermarket Super Gardens by Jerry Baker9 I'll try to get in a few more tomorrow. I have another one or two. Norma

Norma,
I'm a huge fan of Jerry Baker and try to always use his remidies!

I don't have my books handy at the moment, packed away because we remodeld the house.

I know another one he was big on was several cloves of garlic, and minced onion. Let it sit overnight, strain it and use that with I think a quart of water and spray plants.

Bugs hate the smell. Do you blame them? LOL!

JoJo

If you dont have buttermilk on hand, you can make your own.

Its just 1 Tablespoon of vinegar to one cup of milk. stir well and let sit for a few minutes.

I'm a rose grower and have been dealing with spidermites for years on them. I think that the sm would just love the Kelthane. It hasn't worked on roses since before I was growing them (20 years).
I've used Avid and Floramite with some success but once you get a load of the $$$ you'll try all kinds of home remedies first! (actually a strong jet of water is the best)
Just for fun I've added a link so you can see how much miticides cost...I hope you are sitting down.

Here is a link that might be useful: miticides

Neem oil does work if used appropiately..

To make it even more potent but safe, I mix it with alchohol,murphies oil soap, fish emulsion, and dish soap,in a sprayer with warm water. This does work. I have rid them completely in the past..
The key is to continue spraying on a weekly basis until all the next generations are gone, including the stragglers left behind you might of missed the first time..

Fyi, humidity does nothing for them, unless its cold too.Hunidity and very warm temps make them blossom.. So does dry heat and warmth.

Fyi, most systemics don't work either, since the nasty buggers are immune to most these days..Not even Bayer insect control can kill them..Therefore the word so sneakily used on these products.."controls", not kills.
A false claim if it says kills...
Been there, done that...Wasted alot of money....

Mites are not immune to your own recipes though, and they work.. They never know what to expect...If toni reads this post, she can tell you what she uses....She has posted several times on the fragrance forums and here, and hers works too..
I have been using Al's this year, and havn't had a mite so far...Crossing my fingers..:-)

Ok, well, since I didn't really know how much alcohol, murphy's oil soap, fish emulsion or dish soap to add Or how the Flour and buttermilk will cake on my plants, so I just went ahead and ordered Forbid. I figured, it's a good systemic and I'm so tired of F@%*ing around with these bugs! This way they're gone! at least until they develop a resistance.
In the mean time, maybe you guys could tell me about the above?

Thanks
Paul

In a spray bottle, I mix one capful of cold pressed neem oil, about 8 drops of dish soap, half water and half alchohol, a capful of any fish emulsion, and 1/2 a capful of murphies oil soap..Mix in warm water and spray away, making sure to spray under leaves, on top, branches, top of soil, and pot...It works wonders..Been mite free for the first time ever!

I am in a testing stage for scale..This is the first year I have had to deal with these..Hoping this mix works well for that before I too turn to chemical..

Mike...:-)

Hope this helps....

Hi Mike...

how does the fish emulsion help? Just courios.. or is it one of those things that works and you dont ask why... just do it..LOL!

I always have it on hand.. :) Yard smells like a lake after I use it though.. LOL!

JoJo

I use alcohol 25 -75% water for scale. Then wait 5 minutes and just wash them off, or use a soft toothbrush and they just fall off. Now you really have to keep after the attack of insects, bugs, weekly check your plants and get them right away, I also allow spiders to stay in my greenhouse, they eat mites also any anything else they can catch. Ladybugs realeased at night also does the trick getting rid of mealies, with out using any thing that can damage the plants. By the way I helped with a test of using hormones to root plants we had three rows, 2 with differnt hormones, one without anything, just a general mix. Hormones didn't make a difference, so we didn't waste money on it. We only use one mix most of the time, very rarely we add extra pumice, or extra orchid bark. I also found out that Weeping Willow made into a tea and used for watering plants adds auxins which make them reproduce, I haven't tried this yet. I can't find a Willow tree. Is there a chemist in the house? I have some questions to ask of you.? When you use the flour in mixes, you don't leave it on to dry, I wash my plants off before it can dry and harden. You don't spray it on that thick we arn't making bread. Norma

I used to be "the great experimenter" on my roses. I'd try about anything. After some cases of spray burn and near total defoliation I'm not so much into home remedies. Other things that I tried for blackspot just did NOT work! It would be really cool if they did. I've used neem...according to directions on scale and spidemites and the results were not satisfactory. I know they everyone's situation is different and if it works for you GO FOR IT. I know roses are different than succulents but the bugs remain the same.
Good luck out there and be careful with whatever you use.

Laural1,
I'm sorry you've had trouble with home remedies.
Roses are fickle plants to begin with. I gave up on them years ago.

It's everyones own choice, but I hope more will consider home remedies.

Jerry Baker is a world known Master Gardner with tons of books published on home remedies. I have several of his books and live by them. Well used to, loaned them to daddy and havent been able to pry them out of his hands! LOL!

The one Norma is suggesting is from Jerry Baker.

What Mike is suggesting is from someone here who has had years of expierence.

I'm sure there are alot out there that dont work, but what's being shared here is from expierence.

I was told by Arid Lands to use the alcohol in the same manner as Norma states for mealie bugs.

This forum is great that someone can come here and ask these kind of questions and be given options.

Your right, the plants may differ but the bugs are the same.

I wont criticize anyone using chemicals, but hope more consider home rememdies. At least the ones shared here that have good results.

One thing to remember if treating a plant outside it must be done very early or at dusk so the sun doesnt cook it.
JoJo

I will tell you that Norma is 100%%%%% right about killing mealies with alchohol..

I killed thousands at work with a straight rubbing alchohol, 70%, on a cloudy day, did not a bit of damage to my plants, but boy did I wipe out most mealies, until a second spray less than a week later killed all the rest.....They are gone:-) I mean GONE for good.. Thanks Norma! You are the best!

Didn't have any rubbing alcohol, so I used Stolichnaya. That works, too.

Say what ya want about Jerry Baker but he lives in my neck of the woods and I know too much about him (personal and otherwise)and I don't think too highly of him. I'm a Master Gardener too...so what does that make me? an expert? NOT!
Master Gardeners are not allowed to use the title "Master Gardener" to farther themselves monetarily. They are also supposed give information that is supported by research...that source would be, in this case, the University of Florida.
To be a Master Gardener one must volunteer (currently) 35 hours a year to retain the MG title. It isn't something you "get" and forever after have the title. And it is a title...not a degree of higher learning although we do have some training.
"American's Master Gardener" ? He's a quack pure and simple.
Now he's making arthritis cream! Hmm, I didn't know MGs did that too!
...stepping down from my soapbox.

If you don't have alcohol use Whisky, Dry Gin, Sherry what is left over in the closet. I don't know the alcohol content. Windex will work well also,don't over kill. I use Murphy's oil, I use plain old hand soap from a bar of soap add a little coconut oil, please report back to us what the rest of you use. I have used Mr. Clean on ants, they have not come back in the past ten years that I have sprayed them. Norma

Hi Norma,
Thanks for these suggestions! Do you use the whisky full strength or dillute it?

JoJo

JoJo, add just a little ice, depending upon the vintage... ;)

ROFL!
Thanks greenman, after the day I had shopping, that sounds like a good idea! ;)