Ok all I need big time help here. I had this powdery substance on my EE's last year and when I brought them in I cut all the leave they did fine for awhile but now look it is back. I was told at one time spider mites and sprayed them but it doesnt seem to help. So all you experts out there tell me what to do. Here is a couple of pictures. This time I dont see the powder stuff on the back of the leaves but it was last year.
Another picture of one of the others.
OH that second picture is blurry but you can see how bad it is. One of the EE's is in Potted media the other is in straight water do be put next to or in the bog.
Thanks
Beck
If that is Spider mite then spraying just once won't touch it. You will need to keep spraying every 7 days (depending on your chemicals)
Use something systemic and dont beat around the bush by using organic stuff, in my opinion there just not man enough. Of course someone will say they are! lol
Spider mite hates getting wet, but will live on the edge of water so you can mist regular to help annoy them!
Mike
Hi ya Mike good to see ya. I have started my MGs and they are doing well so far. I spayed the things several times last year but mayby not every 7 days or so. I will have to try that again. Think I will wait til I take them outside though is that a better idea (outside)
Beck
Hiya Beck,
I'm a few weeks behind you so won't be doing Mg's for a bit. I tried early last year and found the later ones where just as good as i could plant them out quicker.
Spider mite is a real pain. I struggled with it all last year. I used stuff that you water into the compost and stuff you spray on and still didn't clear it completely. I think you need to spray as soon as possible inside or out!
Have fun
Mike
COuld it be a fungus or mold? Never had spider mites so don't know what they look like.
Tropic, You are so lucky not to have had spider mite.
There almost microscopic but you can see the effects. Slight cobwebbing on bad infestations and yellowing of the leaves as if they had been pricked with a tiny pin all over. If you have sensitive fingers when you feel the leaf it will feel gritty or dusty.
Mike
Yes the nasty gritty and dusty yucko yucko
I just got a bunch of consentrate Seven at an auction yesterday I will check if it does spider mites and use it. If it doesnt I will go to wally world and pick something up.
Beck
Good luck..... never heard of those chems over here!
Mike
That first picture looks like Spider Mite damage. Have you tested the plant by holding a white piece of paper underneath a leaf and giving the leaf a firm tap? If you see little dots fall to the paper and start moving around, you do have spider mites. One of my Alocasias grown indoors got spider mites and the leaves looked like that. I used Neem oil over the course of several weeks and those critters were never seen again.
GrowHappy
Thank you that is exactly what I just did and guess what them little bugger were crawling all over the place. Will get some Neem oil and get rid of them thank you thank you
Beck
Neem oil is like gold rocking horse dropping here so no chance me getting rid of mine that way!
Mike
I know you can get it in Germany. I could find you a link if you are still interested...
Do you still have the spider mite problem? I am going stark starring bonkers over this...
I am not using heavy chemicals but about everything people have ever suggested...
Nothing really helps: no misting, no spraying with soap solutions, they seem to have eternal live...
I haven't seen this thread in awhile.
Mike, you really can't get Neem oil? It's easily available around here if you ever need any.
I am still struggling with the mites, my main problem is that they are in a secluded backyard... I have read a report about somebody who had them on a NY garden terrace. This guy almost lost it because whatever he put on the garden terrace was butchered by the mite. So my chances are small I know that because combined with the hot Moroccan sun if I don't combat the mite at a very early stage, I have lost the battle. Last year all my ipomoeas, which were healthy plants with lots of foliage and flowers, were completely destroyed within 10 days. Until I realised what the problem was and what to do, it WAS TO LATE.
HOWEVER, I am studying the little bugger and have tried several home methods...at the moment I am spraying with a mixture of 50% alcohol mixed with the same amount of water and some drops of dish-washing liquid. As they are so tiny they surround themselves with an air-bubble, so even if you use a pesticide/miticide, I would think once the bubble bursts much of this dissolves in air...
So the open secret is to add a few drops of dish-washing liquid to relieve the surface tension of the solution. I can keep them pretty much at bay, however, there is always new ones from the eggs...
There is another link suggesting recipes: I have also read in Wikipedia if you use garlic and onion skins and pour COLD water on the skins and let it stand over night that this kills them because of the allicin that seems to be a good remedy against sucking insects. I may try that next.
By the way, I am dead against these chemicals because they make things worse. I read an interesting article you could find it yourself on this website: www.sciencedirect.com where you need to type in spider mites and then you can read the little summaries that explains in a nutshell what the whole article is about. It said there that some of the chemicals used have reverse effects because they cause the spider mite females to lay more eggs...
http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/541363/
Have you tried Neem, gofast? I never have because I haven't ended up with too many bug problems except leaf rollers, and dish soap and water works fine on them.
Haven't tried Neem. I live in Morocco, so I would have to get via Germany. I am not sure it will go through customs clearance ok because they open every packet...
I had willow aphid on my pussy willow tree..... the only thing that helped was a 3 in 1 spray used for 2 weeks straight
the good thing is the bees were helping me get rid of them... but they had to go .... there must have been a few hundred bees right next to my deck
http://davesgarden.com/guides/bf/go/1150/
I found using the spray right on top of them worked more effectively.... was fun dodging the bees while spraying but they are gone now....
good luck
Allison
I did not read all the other post so I maybe repeating what to do. This is spidermites they are bad this year due to lack of rain. First I would say cut off your leaves that look this bad. Spray with malathon or neem oil repeat after 1 week. It should be fine after that.
Wow to my suprise to see this thread again. And I just cut all my leaves off of all of my plant cuz I used a chem that killed all the leaves. But the plants are coming back just beautiful. But I still need to get neem oil just cant find any around here. does someone have a good link to get it online.
Thanks
And HI too all my DG friends.
Beck
Beck --they sell Neem here at our Lowe's, I'd imagine they'd sell it in Decatur, too. Not crazy about shopping mega-corporate, but it is good that they now carry quite a few organic products
Just wanted to jump in here with a suggestion to deter mites for organic gardeners....once you get an out-break under control, try worm castings - mixed into the soil or top dress the pot with it.... I use them mixed into my medium for brugs.. they are not readily available in my area, but you can order online... it's worm poop..... yea, I pay money for it and more money to have it shipped to me... seems silly, but seems to work on the brugs. I will try it on my ee's this year, I'll try to keep them alive under lights in the basement. Coffee Cups battled them all last winter in my office, but I'd forgotten to mix the WP into the pot... I think I will top dress all pots coming in the house in a few weeks. It won't help with existing mite problems (couldn't hurt, tho).
I have heard that they help, too. I can't get castings here but we've kinda made worm bins and add stuff to the beds to attract worms--don't think the effect is quite the same, but folks that build real worm bins swear by them.
Colocasia leaves are super sensitive to many chemicals.
If you use Safer Soap, use it at night or protect the plant from light for several hours.
If things get really bad, I also like to take the plant into the shower (for water sensitive plants you can cover the pot to prevent too much watering). Dowse the leaves with lots of water. Then spray the leaves with Safer Soap and use a paper towel to clean each leaf. Then spray more Safer on and let sit in the humid room overnight. Repeat in 7 days, every 7 days until infestation is gone.
1. If protected from light, Safer seems to do a good job w/o leaf burn.
2. Individually washing each leaf helps ensure you get all surfaces.
3. Spraying additional Safer ensures no hiding in the nooks and crannies (especially at the base of the leaf stems)
4. The humidity also heps get rid of the pests and the EE love humidity.
Probably your bins offer the "castings" (nice name) in not so concentrated form.... ? I'd think they would be just as good, even better -yours are cheaper.... it's all poo, right? I just ordered some for about $1.65 a LB, includes shipping..... maybe I need to become a worm farmer....."Hey boss, take this job and....... I'm going to earn an honest/comfortable living being a worm farmer...... give up this day job........ play gardening... ship off a few bags of poop. Play some more......worst thing would be cleaning the worm poop from under my fingernails at the end of the day........ I can do that!
Well, our bins aren't made the way they're supposed to be really, it was just something the daughter (6 year old) and I do...she likes it and makes artwork for the cardboard tops.
So I know I don't get as many castings as I would if I just bought them, but it's fun and it works.
Tropicanna I will definately go to lowe's again i check this spring but havent sence then.
AuntieeeeeB how are ya worm poop well what is ferilizer but poop and we all use it.....lol
rox_male boy do i know what ya mean by sensative lost all the leave a sprayed. But luckly they are all coming back beautifuly. My poor illustris i thought i lost it. Here is a pic before i killed all the leaves..
OOOOPs those are the ones in the pond. hehehehe no mites on them. Now here is the beautiful illustris.
Oh my gosh what is going on guess the beauty doesnt want to show its face. One more try.......lol
tah dah there she is.
I am so glad the EE pulled through!
