Mites Love Heat

The heat is on! Throughout the Rocky Mountain region, we've been experiencing the dog days of summer. Working in the garden is hard when it's hot. Try to get garden chores done early in the day so you can sit back and relax with a tall glass of iced tea (with some sprigs of fresh mint from the herb patch stirred in) when the temperatures are soaring.by John and Jeri Cretti


Cooling Down the Garden
The yard and garden appreciate a light misting when it's really hot. Use a special misting nozzle; it's not only a fun summer activity for the family, but very effective. This moisture will cool down the foliage, and contrary to the old myth, moisture on the foliage will not cause scorched spots. If it did, any afternoon shower followed by sunshine would burn up all the leaves.

Identifying Mites on Foliage
While the hot weather is often intolerable to gardeners, it's perfect for some pests in the garden, especially spider mites. Mite-infested foliage on evergreen and deciduous trees and shrubs develops a sickly yellow or mottled look. An easy way to confirm that your plants are under attack by mites is to hold a sheet of white paper underneath the leaves or needles. Shake the branch forcefully; if mites are present, the shaking will knock them the paper. They appear as tiny, moving specks. As spider mite populations explode, you may notice the fine, spider-like webbing mites use to travel throughout a plant.

Natural Mite Predators
Several natural predators, such as lacewing larvae, predatory mites, and ladybugs will help keep mites in check. If you find any of these predators in your foliage, avoid spraying pesticides that will harm them.

Mite Home Remedies
When you detect a minor infestation of mites, you can wash them off the plant with a forceful spray of water. Be sure to direct the water to the underside of the foliage. Repeat every few days to break up the life cycle of these destructive pests.

You can also try our homemade recipe of miticidal soap. Mix 1 to 2 teaspoons of mild, liquid dishwashing soap in a gallon of water and spray it on the infested foliage. (Don't use dishwashing soaps that contain bleach, water softeners, or degreasers, as they can burn the leaves.) Again, be sure to direct the spray to the underside of the foliage.

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