How to Get Rid of Spider Mites on Indoor Plants
A Fiddle Leaf Fig shows signs of spider mites.
Checked your plant's fronds lately? Aside from watering and dusting, checking for insects from time to time should be part of maintaining your plant's health. Check the undersides of leaves and all the stems. If you spot any thin silky webs, it's likely that a few spider mites have decided to take up residency. Treat the problem ASAP to prevent it from spreading.
What are spider mites?
Spider mites, contrary to popular belief, are actually not spiders. They are rather tiny arachnids (that do spin webs, hence “spider” in the name!), that often appear on the undersides of leaves, most commonly in hot and dry conditions. They make large colonies, breed quickly in 1-2 weeks, and feed off plants’ tissue and sap.
Here are a few simple steps to naturally get rid of spider mites:
Clean off your plant with a sturdy stream of cold water in your sink, shower, or outdoors with a hose. Thoroughly spray the tops and bottoms of leaves and stems to completely wash away all webs, mites, and eggs.
Let your plant dry off, then treat the infested areas with a natural pesticide like Neem Oil
Repeat this process once a week for three weeks to make sure the mites don't come back
As mentioned earlier, spider mites often appear when conditions are hot and dry. If this is a regular issue for you, try adding humidity and air circulation to your plant's environment, or using our black olive oil soap as a preventative measure by regularly cleaning your plant with the spray. These pesky critters essentially feed on your plants, draw out their nutrients needed to survive, and cause leaves to drop until the plant eventually dies. Luckily, they're easy to control if caught early!
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