Spider Mites

[Stevie Martens]

OK so I got these strawberry plants from a store and low and behold spider mites (Big surprise). My question is how do I get rid of them with out hurting my fish? I researched and found that soap will harm my fish any oil spray will harm my fish and lady bugs would work, but I don't want lady bugs all over my kitchen. so any suggestions?

[Nate Storey]

predatory mites or a (very) carefully applied  soap or oil spray (make sure none of it gets into your system solution!)

[George]

Knock them off with a strong spray of water.  Repeat every other day until they are gone.  Has worked for me for 20 years or so. 

[Converse]

Hi,
You can get rid of spider mites by applying worm casting tea that has been aerated for 12-24 hours. Be sure to cover the entire plant surface. The spidermites will be gone Worm casting tea in any concentration will not harm plants, and it is completely safe to use around ponds, children pets and fish...It is safe for your AP system!

Here is what you do....
Take 2/3 cup worm castings and add it to 1 gallon of non-chloinated water (if your tap water is chlorinated, let it sit out over night to let it gas-off.). Add 2-3 tablespoons of table sugar or molasses. Do not use honey (it has anti-bacterial qualities). Insert an air-stone attached to an airpump and let it aerate for 12 - 24 hours. If you do not have an air pump you can shake a jar (with a lid on it only when you shake it) to aerate once an hour.
After 12-24 hours the tea is ready to apply. Be sure to use it within 18 hourse after removing it from the aeration source, or when you quit shaking the jar containing the brewing tea. If you keep it aerated, you ean easily keep it for use for about 5 days.
When you brew the tea you can drop the castings into the brewing container loose, or in a loose weave cloth (as in like a teae bag). If you drop the tea in loose, you can strain it out with a piece of old panty hose, then put the strained tea in a hand pump sprayer for application. Those type of hand pump sprayers like you get household cleaners in work wonderfully (do not use one that has had toxic cleaners in it) for applying tea to your plants.
If you need less tea you can cut this recipe down by half, or double it (or multiply it) as needed.
Do not store brewed worm casting tea with a tight lid. It will build up pressure.

You can apply worm casting tea to house plants too. Once applied, it will not smell later, so your kitchen should be fine! Best of luck to you with whatever course you take to control these spidermites.

- Converse

[George]

I just saw "all over my kitchen."  The water spray will probably not work well for you indoors.  It takes too much water.

[Jon Parr]

All good advice. I use an oil spray called Organocide, made from soybean oil and soluble fish oil. Organicide smells like fish though, so I wouldn't spray it in the house. Spray every three days, alternating between the Organicide and worm casting tea.

[matthew ferrell]

I prefer to nuke them.  But for real though, even after they are "gone" treat for at least another week or two.  I use safer soap with no real issues to my system, but even it has a little odor.  Vlad has a recipe on here somewhere on one of my old post.

O and fyi, you can not drown them, or at least they survived 48 hours underwater.

[Jon Parr]

True that, Matthew. I've tried that as well. It does kill some, but not even as effective as spraying with water.

O and fyi, you can not drown them, or at least they survived 48 hours underwater.

[M reed B]

the best treatment for spidermites whether it be in the aquaponic garden or the soil garden is to dilute some liquid seaweed maybe a couple ounces to a gallon of water and spray the plant thoughouly.... no harm to fish and you....

[Glenn]

We haven't had mite problems in the AP yet but have used "Liquid Ladybug" in the soil bed garden and are impressed enough to trust it if those little boogers do invade our AP.