Spider Mites

I'm in a dry desert environment. My buddy (who I'm encouraging to join Dave's) has had major trouble with spider mites for 3 years running. She's been organic for 4 years now and is trying hard to stick it out. I suggested insecticidal soap sprays but have since found folks here stating that's ineffective. I told her I'd read that mites prefer our type of environment-dry-so perhaps a mister in the area would keep the environment enough more humid than they would care for? We live about 4 miles apart but somehow I don't have spider mites. I do have ladybugs and green lacewings every year in my yard but I don't hose off my plants regular and I mulch heavily.

Any tried and true methods you've found? Does rinsing the underside of the leaves work? Are there any beneficial that prey on spider mites and how do we attract them? The problems on are on her vegetables.

Any input would be appreciated

Chris

The only way I know to keep spider mites down in an organic way is to keep the environment as humid as you can (as you said already), not easy in your region!

Thanks Baa. I read about a "spider mite wand" which sounds like its just a long handled watering rose like the one I pay $2 for a Walmart last year. It creates a gentle watering and can be held so the water jets a little upward so would be useful for watering the underside of the leaves. Is that the main area they hide. Underneath the leaves.

Chris

Chris, I've never tried it but have recently read that if you mix pyrethrin or neem (both considered "organic") in with your insecticidal soap that would do the trick.

Thanks Shoe, I'll pass it on. Do you have spider mites yourself and how do you usually handle it?
c

No, I haven't had much trouble with spider mites. When there are lots of plants growing in the gh I have overhead sprinklers I turn on to water them all at once. I'm sure the humidity in there keeps them down. I do get other bugs in there tho that are frustrating tho! (Fungas knats, MICE, and right now am trying to figure out what is eating the leaves on my lemon tree. I never see any bugs on it, but the leaves are being eaten similar to how a caterpillar would eat them, i.e., not leaving shotgun holes in them but rather eating the edges and working its way around.)

Guess we all have our trade-offs in the bug world, eh?

Back to mites, I'll ask some other growers around here and see if they have any tried-and-true remedies for your friend.

Thanks a bunch!!