OK I have been battling mites on 4 miniature roses for several weeks and lost the battle. They have now moved on to my blackeye susan vine,marigolds and impatiens. I have sprayed the plants daily (sometimes twice daily) with water then I tried ortho home and garden spray and have used rose pride systemic on the roses and they all ended up DEAD-sucked dry. Does anyone have any ideas? I do not want to throw away all my outdoor plants (I have alot) to keep the mites from munching and migrating. I am in central Alabama with the temps are mid 90's and high humidity. Thanks Teresa
Posts: 675 | Location: alabama zone 7b | Registered: Nov 08, 2005
I had problems with bugs on my roses also. Home and Garden wasn't strong enough for me. I used malathion. Make sure you spray the undersides of the leaves also.
Here's some natural insecticides you can make. The trick is to be vigilant and spray every 5 to 7 days until they are gone. Also, clean up of all fallen leaves and debris is important. http://www.ghorganics.com/page9.html#Mites:
Newt
When weeding, the best way to make sure you are removing a weed and not a valuable plant is to pull on it. If it comes out of the ground easily, it is a valuable plant.
Newt. I tend to agree with you regarding natural pesticides, however if there is an infestation like T is describing I really see nothing wrong with using chemicals per their instructions (this was recommended by a very reputable garden center). I would use it once for the eradication, then go to a preventive solution. By the way, I use a neem, soap, alcohol mix for my orchids and it seem to work.
Jkhom, I used to recommend Neem oil all the time and then found out that it has harmful side effects, so I now start with recommending the least toxic chemicals first. Be sure to read 'General Guidelines', which has some great tips on use. Also read 'Effects on the Environment and Human Health' from this Cornell University site. http://www.nysaes.cornell.edu/pp/resourceguide/mfs/08neem.php
Newt
When weeding, the best way to make sure you are removing a weed and not a valuable plant is to pull on it. If it comes out of the ground easily, it is a valuable plant.
Newt, I see that you've done your homework. I respect your knowledge as I have seen many of your tips in this forum. I thought neem was much safer than most pesticides and I got the recommendation from different orchid forums. I do dilute with water and spray sparingly. Your advice is well heeded as I try to be careful with any chemical. Thanks for the information.
Jkhom, you are very welcome. And thank you so much for the compliment! It was actually a biologist on another forum that made me aware of the info on Neem.
Newt
When weeding, the best way to make sure you are removing a weed and not a valuable plant is to pull on it. If it comes out of the ground easily, it is a valuable plant.
getting rid of the mites is only part of the solution. As Newt referred to earlier, changing the conditions is equally important. Removing dead leaves, debris, etc, is an excellent suggestion. Also understand that the best way to eliminate a pest in general is to interrupt it's life cycle. Many times you can make the conditions unsuitable for them to survive. Mites typically like dry, still air environments. Usually there are bigger problems in courtyards and indoors where the air is not moving. Remember also that once you rid the pest you still have the ugly leaves and damage that will remain until the plant grows out new foliage. One way to know if the are still active is to take a white piece of paper, draw a circle on it and shake a branch over it. watch closely and you will see the dust moving across the line when you have mites. Knowing which mite you have can also help. CLip a sample and take it to the local agricultural dept or garden center and most of the time they will help you ID it.
With no disrespect to Jkhom, I would never use something as toxic as malathion. 
It was actually a biologist on another forum that made me aware of the info on Neem.
