Applying diatomaceous earth to kill spider mites is straightforward. Diatomaceous earth powder is made up of many tiny fossilized diatoms, tiny sharp edged particles, that lacerate the bodies of spider mites and other insects, leading to death. Discover how to use diatomaceous earth for spider mites and oust these troublesome pests from your garden or houseplants without using commercial insecticide.
Though diatomaceous earth is exceptionally effective against insect pests, it’s harmless to pollinators and beneficial insects. Spider mites are a widespread garden pest and prey on dozens of species of plants, from fruit, vegetables, flowers, and more. These little nuisances are from the arachnid family with spiders and ticks and are most commonly seen on the underside of plant leaves, where they prefer to make their home.
Spider mites spin silk webs and feed on your plants by puncturing the leaf, causing damage to the cell walls and leaf tissue. Find out how to spread diatomaceous earth for spider mites or mix up a simple spray or soil soak to remove them from your garden.
- Using Diatomaceous Earth to Kill Spider Mites
- Does Diatomaceous Earth Kill Spider Mites?
- How to Use Diatomaceous Earth for Spider Mites – Soil Drench
- Spread Diatomaceous Earth for Spider Mites on Plants
- DE for Spider Mites – Spray
- Diatomaceous Earth and Essential Oils for a Spider Mite Infestation
- Other Insect Pests Affected by DE Powder
- Is DE Pest Control Safe?
Using Diatomaceous Earth to Kill Spider Mites
Exploring how to use diatomaceous earth for spider mites presents alternatives to toxic chemical products for pest control. Spider mites are a significant inconvenience, and an invasion may be fatal to your crops or flowers. You can also use diatomaceous earth for spiders, roaches, aphids, and more. It’s an excellent form of natural pest control.
Using diatomaceous earth to kill spider mites stops an infestation rapidly without the need for toxic substances. Spread diatomaceous earth for spider mites, or make a spray or soil soak. Diatomaceous earth or DE powder is a natural, organic pesticide that kills spider mites and other insects without harming beneficial insects like pollinators.
Does Diatomaceous Earth Kill Spider Mites?
Spider mites attack dozens of plant species, from tomato plants to flowers. Fortunately, diatomaceous earth eradicates spider mite populations and prevents continued harm or plant loss.
DE powder is comprised of tiny fossilized diatoms with sharp edges that lacerate the bodies of spider mites and other insects to eradicate them. It’s crucial to select the correct DE type for the best results.
Pool grade diatomaceous earth has many uses in cleaning and, as the name implies, pool care. Food grade diatomaceous earth is purer with higher quality ingredients. Always use food grade DE powder for pest control to ensure your garden and plants aren’t harmed, and your pest control is effective, whether you put diatomaceous earth on indoor plants or spread it throughout the garden.
How to Use Diatomaceous Earth for Spider Mites – Soil Drench
Making a soil drench to treat your potting soil or garden soil treats your spider mite infestation and avoids leaving DE powder around the garden. When diatomaceous earth is applied as a soil soak, it is absorbed by the plant’s roots.
When spider mites and other harmful insects feed on the plant, they are exposed to DE and perish; meanwhile, pollinators and harmless insects who visit but don’t pierce the plant’s cell walls aren’t affected.
Stir the diatomaceous earth powder into the warm water until dissolved, and apply to the base of your plant in place of regular watering.
Spread Diatomaceous Earth for Spider Mites on Plants
Diatomaceous earth is a crawling insect killer and destroys pests like spider mites. Dusting with food grade diatomaceous earth powder is a simple technique to rid your garden of spider mites and restore your plants to health. Wear a dust mask covering your nose and mouth and safety glasses when dusting to avoid irritation.
Pour DE powder into an old sock or use a soft brush to dust the entire plant surface to eliminate spider mites. Pay particular notice to the undersides of leaves, where spider mites frequent.
DE for Spider Mites – Spray
Diatomaceous earth eradicates spider mite populations from your garden or houseplants. DE also works very well to kill chiggers. Combining it with other natural insecticide ingredients is easy. Using neem oil for spider mites increases effectiveness. Craft a helpful spider mite insecticide spray for simple treatment of indoor and outdoor plants.
Measure supplies, add to a sprayer or spray bottle, and mix well. If you don’t have insecticidal soap at home, dish soap works in a pinch and will make a very effective spider mite spray. Spritz the spider mite insecticide over the surfaces of your plant, taking care to treat the underside of the leaves.
Diatomaceous Earth and Essential Oils for a Spider Mite Infestation
Essential oils are a natural and organic pest control tool. Combining these powerful oils with diatomaceous earth crafts a potent spider mite treatment to erase an infestation promptly.
Add to a sprayer or spray bottle and shake well to ensure thorough mixing. Apply the DE and essential oil spray to your plant to treat spider mites and other bugs, with particular attention to the undersides of the leaves and any areas where you observe spider mite activity.
This mite spray can be used for other pests as well. For example, you can get rid of clover mites with essential oils to remove them permanently from your plants.
Other Insect Pests Affected by DE Powder
The red spider mite is not the only problem insect treated with diatomaceous earth. When you’re uncertain which insect is to blame for a decline in your plant’s health, DE is an intelligent broad-spectrum treatment against many insect species. You may also use it to solve other insect issues like bed bugs.
Treating with diatomaceous earth takes care of spider mites and many other pests contributing to your garden’s issues. While identifying the individual pest you’re facing is helpful, when you’re unsure, a diatomaceous earth treatment is a safe and sensible starting point.
Is DE Pest Control Safe?
Diatomaceous earth is a safe way to deal with an insect infestation or prevent spider mites on potted plants or outdoor plants. Despite being tough on pests, DE is harmless to beneficial insect populations such as pollinators and won’t hurt birds, butterflies, or pets.
While diatomaceous earth is harmless, some basic safety precautions are recommended for handling it. The sharp edges on the particles have the potential to irritate if inhaled or introduced into the eyes.
When you prefer to keep toxic chemicals out of your garden, diatomaceous earth is an ideal solution for pest control. DE destroys spider mites and poses no safety concerns when handled correctly.
Spider mites are destructive pests found on the underside of plant leaves. If left untreated, they destroy the leaf and, in severe cases, infect the entire plant. As more gardeners turn to natural treatments like beneficial nematodes, diatomaceous earth is becoming increasingly popular for addressing a predatory mite infection without harming beneficial insects.
DE powder won’t damage food crops in your vegetable garden, an indoor plant, or succulents and works efficiently to dispatch several pest insects.
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