How to control spider mites on roses using folk remedies

In rose gardens, spider mites, one of the garden's most vicious pests, pose a serious threat. They hide on the undersides of leaves and suck the sap from the plants. If the pest has just been discovered, you can get rid of it using folk remedies, many of which have proven highly effective against many harmful insects.

A few words about the pest

The spider mite is a small, oval-shaped arachnid insect, about 1 millimeter in size, red in color (the larvae are light green). Plant sap is the pest's primary food source. Omnivorous, it attacks absolutely any plant it encounters. It can travel long distances using its web. At temperatures above 23°C (73°F), the mite reproduces rapidly, laying up to several hundred eggs on leaves. The larvae are particularly voracious, drinking plant sap. This disrupts photosynthesis, depleting the plant, and eventually dies.

Causes of infection

If a tick has already reached your garden, within a couple of weeks its numerous offspring will "rule" all the flora growing there. It doesn't spare vegetable crops, fruit trees, or flowers. The pest spreads by air, carried by the wind from plant to plant. Pets can also "help" the parasite (by carrying them on their fur). Territory invasion typically occurs in hot, dry weather, when dusty conditions arise. The tick first lands on plants growing on the outskirts of the garden, and then, with each new gust of wind, it moves into the garden.

Roses that haven't received proper care are most often attacked by spider mites. Without regular fertilizing, soil cultivation, and pruning, the plants' immune system becomes weakened, rendering them unable to resist the onslaught of the pest. The situation is exacerbated by dense plantings and the growth of shoots.

Signs and how to recognize spider mites on roses

This insect is so small that it can be very difficult to spot on the lacy leaves of rose bushes. This can only be done with a magnifying glass. The mite can be spotted with the naked eye when it grows in size, but most often, at this stage, it is no longer possible to save the flowers. The mite prefers to live and reproduce on the underside of leaves. This family of mites grows very quickly – a colony can reach several hundred voracious individuals.

The areas where the mites infest the rose become covered with white spots—their presence should alert you to the presence of mites. Over time, these spots expand, and the leaf axils become entangled in a fine, whitish web. Affected leaves turn yellow, dry out, and then fall off. If left untreated, the web can completely envelop the bush, including the buds, which will become mummified and then fall off. If the population increases significantly, it appears as a large, swarming, red mass. The plant may lose all leaves and flowers, and the stem will become covered in a thick web. Such a bush will have to be dug up and destroyed.

Saving roses from spider mites

Controlling rose mites is very difficult in the summer, as they are especially active and powerful on sunny, hot days. However, sudden cold snaps and precipitation can significantly reduce rose mite populations. Birds, which love to feast on small insects, can also help partially eradicate the mites. However, all these factors will not eliminate the problem completely; they will only temporarily delay the colony's growth.

To reduce the mite concentration on plants, severely damaged areas should be removed. Next, create conditions unfavorable for the pest: sprinkle the bushes with water (this will wash away most of the mites). Then thoroughly soak the areas under the bushes with warm water.

If the mite population hasn't yet significantly increased, you can save your flowers with minimal effort, using folk remedies. The most popular natural remedies include:

Soap solution

For garden roses, you'll need a concentrated soap solution. Dissolve 200 grams of laundry soap thoroughly in a bucket of water. Let the mixture sit for a couple of hours before spraying the flowers.

Treatment should include spraying all parts of the bush. You can also spray the soil at the base of the stem, but do so very carefully, avoiding the roots, as this could damage the bush.

After 3-4 hours, the soap film is washed off with water and the plant is covered with polyethylene for 24 hours, creating high humidity (which the mite does not tolerate).

Alcohol solution

To prepare the alcohol solution, you'll need 30 grams of ammonia and 10 liters of water. Once mixed, you'll get a substrate that should be used to wipe all damaged parts of the plant.

Another way to prepare the remedy is to add grated soap to boiling water and a shot of ammonia. Treat the plants with the solution, which has cooled to room temperature. Rather than spraying the flowers, apply the concentrate to a cotton pad and wipe the leaves and stems most affected by the mites. You can also wet the top layer of soil.

Garlic tincture

There are several recipes for a healthy decoction:

• the head of garlic is finely chopped, diluted in hot water (10 liters), cooled and the plants are processed;
• Add 50 grams of grated garlic to a three-liter jar of water and leave in a dark place for a week. After this time, strain the infusion, separate 60 grams of the concentrate, and dilute it with 10 liters of water. Then, process it;
• Crushed garlic is dissolved in cold water and the entire flowerbed is sprayed with the resulting mixture. For best results, add soap to the solution.

Onion peel decoction

Add 200 grams of onion peel to 10 liters of water and let it steep for 10-12 hours. Strain the resulting infusion and spray it over your roses.

Tobacco infusion

The mite hates the smell of tobacco and quickly retreats from plants if sprayed with a tobacco-based solution. The recipe for this beneficial infusion is as follows: mix 50 grams of dry tobacco powder with water and let sit for 24 hours. Then strain the mixture and dilute it again with water. Spray the prepared solution two or three times every 7-10 days.

Rosemary essential oil

To control small numbers of ticks, use a simple solution based on essential oil, which ticks don't tolerate. Add 8-10 drops of rosemary to a liter of water, mix well, and generously wipe rose leaves with the resulting solution.

Herbal infusions and decoctions

A decoction of tops. Potato and tomato tops are also effective at killing the pest. To prepare a decoction, finely chop the tops (400 grams), pour boiling water over them, and simmer for 30 minutes. Before spraying, cool the mixture, strain, and dilute with water at a ratio of 1:3. This solution will not harm the flowers, even if used repeatedly throughout the growing season.

Dandelion infusion. The spider mite also considers dandelion to be one of the most unpleasant odors, which is a boon for gardeners. Roses are sprayed with a mixture of 40 grams of medicinal dandelion and 1-2 liters of water. Incidentally, the solution should be allowed to steep for 5-6 hours before application.

Cyclamen decoction. A beneficial decoction is prepared from 50 grams of the plant's roots. The roots are peeled and then boiled in a small amount of water for an hour. The substrate is then filtered, and the resulting cloudy water is used to wipe the most severely damaged leaves and stems. This procedure can be repeated 2-3 times at five-day intervals.

Yarrow infusion. Take a kilogram of dried yarrow leaves, pour boiling water over them, and let them steep for 3-4 days. The infusion should be light yellow in color and have a tart aroma characteristic of yarrow. Apply the resulting infusion to roses every 7 days.

Henbane infusion. This poisonous plant is ideal for eliminating this pernicious pest. To prepare a life-saving infusion, you'll need 1 kilogram of henbane, which is steeped in water for about 10 hours. Then, strain the infusion and add grated soap. The resulting concentrate is diluted with 10 liters of water before applying it to the bushes.

Horseradish infusion. The roots are finely chopped (one kilogram is enough), filled with cold water in a ratio of 1:10, infused for several hours and used to water the plants.

A decoction of alder leaves. Fresh gray alder leaves (2 kilograms) are added to cold water and left to steep for 24 hours. The mixture is then simmered over low heat, cooled, and left to steep for another 12 hours. The resulting mixture is strained and used to water the flowerbed soil.

Wormwood decoction. Place dried wormwood sprigs in a bucket of water and let them soak for two days. Then boil the compost for 30 minutes and strain. Before spraying, dilute the mixture with 10 liters of water.

Additional measures to combat ticks

In parallel with beneficial spraying, it is necessary to carry out additional manipulations that can significantly reduce the enemy army.

Tips for tick removal:

• The best time to combat spider mites is autumn, when weather conditions become unfavorable for the pest. Remove all tops, weeds, and plant debris from the area—these are where the mites hide. Burn all grass outside the garden.
• Spider mites are afraid of excessive humidity. If they have settled on roses, they should be watered frequently and generously.

• Flies and spiders are not above eating ticks, so these insects should be given the green light if they've surrounded your flowerbed. When inspecting the bushes, it's important to determine exactly which insect the web belongs to—it could be spun by a common spider.
• It is unwise to spray roses with phosphates, as this increases the amount of nitrogen on the leaves, which has a positive effect on the growth of mite colonies.
• Before using chemicals, you should first spray the bushes with a soapy solution. The film will prevent insects from escaping, and they will soon die from lack of oxygen.
• If folk remedies don't help, it's worth choosing organic products like Fitoverm. This product can be used on roses several times a season.

Prevention

There are several recommendations for preventing rose mites from infesting your roses. The basic rules include:

• regular inspection of bushes, special attention should be paid to “hidden” places (the underside of the leaves);
• If you find a web, you need to make sure it belongs to a tick. Its web has a very fine pattern, and is yellowish with a whitish coating. Hundreds of moving particles can be seen underneath – these are the newly hatched larvae of the pest scurrying about.
• frequent spraying of plants with cool water during hot clear weather;
• Wipe the leaves once a month with a herbal or soapy solution. By the way, this should be applied not only to plants, but also to pots, shelves, windowsills, and frames;
• timely removal of faded buds and yellowed leaves - it is the weakened parts of plants that attract pests;
• Carrying out spring sanitary pruning of roses and removing wild shoots. Plantings should be sparse;
• Spider mites love orchids. Therefore, to protect roses from this insect, you should protect them from this unfavorable environment.
• planting useful plants that produce insect-repellent substances (calendula, marigolds, chamomile, onions, nightshades) next to roses

Pest-resistant varieties

Many modern hybrids are capable of defending themselves against pest infestations. These varieties have strong immunity and are resilient to adverse weather conditions. Healthy, robust plants can be difficult for spider mites to attack.

Popular varieties:

• tea-hybrid – Sophia Loren, Gloria Day, Erotica, Renaissance series, Landora, Mainzer Fastnacht;
• floribunda – Allotria, Bonica, La Sevillana;
• Climbing roses – Flamentand, Gold Stern, Golden Showers.

But even resistant rose varieties won't be able to withstand a spider mite infestation without additional support. Therefore, any plant needs to be grown with special attention and care.

Conclusion

When fighting spider mites, don't resort to chemicals right away, as such harsh solutions can harm your beloved flowers. If spider mite infestations have reached catastrophic levels, traditional pest control methods are the most effective. Tried and tested over time, many of these methods have already proven effective. Moreover, treating your roses with natural infusions or decoctions will never harm the plants, but will actually strengthen them, boost their immunity, and permanently rid them of not only the mites but also other pests.