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How to Get Rid of Spider Mites Naturally

Some of the most frustrating garden pests are the ones you can’t see—(not) looking at you, spider mites.

These tiny pests do considerable damage to plants despite their size, and you’ll often see the aftermath of their work before you ever notice the spider mites themselves.

Learn how to control their spread, get rid of spider mites completely, and even keep them from coming back.

Quarantine and inspect new plants.

New houseplants should be isolated from other houseplants until you’re sure that no spider mites are present. I often wash new nursery plants in the sink before I repot them as insurance against outside pests.

Make sure your plants are well watered.

Make sure your garden is mulched to retain moisture, and use an automated irrigation system to provide consistent water.

Cut off damaged or infested leaves.

This keeps them from spreading to the rest of the plant (as well as nearby plants), but is only effective if you catch them early.

Remove spider mites with a strong blast of water.

Repeat every day or every other day to keep their numbers down; this also keeps the environment cooler and wetter (two things they don’t like).

Dust affected plants with diatomaceous earth.

Make sure you use food-grade diatomaceous earth (not the industrial-grade DE found in pool filters) and wear a mask if you’re sensitive to dust.

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