Rosemary and spider mites

[STEPHINSD]

I’m in zone 10 (San Diego, CA) and this last summer my rosemary plant was ravaged by spider mites. I got rid of them with a consistent barrage of neem oil. There are some healthy stems growing off the top now but the majority of the plant is still bare and woody. I know better than to shop the plant so how to I bring the plant back to its original glory? Is it possible? Do I just keep pruning off the healthy shoots? Thank you !

 

[Oliver Buckle]

Wow, tough bugs if they can live off rosemary!
I would give it the chance to grow, be nice to it in a gentle way, it's had a nasty shock. It might recover, it might only recover in parts and end up looking strange. Not to worry, you still have the genetic material. When it gets big enough prune it back hard and make cuttings. If you make five, three are likely to take in my experience, you can keep the best one and make friends by giving away the other two and you still have the old plant as a source for more cuttings. The plants can last ten years and up, but most ways I would favour a younger bush and changing more frequently than absolutely necessary, but it's up to you what you do, when the plant has made some recovery. It may recover fully, give it the chance, plants are tough sometimes, if not that will be the time to decide whether to cut your losses, or try to salvage a new plant.

Welcome to the forum, if you post back to this thread it will flag up to me as one I have posted in, I would be curious to know how you get on. If it were England this time of year it would be a bit hopeless, nothing sprouts much here this time of year, your climate will be on your side.

 

[STEPHINSD]

Wow, tough bugs if they can live off rosemary!
I would give it the chance to grow, be nice to it in a gentle way, it's had a nasty shock. It might recover, it might only recover in parts and end up looking strange. Not to worry, you still have the genetic material. When it gets big enough prune it back hard and make cuttings. If you make five, three are likely to take in my experience, you can keep the best one and make friends by giving away the other two and you still have the old plant as a source for more cuttings. The plants can last ten years and up, but most ways I would favour a younger bush and changing more frequently than absolutely necessary, but it's up to you what you do, when the plant has made some recovery. It may recover fully, give it the chance, plants are tough sometimes, if not that will be the time to decide whether to cut your losses, or try to salvage a new plant.

Welcome to the forum, if you post back to this thread it will flag up to me as one I have posted in, I would be curious to know how you get on. If it were England this time of year it would be a bit hopeless, nothing sprouts much here this time of year, your climate will be on your side.

Thank you so much ! I intend to baby it as it’s the herb that I accessed the most in my garden so I was devastated. I’ll keep harvesting the healthy shoots to encourage new growth and hopefully that’ll do the trick ! We are in our “winter” here (if you can call it that lol) so hopefully spring will bring me some good news!

 

[Oliver Buckle]

It is Mediterranean in origin, so probably does much better in your garden than it does in mine. The herb you 'accessed most', do you not grow marjoram, oregano or thyme? Those are by far the most used for us, rosemary is probably on a par with mint.

 

[redback]

Hi STEPHINSD,
I also live in a Mediterranean climate and rosemary and lavender grow side by side here without trouble. It probably is best to plant several pairs of rosemary and lavender in different spots throughout the garden. I have lost other plants to spider mite but it's best to plant several and hope some survive long enough for the predators to arrive.
They need some sun and not too much watering - once growing they can live on one 10-minute watering once a week for the first year and then basically nothing thereafter.
I just give mine a haircut once a year and then take whole big sprigs out of the center for cooking or household use.

 

[big rockpile]

Spider Mites like it dry.

I was reading on another forum to make a Tea with Hot Peppers, let them simmer not boil for 20 minutes. Let cool and strain to a Spray Bottle.

Take and hit with Jet of water. Then Spray with Hot Pepper Tea ,start at bottom leaves, get the bottom of leaves and go up. Spray for 3 days.

big rockpile

 

[Oliver Buckle]

There was a man on the TV today with a chilli smoker which keeps elephants off the field. If it keeps off Elephants surely ,,

 

[STEPHINSD]

Spider Mites like it dry.

I was reading on another forum to make a Tea with Hot Peppers, let them simmer not boil for 20 minutes. Let cool and strain to a Spray Bottle.

Take and hit with Jet of water. Then Spray with Hot Pepper Tea ,start at bottom leaves, get the bottom of leaves and go up. Spray for 3 days.

big rockpile

Thanks so much! I actually eradicated them by spraying the plant every day with neem. After a few days they were done for. My problem is that it’s been almost 5 months and the bottom of the plant is all woody stem with no new growth. There are some leaves on the top that will produce but not much. Was wondering if the plant could ever fully recover or if I should just scrap it

 

[redback]

I actually eradicated them by spraying the plant every day with neem.

You eradicated the mite predators as well. Lacewings will come and eradicate mites totally and forever. I had mites by the million here thanks to the previous owners using insecticide to eradicate them. I now have 'antlion lacewings' as my permanent guard.

 

[big rockpile]

Thanks so much! I actually eradicated them by spraying the plant every day with neem. After a few days they were done for. My problem is that it’s been almost 5 months and the bottom of the plant is all woody stem with no new growth. There are some leaves on the top that will produce but not much. Was wondering if the plant could ever fully recover or if I should just scrap it

I just got rid of two plants with Spider Mites.

big rockpile

 

[johndavis]

Oh man, spider mites are the worst, but good on you for tackling them with neem oil! Now, about reviving your rosemary—since it’s coming back with some healthy shoots, that’s a great sign. You definitely don't want to chop the plant down. Instead, give it some gentle love by pruning just the dead and woody parts to encourage growth in the healthy areas. Make sure it's getting plenty of sunlight and not too much water—rosemary likes its soil more on the dry side. You might also consider a light feed with a balanced fertilizer to give it a little boost. With some patience and care, your rosemary can totally bounce back and get bushy again. Just keep those healthy shoots and let them do their thing!

I’m in zone 10 (San Diego, CA) and this last summer my rosemary plant was ravaged by spider mites. I got rid of them with a consistent barrage of neem oil. There are some healthy stems growing off the top now but the majority of the plant is still bare and woody. I know better than to shop the plant so how to I bring the plant back to its original glory? Is it possible? Do I just keep pruning off the healthy shoots? Thank you !

 

[big rockpile]

Thing is I can't use Neem. I'm looking at Suffoil-X.

Got some White Flies and Neem seems to be working on them.

I've been using Neem, Castell Soap and Peppermint Oil for White Flies.

big rockpile