What's this infestation? On Thornless Honeylocust - Gleditsia triacanthos var. inermis.

[Low Altitude]

That is correct. And no, it will not clog root pores. Neem Oil has a natural chemical in it called azadirachtin that is absorbed into the plant but there isn't a lot of this chemical present and this makes the systemic approach to killing insects limited. Neem is not a great systemic insecticide but it is just about all we organic people have. Neem is much more effective as a soil drench than as a systemic insecticide.

I am learning day by day, thank you. So the neem's real effectiveness is in two ways, both external to the plant? (1) As a spray onto the leaves and body of the plant, where it contacts bugs and mites as they walk around and tread in it and (2) similarly when drenched into the soil, but with the added effect there that presumably it makes the soil a completely 'no-go' area for the critters, both killing them and preventing them spreading into the environment and infecting neighboring plants?

 

[Chuck]

I am learning day by day, thank you. So the neem's real effectiveness is in two ways, both external to the plant? (1) As a spray onto the leaves and body of the plant, where it contacts bugs and mites as they walk around and tread in it and (2) similarly when drenched into the soil, but with the added effect there that presumably it makes the soil a completely 'no-go' area for the critters, both killing them and preventing them spreading into the environment and infecting neighboring plants?

And it also acts as a systemic

 

[oneeye]

The problem with spider mites is the eggs hatch every three days. The sprays kill the adults but the eggs live on and start laying a few days later. So you got to hit them every 3 days for 12 days total. Then use as a preventive every 12 or 14 days.

 

[oneeye]

One homemade insecticide that can really do the job well is 70% rubbing alcohol (isopropyl alcohol). Mix 1 part rubbing alcohol to 7 parts water and spray it on plants affected by aphids, mealybugs, thrips, whiteflies, or mites. Do it every 3 days for 12 total.

 

[Low Altitude]

Neem is not a great systemic insecticide but it is just about all we organic people have.

How about a non-organic systemic miticide that can be fed to plants during watering and absorbed through roots?

While I'm as supportive of the organic ideal as the next guy, and as concerned about environmental impact, in my case we are talking about houseplants on a high floor of a tower block in the center of a metropolitan area. I have never seen a bee in my place or any other insect in 20 years. The interaction of my houseplants with the environment is absolute zero.

Precisely because we're indoors, spraying is not practical, certainly not with neem oil, and as you say, neem oil is hit-or-miss effective when used systemically, as in a drench watering.

 

[Chuck]

How about a non-organic systemic miticide that can be fed to plants during watering and absorbed through roots?

While I'm as supportive of the organic ideal as the next guy, and as concerned about environmental impact, in my case we are talking about houseplants on a high floor of a tower block in the center of a metropolitan area. I have never seen a bee in my place or any other insect in 20 years. The interaction of my houseplants with the environment is absolute zero.

Precisely because we're indoors, spraying is not practical, certainly not with neem oil, and as you say, neem oil is hit-or-miss effective when used systemically, as in a drench watering.

The only inorganic one I have ever used as a drench is 7.9 Bifenthrin. I got it on Amazon and it worked well against spider mites on a shrub. It is a pyrethroid. I can't remember the brand name though.

 

[oneeye]

Sick plants attract spider mites. You may need to move the plant outdoors until the mites are under control.

 

[Low Altitude]

From the pic you shared, it looks like your young thornless honeylocust plants are dealing with some sort of infestation. Now, I'm no expert, but based on what you described, it seems like the infestation is spreading throughout the entire plants in a consistent way. These indoor buddies of yours seem to be chillin' in warm and dry conditions. Hopefully, you can figure out what's going on and help those plants bounce back real soon!

Well, there's only one question then, don't you think? Do you know what it is?

Come on, vegiokragrapevibrant – you want to know what the question is, don't you?

 

[Low Altitude]

The problem with spider mites is the eggs hatch every three days. The sprays kill the adults but the eggs live on and start laying a few days later. So you got to hit them every 3 days for 12 days total. Then use as a preventive every 12 or 14 days.

One homemade insecticide that can really do the job well is 70% rubbing alcohol (isopropyl alcohol). Mix 1 part rubbing alcohol to 7 parts water and spray it on plants affected by aphids, mealybugs, thrips, whiteflies, or mites. Do it every 3 days for 12 total.

Sick plants attract spider mites. You may need to move the plant outdoors until the mites are under control.

Hi O-O – All useful information that I would never have got elsewhere, and much appreciated. My situation may unusual, though: I have no outdoors. I live in a pretty compact apartment in a city and ll i have is houseplants.

I love the idea of the isopropyl though, because (A) it's cheap and (B) it'll be easy enough to use indoors. Lots of sprays just don't worl indoors because they will stain or otherwise mess with the walls, furniture etc. – neem oil, forget it. Yes, I could take the plants into the bathtub or something and the bathroom tile would be washablem but even that is a lot of work. 1:7 70% isopropyl alc would be completely innocuous, though: I could go around shooting mites to my heart's content.

I'll let you know how i get on. Thanks again.

 

[Low Altitude]

The only inorganic one I have ever used as a drench is 7.9 Bifenthrin. I got it on Amazon and it worked well against spider mites on a shrub. It is a pyrethroid. I can't remember the brand name though.

I'll look into this, thanks. Early research suggests it's typically sold in the format of granules that are shown as being deployed for drench watering, be it for lawns outside or houseplants inside. Fine. My experience with granules though is that they do not dissolve. What i don't undertstand is how and at what rate they release their active ingredient – they clearly do not dissolve.

What would be ideal here, so what I'm really looking for, is either a liquid concentrate that i can dilute, or fully soluble powder / granules – because most of my watering is by immersion: I take the whole pot plant and drop the pot into a larger container containing water – and fertilizer, on feeding days. So it would be an elegant, easy solution to my mites problem to add miticide into the water / feed. Neem doesn't work that way, because, being oily, it leaves mess on the exterior of the pots.

 

[Chuck]

I'll look into this, thanks. Early research suggests it's typically sold in the format of granules that are shown as being deployed for drench watering, be it for lawns outside or houseplants inside. Fine. My experience with granules though is that they do not dissolve. What i don't undertstand is how and at what rate they release their active ingredient – they clearly do not dissolve.

What would be ideal here, so what I'm really looking for, is either a liquid concentrate that i can dilute, or fully soluble powder / granules – because most of my watering is by immersion: I take the whole pot plant and drop the pot into a larger container containing water – and fertilizer, on feeding days. So it would be an elegant, easy solution to my mites problem to add miticide into the water / feed. Neem doesn't work that way, because, being oily, it leaves mess on the exterior of the pots.

I found out what the product was I used on the shrub. It is a liquid called Compare N Save, 7.9 Bifenthrin. Found it on Amazon

 

[Low Altitude]

I found out what the product was I used on the shrub. It is a liquid called Compare N Save, 7.9 Bifenthrin. Found it on Amazon

Perfect! I and my pot of 'Anaheim' chili pepper plants thank you. They are wonderfully fast growers, but, with their soft, almost waxless leaves, they are particularly vulnerable to the mites and thrips and such.

 

[cpp gardener]

Most granular insecticides are attached to gypsum or clay and are released when water is applied but the granules don't dissolve. The bug-killer is released, though!

 

[Low Altitude]

Oh that's interesting – gypsum or clay because they are porous? Makes perfect sense. And pretty much answers my next question – how quickly do the granules release the bug-killer, so become 'depleted'? Likely answer: if 'using as directed', i.e. sprinkled on the surface and watered in 'drenched' with a watering can, they may keep some residual after the first watering, but not if the first watering is extensive; And if stirred into water to create a systemic solution, I can certainly discard them after a couple of refills (they sink rapidly so are easy enough to 'separate'.

 

[cpp gardener]

Yes, it will go into solution if stirred into water. "Normal" watering is the best way to have extended effectiveness.