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Thrips and spidermites

ellie8ellie8 Posts: 10

Hi everyone,

I am really hoping that some one can help! I am on the verge of throwing all my pot plant garden away. image

When I first moved in to the area I noticed little hopping long bugs coming into my court yard from under my neighbours fence. In my inexperience I thought nothing of it - Until my plant health went down the pan. We had a really hot week or so last summer and my garden got utterly destroyed. After research I believe the problems to be spider mites and thrips. 

I have read that spraying and watering the plants with diluted Neem oil can kill these two pests. Alas as clearly there is an issue in the area in general I can hardly make a dent in the matter and all my plants already are going to the wall. The neem oil is also very expensive. The idea was to grow pot fruit and veg to save money but I have spent a fortune already with this problem! 

Does any body know of any organic solutions that I could perhaps buy or make cheaply to kill these horrid critters?

I have read also about predator bugs but they seem to require 15-18 degree c heat to survive and that's not the conditions here in old Blighty! 

Please please somebody help!!

Posts

  • Flora rosaFlora rosa Posts: 262

    I get these and use green garderner's natural predators, i always manage to control (temperature comment ) and am in the NW.  check out their website - link below - and see what they offer for thrips as I cant remember - sorry.

    To control Red Spider Mite introduce Phytoseiulus -  This tiny mite feeds on all stages of the RSM eating up to 5 adults or 25 young larvae/eggs per day. Phytoseiulus is supplied in small tubes, which are simply sprinkled over the infected plants.  http://bit.ly/1jGekcS 

  • ellie8ellie8 Posts: 10

    Hi Flora rosa,

    Thank you very much for the link. I have followed it and come up with this - http://www.greengardener.co.uk/GGsearch.asp re treating the thrips. (for any fellow onlooker with the thrip factor!)

    With regard to the spider mite predator, do you just use them in your green house or outside too? (Temperature wise)

    Thank you very much for your advice, really grateful!

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