How I control spider mites in my Orchid collection - Simple!

The spider mites battle has been a long and laborious hassle for me the past years, mainly due to my way of handling things which was superficial. Now though things are finally starting to get better!
▼▼▼More info bellow!▼▼▼

After trying many non toxic means of control, such as neem oil, rosemary oil, garlic, vegetable oil and some pesticides (abamectin) I felt helpless. Nothing was working as good as I needed it to be for such a massive infestation.

The pesticide helped but didn't solve everything and the battle continued.. until I decided to give the new horticultural oils a try. My decision was short lived as those things as expensive as unicorn dust.

However those products need to have some main ingredients as well, they're not miracles in a bottle. And when I discovered what they are actually made of, things became ow so simple.

Mainly the most effective horticultural oils contain highly refined petroleum oils and paraffin, as shown here http://www.colostate.edu/Dept/CoopExt...

They are effective due to the light weight oil they use, which evaporates faster than vegetable oil, is more fluid and less toxic for plants. deadly for mites nonetheless. Well guess what else contains as main ingredient paraffin? the good oil body (even baby) oil :D

Oh and how good it works! The mix is simple, after a few trail and errors. About 2% oil in some warmish water and a few drops of dish detergent to make everything even. ( as per this article https://puyallup.wsu.edu/wp-content/u... ) Spray the entirety of the exposed structures (leaves, pseudobulbs, flower spikes) and puff.. motes are gone! Orchids are ok, handling the treatment and so far so good. I will see if I will need reapplying, but for now. I am a happy puppy :D
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