Aculus lycopersici-tomato russet mite

[ginger2778]

Originally Posted by b54red

I use the 10% Permethrin for livestock and vegetables at the rate of one ounce per gallon of mix. I also use 2 TBS of Dawn per gallon of mix and 3/4 cup of food grade DE. It has worked on all mite infestations but sometimes needs a second or even third application if the infestation is really bad. I have already had one infestation this year and wiped it out but I am sure they will return before long as the summer keeps heating up.

I have in the past used the canola and pryrethin stuff but found it had to be reapplied too often if the infestation was bad and got leaf burn in our near 100 degree heat. I also tried mixes with essential oils and various types of soap with some good results but those mixes had the same problem in that to be effective the amount of oil was somewhat hard on the leaves in the summer heat. I had the same problem with Neem and Neem and pyrethrin mixes. Before I found the mix I am currently using I had the best result by alternating and spraying every three days; but that gets really tiring and when you are spraying a lot of plants it becomes expensive.

The best thing about the Permethrin, DE and Dawn mix is if you mix it and apply it correctly and thoroughly to all surfaces, particularly undersides of the leaves, you usually don't have to reapply it more than once to control the mites. However knowing how easily mites can come back into your garden you may have to use it again before the season is over. Another thing I have found that I like is I can add some copper to my mix and get a fungicide application in at the same time.

Bill

I do 10% permethrin and copper together too. I only use 1 Tbsp of permethrin per gallon. Its not very expensive at all.

[b54red]

Originally Posted by ginger2778

I do 10% permethrin and copper together too. I only use 1 Tbsp of permethrin per gallon. Its not very expensive at all.

I use the one TBS per gallon permethrin for my initial spray or for getting rid of something that isn't nearly as hard to control as mites. I have found that the longer you take in getting them under control the harder they are to control and the more the plants suffer.

I like getting my fungicide on at the same time and since I am trying so hard to get really good coverage when fighting mites the copper seems to work better when applied along side the Permethrin, DE and Dawn. Of course getting rid of so many pests that spread diseases may have something major to do with that.

Bill

[JosephineRose]

After reading this thread and searching the net, I'm pretty sure that Russet Mites are what is attacking my plants too.

I just ordered some Pyganic organic pyrethrum and Azatrol from planet natural. I like the idea of mixing with Dawn and food grade DE, both of which I have. Wondering if I can do that with the neem I have now until the Pyganic arrives?

Do you leave on or rinse off? What about harm to bees? do you spray fruit and flowers too?

[zipcode]

Yes, it does look like it. I think the biggest tell is that it starts from the small leaflets at the base of the leaf.

[b54red]

Originally Posted by JosephineRose

After reading this thread and searching the net, I'm pretty sure that Russet Mites are what is attacking my plants too.

I just ordered some Pyganic organic pyrethrum and Azatrol from planet natural. I like the idea of mixing with Dawn and food grade DE, both of which I have. Wondering if I can do that with the neem I have now until the Pyganic arrives?

Do you leave on or rinse off? What about harm to bees? do you spray fruit and flowers too?

I have never used DE with Neem but it might be alright. No you don't want to wash it off because the film of DE is important in the long lasting killing it does of newly hatched mites. It will keep working until it is washed off. Of course the DE is not on the newest growth after a week or so and you have to keep an eye out for new infestations of mites especially if they are coming in on the wind.

Bill

[VC Scott]

Originally Posted by b54red

I use the one TBS per gallon permethrin for my initial spray or for getting rid of something that isn't nearly as hard to control as mites. I have found that the longer you take in getting them under control the harder they are to control and the more the plants suffer.

I like getting my fungicide on at the same time and since I am trying so hard to get really good coverage when fighting mites the copper seems to work better when applied along side the Permethrin, DE and Dawn. Of course getting rid of so many pests that spread diseases may have something major to do with that.

Bill

Bill

Thanks again for the formula. I had been using DE with Take Down Spray. Take Down has pyrethrin and canola oil. I left out the Dawn because I thought the oil would help with dispersing the DE. However, the dispersion of the DE using Permethrin and Dawn is much better. With the naked eye, I couldn't see the DE at all. The leaves looked green, but with a magnifying glass I could see the white layer of DE everywhere.

Hopefully the TRM problem is solved.

Thanks

[b54red]

Originally Posted by VC Scott

Bill

Thanks again for the formula. I had been using DE with Take Down Spray. Take Down has pyrethrin and canola oil. I left out the Dawn because I thought the oil would help with dispersing the DE. However, the dispersion of the DE using Permethrin and Dawn is much better. With the naked eye, I couldn't see the DE at all. The leaves looked green, but with a magnifying glass I could see the white layer of DE everywhere.

Hopefully the TRM problem is solved.

Thanks

Using the amount of DE that I use it is quite easy to see the DE on the plants after they dry with the naked eye. They take on a ghostly whitish hue. It will remain on the plants until washed off by heavy wind and rain. Maybe I am using even more DE than I say because I don't measure it very carefully. I use a powerful backpack sprayer that can spray a fairly heavy concentration without getting stopped up and walking with it causes constant shaking along with some extra tilting by me to keep the DE in solution.

Bill

[VC Scott]

Originally Posted by b54red

Using the amount of DE that I use it is quite easy to see the DE on the plants after they dry with the naked eye. They take on a ghostly whitish hue. It will remain on the plants until washed off by heavy wind and rain. Maybe I am using even more DE than I say because I don't measure it very carefully. I use a powerful backpack sprayer that can spray a fairly heavy concentration without getting stopped up and walking with it causes constant shaking along with some extra tilting by me to keep the DE in solution.

Bill

I didn't use as much DE as you do, but like the song says "It never rains in Southern California." I plan on a followup spray next week, so that will double up the layer of DE. It is likely that we won't get any rain until October or November.

[b54red]

We got enough rain yesterday and today to wash most of my DE off so I may be reapplying it soon if I see any signs of mites. Right now the plants look much better than a week ago when I saw I needed to treat them because of mites. The only problem is I got whacked by EB that came in with that rain. I haven't seen a single stink bug or leaf footed bug since using it but am still seeing lots of bees so that is good. I don't know if the DE stayed on long enough to get all the mites hatching out. I'll keep a close eye on the leaves above the ones that were infested to see if I see any spreading of the mites. I'm sure they will be back any way this early in the year. It is just now getting to the time when they are at their worst down here.

Bill

[JosephineRose]

I've now seen recommendations for

pyrethrum
Azatrol
AzaMax

Only the AzaMax has arrived. I'd like to start because rather than wait for the others as I'm seeing the leathering on some of my beefsteaks now. I need to halt this.

Recommendations? Should I do the slurry with the DE and Dawn with the AzaMax?

I also have the Hemp/Peppermint Castile soap.

I am crushed by this. What evil little buggers they are.

It goes without saying that this will get the bees too, won't it? That makes me sad. I've had a bunch of amazing large black carpenter bees pollinating this year. I don't want to hurt them.

[b54red]

Originally Posted by JosephineRose

I've now seen recommendations for

pyrethrum
Azatrol
AzaMax

Only the AzaMax has arrived. I'd like to start because rather than wait for the others as I'm seeing the leathering on some of my beefsteaks now. I need to halt this.

Recommendations? Should I do the slurry with the DE and Dawn with the AzaMax?

I also have the Hemp/Peppermint Castile soap.

I am crushed by this. What evil little buggers they are.

It goes without saying that this will get the bees too, won't it? That makes me sad. I've had a bunch of amazing large black carpenter bees pollinating this year. I don't want to hurt them.

The Azamax should slow them down a bit but frequent use of Neem in hot weather can result in some bad affects on leaves; at least it did for me. I don't know if mixing them will help with your problem or not but I found the addition of the Dawn to Neem when mixing up your solution did help with its effectiveness on spider mites. I'm not sure it will help with russet mites or not but I do know the DE will help with the young ones that hatch from the innumerable eggs that they lay. I do know from years of fighting mites that without the large amount of Dawn that too many of the mites escape getting killed either by the Dawn or the Pyrethrum. The Dawn itself will kill a lot of the mites and it makes Pyrethrum much more effective because it allows it to penetrate into the webbing of spider mites so that it actually comes in contact with them.

Make sure to do your spraying late in the evening just at sundown to have the least affect on bees and it will reduce the chance of leaf damage from the spray. Go ahead and mix up a batch and spray them as soon as possible. If I didn't have anything other than the Dawn I would still spray as soon as possible so that you slow them down a bit. I'm sure the mix of the three will help and should at least slow them down for a few days. If you get the Pyrethrum in and they are still a problem then go ahead and mix it with the Dawn and DE and use it late in the afternoon.

Make sure to spray all surfaces of the stems and leaves, especially the undersides of the leaves. Even if you kill them all this time of the year more will come in somehow so keep a sharp eye out once you think you have them beat because they will likely return. As soon as you suspect they have returned treat all your plants with the mix that worked and don't wait til they get bad again.

Good luck.

Bill