After heatwave weekend, look what happened

peebee · October 17, 2015

We've been having a long extended heat wave and this is what I came back to this Monday at work (my office garden) after the past weekend. Wish I had taken "Before" pics but if you can just imagine in your minds, this lone huge tomato bush was lush and green last Friday. I'm not sad cuz this plant was not producing any fruit at all; I just kept it cuz I had no other plants left and just hoped against hope that fruits will appear one day. Just shows you, spider mites love hot and dry conditions. Till now, they have never appeared in this office garden before. Hope they don't come back next year.

Just in time for Halloween, cob web decorations, courtesy of Mother Nature:

peebee · October 17, 2015

I am wondering, should I leave it alone and yank out the plant after the spider mites look like they are done, or should I do it now? I don't want to spread them by disturbing them. Any thoughts?
Thanks.

Sun City Linda · October 17, 2015

Summer came early and stayed late this year. It was one of the hottest I recall. The ONLY saving grace is that thankfully most of my nights were still cool, except when the dreaded humidity set in.

AlittleSalt · October 17, 2015

Thanking of Halloween, I have a very odd stepbrother who likes to
tinker with stuff. Halloween is his favorite holiday. He made an older hand-held fire extinguisher into a flame thrower. Looks like you might have a use for it.

JMHO

kurt · October 18, 2015

Quote:

Originally Posted by peebee

I am wondering, should I leave it alone and yank out the plant after the spider mites look like they are done, or should I do it now? I don't want to spread them by disturbing them. Any thoughts?
Thanks.

Best bet to bag the plant ,and any growth underneath and surrounding area.When in bag spray Sevin/Malathion let cook in sun for a day or two.You don't want to spread to landfill so as the critters to hitch a ride via wind/contact etc.Solarize the ground where the plant was at or nuke it( Sevin)if you feel no runoff to a watersource that will harm surrounding environment.Change clothes after this,they are notorious to hitchhike in fabric,you do not wnat them at your home garden.Some of the most stubborn,damaging,prolific critters I have had my dance with.

http://www.naturescontrol.com/spidermitedormancy.html

October 17, 2015	#4
AlittleSalt BANNED FOR LIFE Join Date: May 2014 Posts: 13,333	Thanking of Halloween, I have a very odd stepbrother who likes to tinker with stuff. Halloween is his favorite holiday. He made an older hand-held fire extinguisher into a flame thrower. Looks like you might have a use for it. JMHO Last edited by AlittleSalt; October 17, 2015 at 11:47 PM.

October 17, 2015	#2
peebee Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Southern CA Posts: 1,714	I am wondering, should I leave it alone and yank out the plant after the spider mites look like they are done, or should I do it now? I don't want to spread them by disturbing them. Any thoughts? Thanks.

October 17, 2015	#3
Sun City Linda Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: SoCal Inland Posts: 2,705	Summer came early and stayed late this year. It was one of the hottest I recall. The ONLY saving grace is that thankfully most of my nights were still cool, except when the dreaded humidity set in.