Sulfur for spider mites?

b54red · July 3, 2011

Has anyone tried dusting their tomato plants with sulfur to help control spider mites? I have a friend who is an environmental chemist and he told me the other day that they use it to control red spider mites on water hyacinths in water treatment plants. He also told me that they are not allowed to use poisons and that the sulfur is very effective.
I'm having a problem with spider mites on some of my plants and thought I would give it a try; but don't know if there are any negative effects from using it.

Heritage · July 4, 2011

b54,

I use both a dusting sulfur and a wettable sulfur for mildew control on dahlias and it works great. I wasn't aware it was also a miticide (thanks!) so I'm going to try it on a few tomato plants that are showing the first mite infestation.

Apply when it is cool, and cover all leaf surfaces. Keep it out of your eyes.

Steve

b54red · July 4, 2011

Thanks Steve, I'll try it in the morning.

Heritage · July 4, 2011

I just read my label and it says plant damage can occur at temps over 90 degrees especially if it's dry. Also, says not to apply if you've used oils in the last 20-30 days.

rnewste · July 4, 2011

Have you guys looked at this product?

Claims to work on Spider Mites and is safe for same day harvest on tomatoes (although I would wait a week).

From the blurb:

"""Hi-Yield Indoor/Outdoor Broad Use Insecticide with 10% Permethrin Insecticide controls a wide variety of turf, garden, and ornamental pests. Hi-Yield Indoor/Outdoor Broad Use Insecticide can be used inside homes, in home gardens for labeled fruits and vegetables, and on ornamental plants and lawns around residential, industrial, commercial, and other non-agricultural outdoor areas. Pests controlled include fleas, ticks, carpet beetles, cockroaches, crickets, mites, centipedes, weevils, and beetles indoors. Outdoor insects controlled include aphids, bagworms, cicadas, spider mites, thrips, whiteflies, ants, earwigs, fleas, ticks, mosquitoes, tent caterpillars, lilac borers, and biting midges."""

Here is the direct link:

http://www.domyownpestcontrol.com/hi...de-p-1551.html

Just another option.....

Raybo

Sun City Linda · July 4, 2011

I am using sulfer powder, as a dust for what I think are russet mites. I think it is helping. Not seeing the ramplant spread I saw before. I would like to be hosing off the plants more often but I am reluctant to wash off all the sulfer. Kind of a balancing act. No use of oils is an issue, as is temperature, which has been in the 100s lately. Linda

Heritage · July 4, 2011

Quote:

Originally Posted by rnewste

Have you guys looked at this product?

Ray, I've used permethrin in tank mixtures with other pesticides (on flower crops) but haven't evaluated it alone for miticide effectiveness. It is highly toxic to cats (I have 5 mousers) and it is a very wide spectrum pesticide that kills everything, including beneficials and bees, so I try to avoid using it on my tomatoes.

Stepheninky · July 4, 2011

You might could try just Neem oil, I use Garden Safe Fungicide 3 in one that is mainly neem oil. They have a spray type bottle and a concentrate. It will not instantly kill them though it messes up their reproduction. The garden safe is my first go to for insect issues , but I will admit I will use Seven or something with malathion in it as a last resort if I have to.

Usually I use the garden safe though and BT (dipel dust for horn worms / Caterpillars) then will use the seven if the damage continues or Japanese beetles are out in numbers.

I have heard people say tobacco juice works too, others say it spreads Tobacco mosaic virus to your tomatoes. IDK, I have smoked in my garden and handled plants and never had an issue with it but who knows really. Just thought I would at least throw it out there as a possible option for others to comment on.

b54red · July 5, 2011

I have used tobacco juice before for mites and whiteflies and it is very effective but I also worry about tobacco mosaic virus though I never got it when I used it.

The 10% permethrin is somewhat effective if you use it with a heavy dose of dishwashing soap so it will wet the little buggers. The trouble is to really be effective you need to spray every two days for at least a week and that is a lot of poison to put out so often.

Malathion is fairly effective with a soap mix but it can damage tomato leaves if it is used too strong or when the sun is shining.

I'm hoping the sulfur dust works. It was a little tricky to apply because it is hard not to get in the drift when putting it out.

GaryStPaul · July 5, 2011

Here is something that has worked for me: Mix Isopropyl alcohol (70%) and water in a 1:2 or even 1:1 ratio, adding some soap shavings (I use Castile soap) or drops of dishwashing detergent as a surfactant. Spray undersides of leaves to the point of run-off. Never had a problem with this method. Gary

b54red · July 5, 2011

Gary, I tried it and it did seem to help but it takes way too much alcohol for the number of plants I am dealing with. The cost is really high. It takes a full two gallons of solution to thoroughly spray all of the tomatoes I have now. A few weeks ago it would have taken over 3 gallons.

GaryStPaul · July 5, 2011

Sorry about that; wasn't sure how many plants you have to treat. Well, good luck! Gary

Heritage · July 5, 2011

Quote:

Originally Posted by b54red

I'm hoping the sulfur dust works. It was a little tricky to apply because it is hard not to get in the drift when putting it out.

When I can justify the extra expense I use micronized sulfur and spray it on. No dust cloud so it's cleaner to apply. Fedco carries it, strange they don't list it as a miticide...
http://www.fedcoseeds.com/ogs/search.php?item=8813

I use a different brand (Thiolux), but I think it only comes in 50lb bags.

RayR · July 5, 2011

I've never had a mite problem, but I'm interested in organic controls for pests and pathogens. I've seen it recommended by many people that spraying liquid kelp is an effective remedy for spider mites. Has anyone used seaweed as a spider mite control?

b54red · July 11, 2011

Just wanted to let everyone know that the sulfur did a fairly good job in cutting back on the mites. The plants look so much better now. It was messy but worth the trouble. I will have to go buy another bag to use again now that it has rained and washed it all off.

July 3, 2011	#1
b54red Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Alabama Posts: 7,068	Sulfur for spider mites? Has anyone tried dusting their tomato plants with sulfur to help control spider mites? I have a friend who is an environmental chemist and he told me the other day that they use it to control red spider mites on water hyacinths in water treatment plants. He also told me that they are not allowed to use poisons and that the sulfur is very effective. I'm having a problem with spider mites on some of my plants and thought I would give it a try; but don't know if there are any negative effects from using it.

July 4, 2011	#8
Stepheninky Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Kentucky Posts: 682	You might could try just Neem oil, I use Garden Safe Fungicide 3 in one that is mainly neem oil. They have a spray type bottle and a concentrate. It will not instantly kill them though it messes up their reproduction. The garden safe is my first go to for insect issues , but I will admit I will use Seven or something with malathion in it as a last resort if I have to. Usually I use the garden safe though and BT (dipel dust for horn worms / Caterpillars) then will use the seven if the damage continues or Japanese beetles are out in numbers. I have heard people say tobacco juice works too, others say it spreads Tobacco mosaic virus to your tomatoes. IDK, I have smoked in my garden and handled plants and never had an issue with it but who knows really. Just thought I would at least throw it out there as a possible option for others to comment on. __________________ tomatoprojects.blogspot.com

July 4, 2011	#2
Heritage Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: San Diego Posts: 1,255	b54, I use both a dusting sulfur and a wettable sulfur for mildew control on dahlias and it works great. I wasn't aware it was also a miticide (thanks!) so I'm going to try it on a few tomato plants that are showing the first mite infestation. Apply when it is cool, and cover all leaf surfaces. Keep it out of your eyes. Steve

July 4, 2011	#5
rnewste Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Campbell, CA Posts: 4,064	Have you guys looked at this product? Claims to work on Spider Mites and is safe for same day harvest on tomatoes (although I would wait a week). From the blurb: """Hi-Yield Indoor/Outdoor Broad Use Insecticide with 10% Permethrin Insecticide controls a wide variety of turf, garden, and ornamental pests. Hi-Yield Indoor/Outdoor Broad Use Insecticide can be used inside homes, in home gardens for labeled fruits and vegetables, and on ornamental plants and lawns around residential, industrial, commercial, and other non-agricultural outdoor areas. Pests controlled include fleas, ticks, carpet beetles, cockroaches, crickets, mites, centipedes, weevils, and beetles indoors. Outdoor insects controlled include aphids, bagworms, cicadas, spider mites, thrips, whiteflies, ants, earwigs, fleas, ticks, mosquitoes, tent caterpillars, lilac borers, and biting midges.""" Here is the direct link: http://www.domyownpestcontrol.com/hi...de-p-1551.html Just another option..... Raybo

July 4, 2011	#6
Sun City Linda Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: SoCal Inland Posts: 2,705	I am using sulfer powder, as a dust for what I think are russet mites. I think it is helping. Not seeing the ramplant spread I saw before. I would like to be hosing off the plants more often but I am reluctant to wash off all the sulfer. Kind of a balancing act. No use of oils is an issue, as is temperature, which has been in the 100s lately. Linda

July 5, 2011	#9
b54red Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Alabama Posts: 7,068	I have used tobacco juice before for mites and whiteflies and it is very effective but I also worry about tobacco mosaic virus though I never got it when I used it. The 10% permethrin is somewhat effective if you use it with a heavy dose of dishwashing soap so it will wet the little buggers. The trouble is to really be effective you need to spray every two days for at least a week and that is a lot of poison to put out so often. Malathion is fairly effective with a soap mix but it can damage tomato leaves if it is used too strong or when the sun is shining. I'm hoping the sulfur dust works. It was a little tricky to apply because it is hard not to get in the drift when putting it out.

July 5, 2011	#10
GaryStPaul Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: St Paul, MN Posts: 158	Here is something that has worked for me: Mix Isopropyl alcohol (70%) and water in a 1:2 or even 1:1 ratio, adding some soap shavings (I use Castile soap) or drops of dishwashing detergent as a surfactant. Spray undersides of leaves to the point of run-off. Never had a problem with this method. Gary

July 5, 2011	#14
RayR Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Cheektowaga, NY Posts: 2,466	I've never had a mite problem, but I'm interested in organic controls for pests and pathogens. I've seen it recommended by many people that spraying liquid kelp is an effective remedy for spider mites. Has anyone used seaweed as a spider mite control?

July 11, 2011	#15
b54red Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Alabama Posts: 7,068	Just wanted to let everyone know that the sulfur did a fairly good job in cutting back on the mites. The plants look so much better now. It was messy but worth the trouble. I will have to go buy another bag to use again now that it has rained and washed it all off.