Hi Mike,

You had an Italian Cypress indoors? 😯 😆

Foxtails sure seem to get mites in a warm home...my big one had it too.
But this year, it's spending winter in the cold building. 😈

Good to hear the stuff works.
Does it stink when you bring plants back in?

Barb

Thats good-

I think Mike in Chi-town recommended that too. 😉

Barb? how cold is the building that your going to put your Foxtail in to protect it from mites? My prized/favorite palm is my 8/9 ft tall Foxtail and yesterday noticed one entire branch covered in a web of spider mites. First plant I've ever seen mites on in my house!

I soaked some rags in some warm Neem oil and using both hands ran each branch of the plant through the rags to soak the bugs and remove the web. Later I used a 1 to 1 ratio of water and rubbing alcohol in a spray bottle and sprayed the palm....and a few others close to it.

Temps in my house never go below 68 deg, and humidity is 50-60% all the time so was surprised by seeing the mites on the branch. I had backed off on watering the Foxtail compared to other plants, so maybe that helped lead the mites to it?

Scott

When it warms up,you would be better off taking it out side and completely hosing off the undersides.

No way you can get to all of the leaves on a palm that size and not destroy your house 😯

Maybe then let it dry out and hit it(undersides ESPECIALLY)with some Malathion and let dry.

I failed to mention too that when I first noticed them I did spray the entire plant with indoor/outdoor insecticide. It dried on there for a few hours before I used the wet towel/neem oil mix. I was surprised...and happy to see the webbing was only on one branch of the palm.

Barb? how cold is the building that your going to put your Foxtail in

Building stays at approx. 5C (41F?), seldom ever above 48F, lots of south windows for light.
This is the first year it's being kept that cool, and it'll likely suffer.

Foxtails are notorious for spider mites.
I swear these buggers would get spider mites even if they were placed in the bathtub. 🙄
As Jim said, it's almost impossible to get into all the crevices underneath.
Lack of webbing doesn't mean they're gone.

I used to spend hours "wet clothing" my Foxtail, worked for a couple of weeks and presto, mites were back again.

I had backed off on watering the Foxtail compared to other plants, so maybe that helped lead the mites to it?

I don't know.

When it warms up,you would be better off taking it out side and completely hosing off the undersides.

Excellent advice.
But not an option for anyone in Canada 😆

Spraying insecticides and neem oil indoors almost ruined my wood floor.
Even after I used an old sheet underneath to catch droplets. 😐

I've never been able to achieve the coolness/higher humidity that would deter spider mites on the Foxtail, yet warm enough to keep the plant thriving.
Barb

Thanks for your advice Barb. Room the Foxtail is in has a LOT of other palms/plants in it so will have to do what it takes to maintain control.

Going to be nice here this weekend so will get wife to help me get it in garage and totally soak it with insctcide/Neem oil spray and will start putting Neem oil in water I give it as a systemic. Will also use insecticidal soap when I spray it. Will also leave humidifier in that room as well and see what all happens when it comes to control.

I've got one of these so I don't have to wait for help.

a LOT of other palms/plants in it

And even keeping the palms from touching one another isn't foolproof.

Starting with the Foxtail will keep the mite problem down to a dull roar.
Each Fall we seem to have a lot of ladybugs that somehow make their way into the house.
In other years, I used to gently collect them from windows upstairs and relocate them onto plants downstairs.
This palm hobby drives us crazy eventually, as H suggests. :geek:

A maturing Foxtail's beauty is worth the hassle. 😕
Especially when each new leaf is more plumose than the last.

Good luck; let us know if you find the elusive combination, Scott.
Barb

I know this sounds ridiculous but if there is a way to turn it upside down and spray it at
least you'll get the little plant wreckers in the face-if you don't want their a$$ on a platter now you will 😀

LOL Jim, wish I could but it is much too tall. Will take two people to get it out to garage where I can really soak it down, then spray it off.

I used to spray all kinds of poison on mine,the damage was almost as bad as the bugs 😀

Seriously..........I sprayed mine off a lot this year because I had to use the hose so much...

I also removed some of the plants (Basjoo)that were reinfecting the palms,this worked pretty
good and I only had a little WSM to deal with right at the end of the indoor season...
mostly on the Bananas and such.

For mites, I just use a drop of dishsoap in a spray bottle with a half a tsp of olive oil. IF that doesnt work, I use safers soap, which is basically the same as the soap/olive oil mix i make except they use horticultural oil in it. Used correctly it gets rid of all mites ive seen and even scale.

I also mist my houseplants once or twice a day, and before bringing them inside they get a massive spray with the hose and a soap spray.

Canadianplant...

How much water are you adding the soap/olive oil to? do you fill the entire bottle?

I have to be careful about not making the solution too "soapy" or "oily" as I get yelled at if I get too much over spray on windows or floors making each sticky.

I have to remind the wife that I could have a far more expensive hobby, or go hand out at the casinos! that usually quiets her up till the next over spray incident lol.

Sorry it takes so long to respond most of my computers at work dont let me on any websites. only one i rarely use. No the smell only lasted about an hour and it faded fast. I have a huge entrance way and I just brought them in. I have2 italian cypress 3 palms 18' and 20' a queen a christmas palm and a foxtail and they dont touch the ceiling. and there all close buy and all had mites.
I have a garage with I may put the foxtail in there its always in the 40's in there nice and cool

Jim I tried did what you said spraying the undersides. My palms are huge but I just pulled the palm on an angle and layed it sideways and soaked the hell out of the crown thnx for the idea