Spider mites are tiny mites that settle primarily on the undersides of leaves and feed on their sap. The females only live for two to five weeks but can lay up to a hundred eggs during this time.
The population can grow explosively - especially in protected places with a dry, warm climate. Spider mites damage the plant with their poisonous saliva. The plant also loses moisture and its natural protective layer. And although the individual mite doesn't cause too much damage, the pests pose a real danger to plants due to their sheer mass. You can recognize spider mites primarily by their webs and the distinctive sucking damage on the leaves. The leaves then appear speckled with yellow dots on both sides. Because the tissue is severely damaged, the individual spots often merge into larger, yellow to bronze-colored spots. These severely affected leaves curl up and die over time. Tea tree oil is a natural remedy made from the leaves and twigs of the Australian tea tree. The oil clogs the mites' breathing openings and suffocates them. The best remedy against spider mites is well-cared for, healthy, strong plants. Too much nitrogen, however, has the opposite effect: the leaf tissue becomes soft and very susceptible to pests. A decoction of nettles or horsetail not only prevents spider mites but also helps to keep them at bay in the garden. In natural gardens, there are always many natural predators of spidermites and other parasites. In this way, nature automatically keeps the populations in balance, and you no longer need to intervene much. If you want to successfully combat spider mites, you should not just treat them once. Whatever method you choose, be sure to repeat it every few days for the next two weeks. This is the only way to ensure that all eggs have actually hatched and the offspring have been recorded.