Spider mites at local nursery

Redwood Ryan

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Hey everyone!

There's a large nursery down the road from me that I used to love going to, but have found their trees and plants to be infested with spider mites. It's a huge bummer, because they're a great source of pots and accessories for me.

How likely is it that the pots and various other accessories would be crawling with spider mites? I need some new pots, but if they're in the same greenhouse that the plants with spider mites are, I don't know how risky that is. Is there anything I could do to minimize spider mites hitching a ride on the pots, or even myself, and then getting introduced into my garden? Or am I just giving the mites too much credit 😅
 

Redwood Ryan

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Spray everything with neem oil. No spider mites.
I was thinking either this or dunking the pots in water. I didn't know if it was OK to actual coat the pots and things in neem oil haha
 

Redwood Ryan

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Way too much!

What do they say at the Nursery about it?

Sorce
Honestly I'm too paranoid to step foot back into that nursery, I keep having flashbacks to my earlier years and the battles against mites that I had...
 

BobbyLane

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How some people view spidermites:D:D
 

Redwood Ryan

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Okay okay it was a real concern! I don't know how easy it is to track mites in from one location to another! Just curious if it was my OCD acting up or if this shouldn't be as big of a deal as I'm making it haha
 

Bonsai Nut

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Will this also work on plants?
Yes, neem oil is an organic treatment for spider mites. This year I had an outbreak on some Chinese quince that I brought in from an outside nursery. Neem oil is very effective on them - particularly if you spray twice about a week apart.
 

eryk2kartman

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+1 for Neem oil!

Its actually the only thing i use, and i use it for everything and on everything.
 

leatherback

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I think it is good to realize spider mites are all around all the time. You going to a nurserie is not going to increasew the risk of problems on your end.
 

HorseloverFat

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I 3rd neem.. but I use it every OTHER day for 14 days.., making sure to SHAKE/agitate in between specimens, and not applying in high or afternoon sun..

Works great..

Bonide works better than Southern Ag, for ME.
 
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