Pests are a natural part of Gardyning. Despite incorporating our suggested preventive measures, pests can happen, but it’s going to be okay!
If you're here because you're fairly confident you've identified spider mites on your Gardyn, keep reading! Otherwise, review our pest identification guide here.
Spider Mites Control
Spider mites may not be as common as aphids, however, they are still one of the more common pests Gardyners may experience.
As soon as you detect spider mites on your plants, remove any plants that are severely affected immediately! Significant webbing is a good indication of severely affected plants.
If you catch the infestation is in the early stages, trim any affected leaves, flowers, or fruit. If hosing your plants outside is not an option, rinse them under the faucet, holding the plants upside down to remove as many pests as possible. Do not hesitate to use high pressure! Be sure to remove any dead leaves, and harvest any overgrown plants to make managing the infestation easier.
Then, treat your plants with a knockdown spray. You can also do this preventatively when no pests are present, or as an initial treatment for a light infestation.
How do knockdown sprays work?
Knockdown sprays are usually emulsified essential oils that kill soft-bodied insects and their eggs on contact. Nothing is 100% effective so these sprays are typically not used as the end-all solution for pest control. However, they are an effective tool to rapidly reduce populations of existing infestations and can be useful to prevent smaller infestations from growing out of control.
What is a knockdown spray?
You can either make your own, homemade soap spray, or purchase a ready-to-use pesticide.
Option #1: Make a Homemade Soap Spray
- Mix the following in a 32-oz. empty spray bottle:
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- 1 Tbsp All-Natural Soap (examples: African Black Soap and Dr. Bronners Pure Castile Soap)
- Note: Don’t use detergents (which aren’t actually soaps), dish soaps, or any products with degreasers, skin moisturizers, or synthetic chemicals.
- Optional: 1 tsp Baking Soda (suggested product), which also works well as a natural fungicide
- 1 Tbsp All-Natural Soap (examples: African Black Soap and Dr. Bronners Pure Castile Soap)
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2. Top off the bottle with tap water.
3. Shake the bottle well before spraying.
Option #2: Purchase a Ready-to-Use Pesticide
- You can buy an organic and safe insecticide online that requires no mixing and is ready to use. Sierra Natural Science makes great pesticides for for home use.
How do I use a knockdown spray?
- Turn off your Gardyn’s lights before spraying and leave them off for at least 1 hour after completing the treatment. After mixing a new spray, test it on a small leaf before applying it to the whole plant to be sure the spray isn’t too strong. Wait 30 minutes, then check the test area for signs of burning or yellowing.
- Spray both the top and bottom of the leaves (apply liberally to simulate a rainstorm). Alternatively, pour the knockdown spray into a large cup or small bucket, and completely submerge your plant's stalks and leaves to ensure 100% coverage.
- Wipe down or rinse plants after treatment to remove any heavy soap residue. Be sure to leave the spray on the foliage for at least 15 minutes.
- Re-apply every third day.
- Check for pests regularly as they can be attracted to the powerful flavors and aromas of certain plants. If you see pests return, spray immediately. Don’t wait for them to multiply, and don’t hesitate to discard the most affected plants to protect your entire Gardyn system.
How often should I spray my plants?
The most important thing to remember is that knockdown sprays need to be applied every third day (spray one day, wait two full days before spraying again). This schedule maximizes treatment effectiveness by disrupting the pest’s natural lifecycle.
Remember to turn your Gardyn’s lights off before spraying, and leave them off for at least 1 hour to avoid burning the leaves.
- If using the knockdown spray as a preventative, we recommend applying your knockdown spray of choice once per week indefinitely.
- If you’re treating an existing infestation, apply the knockdown spray on every third day for two weeks and assess if the infestation comes under control. If the infestation continues to grow, it may be a good idea to start germinating replacement yCubes away from your Gardyn, just in case you need to replace severely affected plants.
One last tip from our Plant Experts:
Develop a control system that works best for you. A combination of treatments will be most effective.
For best results, be proactive! Applying preventative measures can help you avoid infestations from the start and will encourage would-be pests to search for less stressful options.
If you decide you'd rather start fresh with a set of all-new yCubes on your Gardyn rather than fighting your current pest problem, be sure to do a Light Cleaning first to sterilize your device and help you avoid a repeat pest problem.
Questions? Reach us at support@mygardyn.com, or chat with us! We're here to help.