If you have houseplants, there is a good chance that pests will appear at 1 time or another. Lucky Bamboo can be subject to an infestation of spider mites. Here's how to prevent Lucky Bamboo from getting spider mites & also how to treat yours if it does.

Step 1: Lay the Lucky Bamboo Stalks (or Arrangement) Down in the Sink. You Can Do This in the Shower Too.

Completely spray, using a bit of force but not a fire hose blast, the undersides of the leaves. Make sure you do this thoroughly because the spider mites & their eggs hang out here where it’s more protected. I spray the stalks too in case any are creeping downwards.

Spray the upper sides of the leaves making sure the nodes are sprayed out too.

Step 2: How to Treat Spider Mites on Lucky Bamboo

With homemade treatments. Here’s the way I’ve always made a soap/oil spray: Mix 1 tablespoon mild dish soap or Dr. Bronner’s, 1 tablespoon vegetable oil & 1 cup water. This works for mild infestations.

This is effective also: Mix 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar (white vinegar is fine too) with 1 cup of water, 1 t of baking soda & a few drops of mild dish soap into a spray bottle. I don’t use chemicals so these are considered to be “natural controls”. They include horticultural oil, insecticidal soap & neem oil. You can do a little research & see which would best for you.

Here are some options: insecticidal soap ready to use, insecticidal soap concentrate, horticultural oil ready to use, horticultural oil concentrate, neem oil ready to spray & neem oil concentrate. This 1 lists itself as a houseplant & garden insect killer.

Step 3: Good to Know Regarding the Treatment Method:

Control spider mites as soon as you see them. Once the infestation gets bad, they’re hard to get rid of. Your plant may not recover.

If you choose to spray as your method of control, you’ll need to repeat. Follow the instructions on the bottle as to how often. A homemade spray you can repeat every 7 days. It might take 3-4 rounds to control the pests. Make sure the plant isn’t stressed before spraying.

And, don’t spray in the hot sun. Don’t overdo it on the ratios – you can burn the plant. It’s very, very, very important to spray the undersides of the leaves thoroughly. That’s where these pests & their eggs hang out. What’s that they say about an apple a day??

Spider mites travel from plant to plant so it’s better to prevent rather than wait too long. Plus, you and your Lucky Bamboo will be so much happier!

Happy Gardening,

Nell Foster

JoyUsGarden.com