The following excerpt was taken from the web, and is in my long list of hydro notes. I have not had a chance to try it yet, ut it sounds promising:
"so far one formula has come out ahead and there are some instruction changes:
1/4 cup Baking Soda
1/2 cup Apple Cider vinegar
1 Tablespoon Lemon Juice
2 drops dish detergent
1/4 Teaspoon Epsom Salts
Take a cup of very hot water and desolve the epsom salts,take rest of ingredients and place in a clean 2 liter bottle and let work out. Add epsom solution. Add water to fill to 48ozs(3/4 full).Shake well.
TO USE: Cover soil/medium with plastic,with lights off mist plant all over,especialy under leaves,
Wait 20 mins,then spritz off with clean fresh water shaking as much water off plant as you can.
The fresh water spritz rinse will remove the solution along with the desolved remains of the mites and their eggs.
Have fun with your new "Mite Eradicator"
Note by MrFixit: Water plants 1/2 hour before spraying. This will help keep your plants from absorbing the spray.
This solution has been tested and used as directed will not burn plants,the rinse is very important though as it removes the spent solution before it can concentrate and burn the plant. It also removes most of the dead mites and eggs so you don't end up smoking them.
The formula can be diluted further,to 1 liter and it will still kill the mites but isn't as effective at dissolving and removing the mite parts.
Since removing the mite debris is desirable,I recommend the stronger solution,just remember to rinse and shake.
This formula is alkaline(about 7.8-8) so please remember to rinse.
Mite irradication is absolutely assured and guaranteed if used as directed.
I've never seen ANYTHING work this well for mite irradication!!
I used to gas my booths for mites,it worked but they came back,I haven't seen a living mite in a long time now.They haven't come back,partly because of cooler weather,partly because I hosed the Roses that were infecting everything with the formula and wiped out all the mites during testing.
The only thing I wish I'd done different is,I wish I would have done sections of the Roses and preserved
some of the mites for later tests.I've had to go searching for victims to test it on and there just aren't any left!! I did find some victims for my final tests in the park where we have meetings,the plants by the river are pretty sickly and infested(were I should say,I walked around with ONE pint bottle and cleaned up most of the area.LOL)
If news of this formula were to become widespread,mites would become an endangered species!!!So GOOD HUNTING !
Seasider"
"PM'd BankRobber and he told me to post this:
I have been experimenting with similar formulas, so far 2 work.
Trial #1: 1/2 cup baking soda , 1 cup vinegar , 1/2 cup apple juice. Dilute to 2 liters.
Trial #2 1/2 cup baking soda , 1 cup vinegar , 3 tablespoons lemon juice , 2 drops dish soap .
Dilute to 40 fluid oz's.
I've tried this on: Wandering Jew,Spider Plant,Fushias,Gladiolis,Roses, Sweet Elysium,Clovers,Daisy,
Rhodadendron, Lawn(grass)
So far it works,both formulas. #2 works best outside and best overall
It has killed any small insects I've tried it on except FLEAS(Darn it!)
So far its killed mites,thrips(Adult),aphids,clo ver mites, whatever mite type insects that were all over the Gladiolis and it sickened and effected Grass Gnats and mosquitoes.(the mist knocked them down,couldn't find them in the grass to watch if they died but they were having difficulty flying)
I'm waiting for long term effects on the plants I've sprayed,before I'll try it on my plants.
Try mixing up some and try it outside on whatever you can find with an infestation.
The original recipe from a Landscape gardener was: 1/2 cup baking soda, 1 cup vinegar,2cups apple peels.
Blend/Puree , filter , dilute to 2 liters. I haven't tried this one yet (no apple peels).
The trick seems to be 1/2 cup Baking soda to 1 cup vinegar,diluted to approximately 2 liters.
The dishsoap helps wetting & the juices boost effect. #2 seems to help with molds/fungus also.It reduced blackspot on Roses,Gladiolis and Rhodi's and white mold on Roses.( The coast is a perfect proving ground for this stuff!!! We have ALL the bugs and molds !!! I don't have to go far to find infestations of all kinds.)
Seasider"
"REPORT:
For 2 days I have hosed my backyard with this stuff,so far it has reduced blackspot & powdery mildew(white mold),killed all the small insects(size seems to matter on kill,gnats or smaller).
The only plants adversely affected so far are FERNS (they don't like it much,wilted some).
The fleas seem unaffected as are the garden spiders,wood lice,beetles and other large hard insects.
I'm using it far more than necessary to see if it hurts the plants. Repeating doses even after the bugs are dead. The gladiolis were REALY bad with blackspot mold and some kind of black sucker insects about the size of a pinhead.The Glads are doing fine both mold and insects gone! The wandering jew and spider plants are actualy perking up from it.The clover mites? WIPED OUT! Rose mites? WIPED OUT! Grass gnats and mosquitoes? VASTLY REDUCED! Scale insects? DEAD! Aphids?DEAD![THE GARDEN??? (smells like a "Caeser Salad" ! ) ALIVE.]
Seasider "
"Hey Everyone,
I think Seasider is onto something and that's it so cool to see people taking action and experimenting with organic ingredients!
I'm certainly going to try his formula!
It cost me over $300 to manufacture what I came up with, and that dose not include all the labor and the over two weeks it take to complete each batch!
Seasider's stuff is a fraction of the cost, and I can't see any adverse reactions from the ingredients mentioned.
Except for invertebrates "the soap" would kill them, but then we don't need it in our fish tank now do we?
A key test will be to see if any eggs rehatch or if the plants are reinvested, however respraying with an inexpensive home made product may be worth it to so many!
I say GREAT job & keep up the good fight!
Please keep us informed of your test. and results!
BankRobber!"
"Report:
There seems to be some mild burning where the solution was left on and collected/concentrated.
I would recommend using the 2 liter dilution and spritzing with fresh water afterward and shaking off as much as possible so the formula doesn't collect and concentrate itself to the point it burns tender leaves.
I didn't notice any damage except where it had concentrated and dried,so spritzing and shaking off should do the trick.As far as effectiveness goes,wow! The death and destruction it deals to mites is impressive !!
Popping browning eggs melting,imploding adults,body parts and debris slowly dissolving......EXTREMELY GRATIFYING !!!
TRY IT YOU'LL LIKE IT !!
The BORG rule ,of mite terror, is OVER !!!!
WARNING !!
A member had severe burning that he attributes to residues drawn out of the container by the vinegar.
USE A CLEAN CONTAINER !! Do not use realy strong vinegar or any with SULFITES in it.
NO SULFITES"
BOTTOM LINE IS IT WORKS AND THEY DON'T COME BACK"
