Spray, dont dunk

[helixturnhelix]

I have been experimenting with an alternative to giving hibiscus baths and I think what I have been doing is working.

After reading Jordans washing plants off idea I thought I would take it even one step lazier   I got to thinking that it seems as though spidermites just hate water and hot water kills them.  So what I have been doing these last two weeks is filling my spray bottle with hot hot tap water and spraying the infested plants once a day.  So far I have not seen any more damage and there are no mites under the leaves.  If this keeps up, it may be that a hot water spray is all they need to get rid of these mites. 

My plants in the bedroom get the same spray of water on top and under their leaves once a week and they seem to be doing great.  A clean plant is a happy plant

[Charlie]

That's an interesting idea. I wonder if the commercial plant grower world has ever done any experiments with heat.
I 've never read anything and it would be harder to implement in large growing areas but it would be interesting alternative to expensive miticides.

When you say hot, how hot do you mean?

Charlie

[helixturnhelix]

By hot I mean as hot as my facet will get.  Usually its steaming so my guess is its prob around 98 degrees centigrade. 

These are preliminary results, but so far I like what I am seeing

[jpiper82]

Hot tap water is measured by what you have your hot water temp set at.  Then you have this DELTA T thing going on, in terms of long it takes a person to transfer all this heated water to a sprayer, and then go spray your plants.

I am thinking that this should be treated just like baking bread! Don't let the temperature get over 105F as it hits your plants.

Now I don't just know how to do that LOL

John

[Charlie]

I like it! I hope it works out for whoever tries it.

Charlie

[Nievesgirl]

I wish I can try this but I just have too many plants lol I like just running the tub water over leaves idea I came up with its faster.

I will try this with my work plants once i bring them back to work. My apt temps are hot and probably over 98 degrees lol