Scouting and rotation for managing spider mites

Added on 22 March 2023

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Scouting and rotation for managing spider mites

Spider mites are a ubiquitous problem for greenhouse growers; in fact, if you ask Steve Bogash, Territory Business Manager, Northeast and Mid-Atlantic, at Pro Farm Group (formerly Marrone Bio Innovations) about when you’re most likely to see spider mites, he’ll give you a simple answer: “When you have a crop in the greenhouse.”

Scouting is the most important tool when it comes to spider mite control.

“Scout any plant you bring in to make sure you’re not inviting a problem,” Bogash says. “The most likely place for early-season spider mites to turn up is on existing plants. But you might also find them in your fertilizer injection system, behind a bench, or in any errant weeds.”

Scouting should start with looking at the bottom of plant leaves, ideally with a hand lens so your eyes don’t get tired.

“It will also make it easier to spot tiny eggs, which normally show up on leaf veins,” Bogash says.