There are numerous different types of spider mites that can infest your banana plant. The best known is probably the common spider mite. It only grows about half a millimeter in size and can hardly be seen with the naked eye.

Spider mites are vanishingly small

Where do spider mites come from?

It doesn't matter where the spider mites come from on your banana plant. If the plant is new, you may have already "bought" the mites. The same can happen to you when you buy potting soil.

How do I recognize a spider mite infestation?

At first, the affected banana plant usually looks healthy. The spider mites themselves are practically invisible, but the fine web may be. If the infestation is severe, the leaves turn yellow and droop.

What can I do against spider mites?

Sometimes this can be remedied by increasing the humidity or spraying the plant with lukewarm water. However, you should not rely on this, because spider mites can be very stubborn. If the infestation is classified as low, then it may be sufficient if you spray your banana plant with a sharp jet of water. However, the water should not be too cold and preferably low in lime.

Then put a clear plastic bag over your plant and place it in a warm place. A warm, humid "greenhouse climate" develops under the bag, in which spider mites do not feel comfortable at all. In the case of a severe infestation, sometimes only a systemic remedy can help. Before that, you can also try neem supplements or canola oil-based remedies.

How do I protect my banana plant from spider mites?

Spider mites tend to emerge in winter, when the air is dry and warm due to the operation of the heating system. Make sure the humidity is at least 50 percent, so you can at least curb the spread of the pests.

The essentials in brief:

  • be sure to intervene immediately
  • with low infestation: Rinse the plant thoroughly
  • in case of severe infestation: rapeseed oil or neem preparations, systemic agent

tips

The sooner you get rid of spider mites on your banana tree, the greater the chance of saving the plant.

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Herbs