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Lions and Tigers And Mites, Oh My!

by Erin Spencer / July 2, 2018

If heat and drought weren't enough to make you worry about your plants, never forget about those ruthlessly resilient, tiny and terrible, spider mites.I hate spider mites. For the brief few weeks I've experienced their presence they've completely sucked the life out of my house plants, many of which I was already trying to nurse back to health. I've tried spraying them with water, soap, alcohol, until I finally settled on neem oil, which has seemed to do the trick, for now...So, in the effort to save you from some of the headaches I've endured dealing with these aggravating arachnids here is a list of everything you need to know about spider mites, and hopefully how to get rid of them.

WHAT ARE SPIDER MITES?

First, I guess I’ll start by telling you what a spider mite is. Spider mites are members of the Acari or mite and tick subclass found within the larger Arachnida, or arachnid classification. They are tiny, less then 1 mm in size, and can commonly be found living on the underside of leaves. Some plants that are susceptible to mites are fruit trees, tomatoes, strawberries, roses, juniper, rosemary, and house plants. So, basically anything tasty, pretty, or fragrant…great.The optimal temperature for a spider mite is 85-95 degrees fahrenheit, and they love dry heat, so they love our Texas summers. Under these conditions it can take as little as 5 days for a mite to reach maturity and live 2-4 weeks as an adult laying hundreds of eggs. This leads into the difficulty of getting rid of them, since not long after you’ve killed the adults more eggs begin to hatch.[caption id="attachment_13991" align="aligncenter" width="600"] Closeup of Spider Mite[/caption]

 HOW DO YOU KNOW IF YOU HAVE SPIDER MITES?

Due to their size, it can be difficult to tell if you have a spider mite infestation until it’s too late. I was able to notice them because my plants are rather small, and I check on my plants every day. However, if you want to check your plants for mites you can take a piece of paper place it under the leaves and shake. If small reddish-brown speckles fall onto the paper you likely have mites. More dramatic evidence of mites include yellowing of leaves in a spotted pattern and webbing encasing leaves like that of a spider.

WHY ARE THEY SO DAMAGING?

Spider mites feed on plants by piercing the leaves and drinking the fluids inside, creating thousands of tiny holes. This vastly diminishes the plants’ ability to retain water and the attacked leaves slowly start to wither and die. Combined with the stress of summer, spider mites can kill a plant in the blink of an eye.[caption id="attachment_13990" align="aligncenter" width="600"] Spider Mite Damage[/caption]

HOW DO YOU GET RID OF THEM?

There are several points of attack you can take towards getting rid of spider mites. One unfortunate solution is to immediately dispose of the infected plant to prevent them spreading. It may seem a little hasty, but if you have seen these pests before you know you can never be too safe.If you catch them early enough and want to give it a go there are several pesticides recommend by the "austingov" website that will have minimal environmental impact if used. Rather than list them all I’ve attached the list here: spider mite pesticidesLike I mentioned earlier, I tried the  “spraying with a stream of water” solution to no avail, and my homemade insecticidal soap didn't fair much better. Finally, I tried borrowing my mom’s neem oil and it seemed to do the trick. Neem oil is a vegetable oil collected from the neem tree, which is endemic to India. It’s an organic form of pesticide that can help control many different kinds of pests, as well as fungi and mildew. You should be able to find it in your typical home and garden store, but if you can't I'm sure amazon would be your next best bet.Whatever you land on, I wish you the best of luck, and don’t let those mites grind you down!

A Cactus Christmas

by Erin Spencer / December 4, 2017

It's Christmas time, and down here in Texas we do things slightly differently than in other states. That's why, with a name like "Christmas cactus", you knew I wasn't going to miss the opportunity to talk about this succulent sweetheart. 1. Watering/Soil. Christmas cactus, or Schlumbergera bridgessii, needs moist soil to grow, but not soaking. Too much and the plant will rot, too little and it might not bloom. Well draining soil makes this much easier. Put sand or small stones at the base of the pot to help you get this effect. 3. Sunlight: Bright, indirect light is best, like that which comes through a house window. Direct sunlight, especially in Texas, can burn the plant. 4. Temperature/Humidity: Christmas cactus prefer the temperature to hover around 60-70 degrees Fahrenheit during the day and 50-60 at night. They are tropical plants, so high humidity is a must. Fill their drip tray with pebbles and water, or mist often to keep them happy. 5. Fertilizer: Fertilize monthly from late winter to late summer with 20-20-20. Don't  fertilize in the winter as the plant will start to go dormant. 6. Blooming: The Christmas cactus can be a finicky bloomer. They require at least 12 hours of total darkness for 6-8 weeks during the evenings to form buds. This includes indoor lighting! Cover your plant with a tarp if you are unsure and be sure to cut back on how much you water. Once buds form you can remove the tarp.  Be sure to start this process earlier in fall if you want a thanksgiving bloom; it can take up to 12 weeks for the buds to bloom once they've formed.  Don't take my word for it? Gardening Know How has several articles specifically on caring for Christmas cactus. 

Texture

by Rodney Stoutenger / March 12, 2016

Texture. One of the essential elements to a great landscape.[igp-likes] Instagram LikesTexture. One of the essential elements to a great landscape. #landscapedesign #landscapearchitecture #plants #texture #greatdesign #design #architecture #atx #nativeedge #nativeedgelandscape

Join Us Tonight for Equality Texas’ Merry Merry Martini Mixer 2016!

by Rodney Stoutenger / January 23, 2016

Are you ready for tonight's Merry Merry Martini Mixer with @equalitytexas ?? It's happening tonight at Copper Tank at 5th and Trinity from 7-11pm! Great cause with a great group of people! We also brought some cool braided Dracaenas for the silent auction to pair with some other great items on the auction! See you tonight! #eqtx #mmmm16 #equality #party #plants #nativeedge #nativeedgelandscape #atx Are you ready for tonight's Merry Merry Martini Mixer with @equalitytexas ?? It's happening tonight at Copper Tank at 5th and Trinity from 7-11pm! Great cause with a great group of people! We also brought some cool braided Dracaenas for the silent auction to pair with some other great items on the auction! See you tonight! #eqtx #mmmm16 #equality #party #plants #nativeedge #nativeedgelandscape #atx

Here’s a sneak peak to the start of SXSW Eco set up!

by Rodney Stoutenger / October 5, 2014

Here's a sneak peak to the start of SXSW Eco set up! #SXSW #sxsweco #plants #decor #nativeedge #nativeedgelandscape Here's  a sneak peak to the start of SXSW Eco set up! #SXSW #sxsweco #plants #decor #nativeedge #nativeedgelandscape

How’s that for some xeriscape planting?!

by Rodney Stoutenger / April 11, 2014

How's that for some xeriscape planting?! It's beginning to feel like a landscape around here! More photos to come! #yucca #purple #pricklypear #plants #nativeedgelandscape #landscape #xeriscape #drought #droughttolerant #atx How's that for some xeriscape planting! It's beginning to feel like a landscape around here! More photos to come! #yucca #purple #pricklypear #plants #nativeedgelandscape #landscape #xeriscape #drought #droughttolerant #atx

Succulents have just arrived for our SXSW events!

by Rodney Stoutenger / March 7, 2014

Awesome variety of succulents have just arrived for one of our @sxsw events! Now to turn them into beautiful arrangements! To find out more about what we are doing at SXSW, check out our SXSW page Awesome variety of succulents have just arrived for one of our  @sxsw events! Now to turn them into beautiful arrangements! To find out more about what we are doing at #sxsw, check out: https://nativeedgelandscape.com/sxsw2014  #atx #sxsw #sxsw2014 #nativeedgelandscape  #plants #succulents #springbreak

First steps in being a sustainable company!

by Rodney Stoutenger / June 9, 2013

First steps in being a #sustainable company! #greenhouse #sustainable #atx #plants
First steps in being a #sustainable company! #greenhouse #sustainable #atx #plants