We had an outbreak of Spider Mites - something that I had completely forgot existed, but they are very common and I have had to get rid of them before.
You can tell when you have spider mites because white spots appear on the leaves Photo Above and then the whole Leaf goes white. The plant is unable to then to photosynthesize and dies quite quickly.
Spider mites are just about visible to the eye and are found on the underside of the leaf.
They spread like wildfire and if you touch one plant with them on and then touch another plants you will have spread them to the other plant.
REMEDYS
There are 2 remedies that I know of. one is to use organic soapy water preferably dishwashing liquid and to spray both sides of the leaf with it.
I first learned about spider mites in Spain when I was shown an organic treatment using something called Diatomaceous Earth. It's a fine white powder and I was told it is made from micro insect skeletons and bones, and that's when it's on a leaf it acts as microscopic razor blades which makes it impossible for flies and mites to walk over without dying.
I know the effect is true because I researched it but I'm not sure if it is actually made from tiny crushed bones.
There is a food-grade edible diatomaceous earth and also a non-edible type. food grade edible type can also be mixed with water and used to flush out the intestines and stomach on humans and animals. again like flashing microscopic razor blades for your system killing worms for instance. No more needs to give your dog's expensive worm tablets which a very non- organic!
I found in the shed a spray bottle but it's too powerful to be used to apply the diatomaceous earth on to the undersides of the leaves. @trucklife-family a spray small bottle and then everything was great when after being used for 4 or 5 squirts it decided to stop working 😒
I did have an idea to try and use cotton wool buds to apply the powder, but in the end I just used my fingers as paint brushes and delicately coverage both sides of the leaves for everything we have on the table.
That poor basil plant
And Tomatoes
Diatomaceous Earth is great to use but if it rains then it all gets washed off. We wont have to apply again anytime soon because it won't be raining anytime soon but I will be checking it. Before the spider mites I noticed black flies on the pumpkins and I had already put the powder away so I'll have to do it tomorrow, so the black flies have one last last before they lose their legs to micro razor blades 😀
The 2 rows of Beans I planted have started to pop up and with the newly found spray bottle I have remembered to be keeping them moist to keep them in germination. The worst thing would be that they grow the root and the heat dries the soil too much and the root dries out before it can grow down.
The beans that I potted in pots Above and in sandy loose soil obviously sprouted quicker than the ones in the ground because they had better conditions.
Its full moon and it was incredible to watch a bean plant rip out of the ground and point two leaves towards the Sun old within 4 hours. I didn't check it out but obviously things to enjoy to pop up on a full moon.
It's been a lot of transplanting going on, we seem to have a lot of melon plants that took a while to germinate in soil.
