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Old August 19, 2016   #21
tomgirletc
Tomatovillian™
 
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Alhambra, CA Zone 10a
Posts: 30
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Has anyone tried the Buttermilk, Flour, Water spray for spider mites? I'm finding little evidence of it's use here through searches, a few people report success online in other places I've found through google searching.

I have quite an infestation. I knew I had them a long time ago and only used Neem and not frequently enough, had I known that it would turn into the problem it now is I would have been all over the buggers. Fortunately, I've had a pretty great harvest already and still lots of greenies that should have a chance to ripen if all the foliage dies. It would be nice to keep these plants going as long as possible though of course and I imagine that my overall harvest is surely way down from what it would be without these beasts. I've ordered spinosad & pyrethrin, have DE but I am super curious about the buttermilk & flour since it would be so inexpensive. Plus, it's supposed to be super specific to mites, I hate to kill beneficials though I suspect I have none of those anyway considering this infestation.

The recipe I've seen everywhere is basically this one.

1/2 cup buttermilk
4 cups wheat flour
5 gallons water

Mix the buttermilk with the flour and then add the water. Spray over a 2 day period to make sure that the infestation has been successfully been eradicated.

Some places say to strain it through cheesecloth, some don't. One woman said she strained through a pillowcase.

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