Your landscape is important to you and because of that, you want to do everything that you can to protect it. You certainly don’t want to see your landscape harmed in any way because of pests lurking about in the landscape.
Unfortunately, here in Memphis, TN there is no shortage of landscape pests. Among them is the notorious spider mite—a small-but-mighty foe of your healthy landscape.
Spider mites are not insects but more closely related to spiders, as their name suggests. As adults, they are arachnids (meaning they have eight legs) and can cause a tremendous amount of damage to your trees and shrubs.
If you think you might be dealing with an infestation, you might be wondering how to get rid of spider mites. The last thing that you want is to see your beloved landscape succumb to these pests.
Based on their tiny size (adults average only 1/64th of an inch), it’s hard to believe that the spider mite is truly as destructive as it is. But the spider mite’s power lies in its numbers. Unfortunately, the number of spider mites you have in your trees and shrubs can multiply quite rapidly and that’s when serious trouble can begin. 
While they only have an average lifespan of 30 days, the female spider mite can produce as many as 100 eggs during that time. And since young spider mites often complete their development in as quickly as five days, new generations are frequently reproducing.
In very little time, a handful of spider mites can become an infestation!
The trouble with that is the fact that spider mites feed on your plants. They use their piercing mouthparts to drain the chlorophyll from plants. This can lead to white spots or a stippled appearance.
As the spider mites continue to feed, your plants will begin to fade and eventually turn brown.
Some of the plants that spider mites tend to prefer include Burning Bush, Boxwood, Arborvitae, and Pine. But the list continues on. There are many different types of spider mites in Memphis, TN and each has its own favorite plants.
Understanding just how destructive these pests can be, you likely want to know the best way to get rid of spider mites. While we know there are various DIY approaches to spider mite control, when it comes to something as precious as your landscape plant material, you want to make sure that you’re implementing an effective spider mite control strategy that doesn’t leave anything up to chance.
The best control approach is one that uses professional miticide applications utilizing professional application equipment. Ideally, it’s important to rotate your miticides with different modes of action so that the mites do not become resistant to the products used.
On top of that, it’s also important that your spider mite control strategy takes into account the fact that there are both harmful and beneficial mites on your trees and shrubs. Because the beneficial mites will eat the harmful ones, you want to avoid using a general miticide product that will kill them all.
At Master Lawn, we are using specialized control products that selectively target the harmful spider mites (without impacting the predatory mites which are naturally beneficial to your landscape).
Even better than waiting until you have a spider mite infestation and potentially losing some of your plant material as a result, you can actually prevent them in the first place with a preventative program.
At Master Lawn, we’re using preventative control products to keep spider mites out of the landscape. One of the biggest problems with tiny pests like spider mites is that they’re rarely spotted until there’s a serious problem. We understand it’s incredibly frustrating for pests to be lurking right under your nose, but that’s why preventive care is so important.
Our Plant Health Care program can help protect valuable trees and shrubs from various pests, including spider mites. In addition to protection against pests, the program also provides vital nutrients that your plants need to perform optimally. As a result, you may get brighter, healthier plants with longer and more profuse blooms. 
It’s a valuable way to protect your landscape and gain peace of mind.
The bottom line is that you don’t have to let the powerful spider mite (or any other threat) bring your landscape down! By choosing a company that can not only address the best way to get rid of spider mites, but can also help prevent them in the first place, you can take back your landscape and gain peace of mind that you’re in good hands.
Ready to invest in protecting your trees and shrubs from pests? Request a quote, get your customized plan, and become the master of your landscape in Memphis, TN or Northern Mississippi.
Image Source: Spider mites, Spider mites on leaf, Cover photo spider mites
