How can I treat spider mite on cucumbers in a greenhouse with folk remedies at home? - briefly
Apply a 1 % neem‑oil solution to all cucumber leaves, ensuring thorough coverage of both upper and lower surfaces to interrupt mite life cycles. Alternate with a 1 % mild liquid‑soap spray or a garlic‑infused water rinse for rapid population decline.
How can I treat spider mite on cucumbers in a greenhouse with folk remedies at home? - in detail
Spider mites (Tetranychus spp.) rapidly colonize cucumber foliage in protected cultivation, causing stippling, leaf bronzing and reduced marketable yield. Effective control without synthetic chemicals relies on cultural, mechanical and botanical measures that can be implemented with household resources.
Proper sanitation limits initial infestations. Remove all debris, fallen leaves and weeds from the greenhouse floor. Disinfect benches and support structures with a solution of one part bleach to ten parts water, allowing a ten‑minute contact time before rinsing. Maintain humidity above 60 % during the early growth stage; spider mites prefer dry conditions, and higher relative humidity reduces their reproduction rate.
Botanical sprays constitute the core of folk‑based management. Prepare the following extracts and apply them with a fine mist sprayer until runoff:
• Neem oil mixture – combine two teaspoons of cold‑pressed neem oil with one liter of water and a few drops of mild liquid soap as an emulsifier. Apply every five to seven days, reducing frequency when mite numbers decline.
• Garlic‑onion decoction – crush three cloves of garlic and one small onion, simmer in two liters of water for fifteen minutes, cool, strain and add one tablespoon of vegetable oil and a teaspoon of soap. Spray foliage in the early morning or late afternoon to avoid leaf burn.
• Peppermint tea – steep five grams of dried peppermint leaves in one liter of boiling water for ten minutes, cool, add two teaspoons of liquid soap, and spray directly onto affected leaves. Repeat every three days during peak mite activity.
• Aloe‑gel spray – blend fresh aloe leaf pulp with water in a 1:4 ratio, filter, and incorporate a few drops of dish‑washing liquid. Apply to both leaf surfaces; the gel adheres to mites and hampers feeding.
Mechanical removal supports chemical‑free control. Install yellow sticky traps at plant height to capture adult mites. Gently wipe leaf undersides with a soft, damp cloth to dislodge mobile individuals. Introduce predatory insects such as Phytoseiulus persimilis, which can be purchased from specialized suppliers and released directly into the greenhouse.
Environmental adjustments further suppress mite development. Increase ventilation to lower leaf temperature and promote air circulation. Use reflective mulches or white paint on greenhouse walls to reflect excess light, discouraging mite colonization. Rotate cucumber crops with non‑host species, such as beans or lettuce, for at least one season to interrupt the pest life cycle.
Monitoring remains essential. Inspect the underside of leaves weekly with a hand lens, counting mites per leaf segment. When populations exceed ten individuals per 10 cm², initiate the full suite of remedies described above. Continue treatment until counts fall below the economic threshold, then maintain sanitation and occasional botanical sprays as a preventive measure.