RE: Oh NO! Spider Mites!

From: magrysbo at shu.edu on 2001.04.24 at 03:11:38(6249) Sounds like a good idea, but a swamp cooler (vertical pad) built into the side of the greenhouse would really do the trick in cooling the air (works really great with dry desert air) as well as raising humidity. Some aroids may prefer the cooler conditions rather than hot and humid, no matter how humid it may be. BWM +More Ron McHatton @mobot.org on 04/23/2001 11:37:57 AM Please respond to aroid-l@mobot.org Sent by: aroid-l@mobot.org To: Multiple recipients of list AROID-L cc: Subject: RE: Oh NO! Spider Mites! Nyles: The Home Depots in Arizona (as well as many other places in the country) sell low volume misting systems (Arizona Mist is the Manufacturer) that are idea for the situation you describe. These are the home owners version of the ones used at outdoor restaurants in places like Tempe and Phoenix. You can sit under or behind the misters and not get wet, but they do a terrific job of spot cooling and humidification without driving up the water bill. I have seen these things installed along the eaves of enclosures like you describe and its not out of the question to raise the humidity to well over 50% and the temperature down into the 70's. You can get these kits in either pre-assembled modules or you can buy the heads, tubing, filters, etc. and assemble a custom unit. They operate off of house water pressure (no high pressure pump) and can be attached to either a timer or humidistat through a solenoid valve (humidistats and solenoid valves are available through any good plumbing or electrical supply house....line voltage so you probably need an electrician for the humidistat). Ron -----Original Message----- Sent: Saturday, April 21, 2001 2:29 PM To: Multiple recipients of list AROID-L Subject: Re: Oh NO! Spider Mites! >From my posted message it would seem that I'm fighting the desert. The plants are fairly enclosed, with a 4+ foot wall in front and the house I rent on the other 3 sides. There is also an overhang about 2 ft above the wall and covering all the plants. I wet down the outdoor carpet at least twice a day to try and get some ambient humidity. That's how I should have started my post....oops! Now, in addition to this, I have all my "skunk cabbages" on trays of water. PLEASE tell me I've redeemed myself in the eyes of my fellow aroiders ;-) Really, thanks to all for the help! Nyles >From: jim singer >Reply-To: aroid-l@mobot.org >To: Multiple recipients of list AROID-L >Subject: Re: Oh NO! Spider Mites! >Date: Fri, 20 Apr 2001 23:56:27 -0500 (CDT) > >well, without a greenhouse, seems to me you're trying to humidify the >desert. if the plants were misted constantly, you might have a chance at >raising the humidity in their environment. > >At 12:52 PM 4/20/01 -0500, Nyles wrote: >>Thanks to all that helped with my spider mite problem! >> >>I tried to raise the humidity, as I do every year. In fact the "skunk >>cabbages" are all sitting on trays of water since winter ended, and >>getting misted regularly. >> >>I guess you just can't fight the Arizona desert without a greenhouse. >> >>I'm going to give in this year on my "eco-groovy" philosophy and go for >>the big guns. >>I'm off to get some Pentac. >> >>Many thanks to all! >> >>Nyles >> >> >> >>>From: Dan Levin >>>Reply-To: aroid-l@mobot.org >>>To: Multiple recipients of list AROID-L >>>Subject: Re: Oh NO! Spider Mites! >>>Date: Thu, 19 Apr 2001 10:12:41 -0500 (CDT) >>> >>>Nyles, >>> >>>If you're searching for an aroid-friendly miticide, I'd suggest using >>>"Pentac". >>>Very safe as these things go, Pentac is mite specific and won't kill >>>beneficial >>>insects (it's an acaricide, not an insecticide). It's slow acting >>>initially; treated >>>mites stop feeding in a few hours but don't die for 1 - 3 days. Hence >>>Pentac >>>is optimally used in a preventative type program or when an infestation >>>is first >>>discovered. >>> >>>Obviously, your mite population has already become well established. >>>In this case you might consider mixing the Pentac directly with some >>>other product >>>exhibiting a faster knock-down; Pentac is compatible with all common >>>insecticides. >>>One aroid-safe product I can highly recommend is "Mavrik", a >>>synthetic-pyrethroid. >>> >>>Mix the two compounds together then add a spreader-sticker (now here's a >>>good >>>application for your failed Safer's soap!). Follow up on days 5 and 10 >>>with another >>>spraying and I can assure you: the pending apocalypse will be >>>unequivocally canceled. >>>At least until next season. >>> >>>Best of luck, >>> -Dan Levin >>> >>> >>> >>>Nyles wrote: >>> >>> > Help! >>> > >>> > My Eastern Skunk Cabbage (Symplocarpus foetidus) has a heavy spider >>>mite >>> > infestation. >>> > Can other aroids be far behind? >>> > Is this a sign of the apocalypse? >>> > >>> > I've been trying soap solutions. >>> > It's too heavy an infestation for predatory mites. >>> > It's very dry in Arizona, and some plants seem prone. This is a first >>>for >>> > the skunks. >>> > >>> > Help me!....anyone? >>> > >>> > Nyles >> >>_________________________________________________________________ >>Get your FREE download of MSN Explorer at http://explorer.msn.com > _________________________________________________________________ Get your FREE download of MSN Explorer at http://explorer.msn.com

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