Protecting Strawberries from Spider Mites

Warm and moist conditions help mites spread quickly on strawberry bushes. They can ruin young leaves, harm flower buds and eggs, and stop berries from ripening. How can you protect strawberry plants from mites? The information in this article covers effective products to control mites and prevent damage.

Spider mites and strawberry mites are the most common pests on strawberries. Because these pests are tiny, you might not see them directly. However, the damage they cause can be very serious. They are present in all climate zones.

Mites survive well through winter and spread fast because they produce many offspring. They can be brought to your garden on infected plants or soil. They can also move from plant to plant on gardeners’ tools, shoes, or clothes.

It might not be easy to notice mite damage right away. In the early years, mites mainly affect the leaves. Next, they start harming the flower buds and fruit. By the third or fourth year, they cause the most damage. They stop the plants from flowering and fruiting completely.

You can tell if mites are on your strawberries by these signs: the plants look weak and are less resistant to frost; they grow slowly even with fertilizer; leaves become misshapen, yellow, and dry out; a thin, light-colored web can be seen on the underside of leaves; and the berries look smaller, dry out, and taste worse.

Mites hide on the bottom of leaves or near the roots to escape the sun. They damage plants by drying them out and killing them quickly.

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