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Roseville CA

I have started to get spider mites on ly giant pumpkin plants. After doing some research, I realized that Avid or Abamectin would be a good option. After doing some googling, I found that Avid, was $200, and for the same stuff, an off-brand was selling Abamectin 0.15 EC for 60 bucks.

Did anyone have good luck using off-brand Abamectin?

Also, please let me know if you think there are any better options for Mite control. I also have leaf miners and aphids, and the label says that it covers the other two too so I was wondering if this would be a good option...

8/9/2022 7:02:22 PM

Roseville CA

Would Bifenthrin be a better option, or should these both be used in rotation?

8/9/2022 7:06:14 PM

Upa Creek, Mo

I used to get infestations at my old house and neem oil worked well. It literally smothers them, give it a search. The problem is it isn’t systemic so you’ll have to spot spray as you would with bifenthrin.

8/9/2022 10:12:15 PM

Brooklyn Corner, Nova Scotia

Agree with Luke. Here ,neem oil is hard to come by , you may also consider a chrysanthemum based product like Trounce. It interrupts the reproductive cycle of many pests. Compared to others, spider mites are easier to deal with than other pumpkin pests like squash borers or cuke beetles. You may not need to go nuclear.

8/9/2022 10:43:07 PM

Roseville CA

Ok, thanks for the advise. Because I am west of the Rockies I luckily don’t get the vine borer, and for some reason I have never have gotten cuke Beatles. For me, my only pests I face are Aphids, Spider Mites, Leaf Miners, and the occasional slug.

I have neem oil which I generally use for For my aphids on my organic veggies, but the problem I’ve found with neem oil is to at it I even miss one aphid, the infestation restarts..

8/10/2022 10:41:31 AM

Roseville CA

Spider Mites are devastating in my patch, because we don’t get any rain, and that love that heat.

8/10/2022 10:46:35 AM

Vernal, Ut

I use the generic brand and can't see any difference in how it works. Does well for me.

8/10/2022 12:07:17 PM

Mission Viejo, CA

Search ebay for Minx 2 Avid and you will find a seller that sells small quantities without breaking the bank. It is what I use. It takes very little to treat the patch so a couple ounces will last a long time.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/353367110987?hash=item524652354b:g:uAMAAOSwZNRgEF-I

8/10/2022 12:40:04 PM

Abbotsford, British Columbia, Canada

My experience with bifenthrin (not in pumpkins) is that it tends to flare spider mites to be even worse in the long run because it is really hard on the predatory mites and their other natural enemies.

8/10/2022 3:58:51 PM

Partlow,Va

Abemectin works great for me. Neem oil is not something that I use too hot here and will burn the waxlike coating on the leaves the same as it burns off the mites protective coating.

8/14/2022 10:16:46 AM

Roseville CA

Yes, I bought a couple oz of the Minx. It would arrive in the next few days. In the meantime I have sprayed with neem oil, but I think I did not get the concentration right, because now I have burn all over the leafs I sprayed.

8/14/2022 1:18:54 PM

Bethlehem CT

I avoid oils for that reason. The plants don't like them if the weather is hot and sunny.
Mites are a tough one to get under control, I deal with them on my watermelons every year. In dry years they really flourish.
Abamectin works the best out of everything but the key will be in the follow up 7 days later. Abamectin has some systemic qualities which make it work better because it doesn't have to have 100% leaf coverage. In my opinion no insect pest is harder to get rid of then mites. They aren't technically insects so they aren't hurt by most insecticides. Often insecticides will help them flourish because when plants are hit with things like imidacloprid it kills off some of the beneficial predatory mites that feed on the spider mites. This causes the population to skyrocket.
You could look into ordering beneficial mites. (that is how greenhouse growers often handle them.) That could be tricky outdoors and also get expensive.

8/15/2022 8:03:16 AM

Torrance, Ca.

Avid wipes them out in 1 spray! Make sure to gear up as its very toxic.

I hate those mites!

Seeing those spider webs like I did this year, means you weren't checking good enough.:( One spray of avid and I haven't seen them again!

8/15/2022 9:56:58 AM

Roseville CA

I was thinking about predatory mites after seeing Matt's Diary, but then after some research, I found that they were too expensive for a single season fix, whereas I could get the Abameticing for 30 bucks, and it would last me multiple!

I am planning to mix the Abameticin at the rate of 0.08 oz per gallon. Is this the rate that you guys use? I am going to be spraying the whole plant because my leaf miners are raging.

8/15/2022 9:58:02 AM

Upa Creek, Mo

Interesting on neem burning. I have not had mites in years so have not used neem. Good to know

8/15/2022 12:09:48 PM

Partlow,Va

I use 3/4 teaspoon per gallon for 1000sq ft for Abemectin

8/16/2022 8:29:58 AM