Use toni's solutuion everyweek until they gone!!! Then veeryother week just for maitainence.
You will have no problem after this, the very first day! I did until she helped me.
Now I have clean and very healthy leaves with no mites..NOT ONE!! First time ever. This plant has been indoors for over 2 months now.
It too was LOADED with mites all winter last year. Gone this year!! It won't hurt. I tell you, you will see a difference. In fact I have a friend who had the same problem last month. Happy to say, she is mite free too!!

Not to sound naive but what is toni's solution? Is this something commercial or a recipe from the forum?

It is a home made recipe....! Tables spoon of citrus juice, 1 tablespoon of crushed garlic with pieces strained out or use the juice from crushed garlic in a bottle, 8-10 drops of dish soap, 1/2 tablespoon of cyanne powder! Mix in a spray bottle, then spray away. The stuff is strong and does the job. If you breathe in spray, your nostrils might burn a liitle because of cyanne powder, but I got use to it. Toni doesn't, but I do, I just add a 1/2 capful of neem oil to, since I have some. Also if you have cocnut oil, add a couple of drops so water doesn't just run of leaves. You'll use less spray.
BUt just the part without the neem and coco oil will work just fine. You will notice your leaves very shiny too!
Let me know how it goes. I couldn't find toni's thread, but I shared with you what she helped me with out. Sucess to you.

Thanks, I have been away and just got back to see your message. That doesn't sound like much to spray with. Is this in water or alone? I guess I can double or triple the recipe to get something to work with.

Dyahn

IT is mixed in a spray bottle of water. It works for me and a few of my friends. I have no spidermites any more. I think the "cayanne pepper" and "garlic" would kill anything if spray on anyone!! TRy to breathe this stuff in. I am sure bugs can't!

I might try this, though the idea of spraying gardenias with garlic is a bit .... I'm sure it works, but I wonder if water and a bit of dish soap wouldn't work also? If applied regularly, there's the rub. Works if tried.

Other insect sprays also do smell bad, though, come to think of it. At least this way you could eat the gardenias.

addendum:

Bonide's Mite X contains .10% garlic and .20% clove oil, I see.

I can say from experience along with my friends...Soapy water alone does NOT work...Trust me. I would spray, then looks like they were gone for the night, then be right back the next day. Even Kneem oil didn't work. I struggled all last winter with them anyways. Seems as if the oils just suffocates the ones you hit, for the ones you miss to come right back. The same as soapy water.
But I really believe the smell, or residue of this natural spray keep any insects off the leaves and plants for good, along with death. I don't think I would like to crawl all over garlic, cayanne pepper, citrus juice, and the like. I would think the leaf would taste gross to the insects looking for a sweet treat.
Soapy water might work for you though. I had a friend that struggled all last winter with mites, so bad, they lost every leaf on their denia, just in time for spring along with branches. They gave it to me. I was so afraid to take it, but gave it a shot. I sprayed soapy water on it several times before and after bringing it in, and I still found mites. Now that I spray with this concoction, I have not seen a ONE ever since...:-)
Ok laugh. I actually took a taste test on a couple of leaves a week after I sprayed. I licked the back side of a couple leaves, and all I can say was, wow, taste like hot tomallis with a hint of garlic!! GROSS. So if this is what these mites taste when they walk along the backside of my leaves, I can understand why I have none anymore!!LOLOL
Mike