Hi, there. Did you do a quick search and read the numerous threads on ths subject?

If not, I would strongly encourage you to do so as there have been several detailed discussions on the subject.

[just type spider mites into the search box at the bottom of the forum]

I'm sure I'll be beaten about the head for this, but I use Bug-X for mites and and those pesky flea beatles. Can be used up to 1 day before harvest.
h.

thanks - I had read about the oil/soap thing but I was hoping to find an easy kill-all - and the bug-x sounds good to me because I'm getting lazy. I've had blight this year, bacterial speck, and now mites - I'm getting so frustrated with my tomatoes that I'm losing patience.

so thank you both. where might I find bug-x?

I got mine at Canadian Tire, but you should be able to find it at Home Depot. Even WalMart should have it in the gardening section.
h.

I've never tried Bug-X, but I've tried just about everything else, and been totally frustrated and overworked treating and retreating, and losing the battle anyway. Until this year when I bit the bullet and paid the price for predatory mites. There are several places to buy them. Google and check them out. And read all the information about habits and temps before you choose the type. It was hard at first not to pick off badly infested leaves, but I left them for the good bugs to take care of, and they did. Amazing. And I didn't do anything except water down the plants and shake them out of a little shaker onto the leaves. Then right after planting and on hot days, I hosed the plants down because the predators like high humitity. Fortunately, they don't mind Daconil, but I haven't has as many fungal problems as I expected. Apparently wetting down a plant in the heat of the day doesn't promote fungus too much.

I waited too long this year because I was afraid our heat would kill them out before they could do much good, but that wasn't the case, so next year I'm taking my magnifying glass out there, and if I don't see that the good bugs wintered over, I'm buying more as soon as I start to see damage.

Sherry

"anything safe I can do about this problem?"

There are two kinds of safe:

1. Save to humans.

2. Save to plants.

I have just learned that ABAMECTIN in the form of Agri-Mek is registered for use on food crops. It is also available as Avid and Flora-Mek for use on ornamentals. I have experience with Avid. It is very gentle to plants, except it kills ferns. It is outstandingly effective against mites. No matter how bad the infestation, it will stop mites dead in their tracks.

The product 'No Spider Mites' cured my problem. You can get it at www.cbmercantile.com

Here is a link that might be useful: Cultivation and Botanical Mercantile