[HELP] banana woes :(

[TdC]

I have a banana tree of which I am quite fond. As of a week or two I noticed that it was (suddenly) covered in ickle insecty monstrositys that I diagnosed as spider mites or what the Dutch call Spint. As Mr Tree was looking very much the worse for wear (suddenly, I mean literally from one day to the next :/) I decided to get a chemical spray to get rid of aforementioned beasties.

Currently I am thinking the chemical's goal is to get rid of the things by killing the tree itself, because since I started spraying I've had to prune 4 of it's leaves although I can't really tell if that's because of the bloody mites or because of the chemical spray.

I have to make a solution of the chemical in water and spray it on the plant. The active ingredient is something called tebufenpyrad and although I can see a shitload of dead mites, there is still a large group of them still causing my plant grief.

Any ideas how to combat these buggers? I don't want my plant to die

[Will]

A chemical spray is usually the way to go, as long as you aren't eating bananas from the tree. Unless you've fucked up the dilution, it shouldn't be killig your plant, and the mites shouldn't be doing that much damage. It will take a few days to kill them though.

[TdC]

oh no, I'm sticking to what it says on the packet. it's just that despite the huge amount of kills I get, there seems to be no effect on the general populace's total numbers :/

[Will]

If you've got a big infestation, it'll take a while to get them all, since I think spider mites lay eggs under the silk protection. You could mist the leaves with water, wipe them down with a cloth, and then spray. As long as you aren't too rough, that should work.

[TdC]

I wonder where the bleeders come from tbh. One day there was nothing, the next it was pretty well covered :/

I'll get some paper towels tomorrow and wipe the whole thing down, maybe even using the solution for that as well. Currently the plant looks like cack, which makes me mad something so tiny can damage it that much :/

[tris-]

you may need to place tighter restrictions on what your plant is getting upto in his social outings.

[Tom]

Bananas don't grow on trees.

/pedant

[Chilly]

citric acid spray if you dont fancy going too chemically (you can find it in lemon juice, but the sugar wont do the tree any good).

[nath]

Originally Posted by Chilly

(you can find it in lemon juice, but the sugar wont do the herb any good).

</also pedant>

(QI on Dave FTW!)

[Chilly]

oh fuck offffffffffffffffffffffffffffff

[bob269]

Too many pedantics in here, i'd go for the Trem solution and either burn it to the ground, or axe it to the ground and then for the following few days patrol it with the shotgun

[Sharma]

Originally Posted by bob269

and then for the following few days patrol it with the shotgun

No, that's throddie's plan.

</also also pedant>

[mycenae]

buy some ladybirds....they'll eat the little bastards with no damage to the plant!

[Yoni]

Completely off topic and stuff... tidy your sitting area!!

[Chilly]

women....sheesh.