I have a spider mite problem. I bought a Fukien Tea from a local bonsai nursery that was infected with spider mites. I treated it with insecticide soap, they came back about 2 weeks later. I then sprayed it and all of my trees (I have about 12-13 indoor tropicals) lightly with ferti-lome Indoor/Outdoor insecticide with Permethrin. It thought that they were getting better, but about 2 weeks later they were back in force. They had infested the baby tears that I had on a lot of the trees for gound cover. I removed all of the baby tears and resprayed I think to heavily. Several of the trees like the Kiki ficus and the Fukien Tea got large brown spots on the leave and dropped several, several turned yellow. The Ficus Nerfiifolia that I have 3 of in a group planting dropped many of the leaves. I checked the trees daily and it looked like they were getting better. I did not see really any mites and they all were healthy and growing. I have most of the trees by a south facing window with a grow light.
I again noticed spider mites on the leaves of the Fukien Tea. I ordred some new spray bases on internet research. I bought Schultz Houseplant and Garden spray with Pyrethrins. This said to spray lightly at 12 inches. I did this about 1 week ago and again it appeared that the FT and the others were better. Then yesterday, I noticed that a few of the leaves of my Schefflera looked spotted. I should digress and say that most of the time, on the bottom of the leaves are what look like many many dark brown or black spots. Then the leaves turn yellow and drop off. When I first got the FT, it did have webbing on it.
Anyway, I have sprayed again about 6 days later. I just noticed on the dwarf myrtle that it has some leave that are turning dark brown in spots. I am assuming that this is from the spraying tha the plants got about a week ago.
I have completely defoliated the Fukien Tea and isolated it to another room. I also removed the worst of the "mite" spotted leaves from most of the trees and threw them away. I have resprayed most of the trees again. I am not sure how they will respond to being sprayed again so soon, but the next few days will tell.
What can I do differently to get rid of the mites? If I have to, I am willing to just loose the Fukien Tea as I cannot risk all of the other trees for this one. Please help!
Jess