From our perspective as jasmine plants, an infestation of spider mites is a deeply distressing and debilitating experience. These tiny arachnids are not insects but are more closely related to spiders, and they target us by piercing our individual leaf cells to suck out the vital chlorophyll and nutrients within. Here is how you can identify our suffering and help us recover.
You must look very closely, as the earliest signs are subtle. The first thing we feel is a stippling or speckling on our leaves as the mites feed. This will appear to you as tiny yellow or white dots across the leaf surface. As the feeding continues, the leaves may take on a bronzed, dusty, or yellowed appearance and we begin to lose our vibrant green vigor. If you look underneath our leaves, you might see the finest silken webbing the mites spin for protection and movement—this is a definitive sign. In severe cases, this webbing can cover our stems and leaves entirely, and our foliage will become dry, crisp, and may drop prematurely, severely weakening our overall system.
Upon confirmation of an infestation, immediate isolation is crucial to protect other plants. The first and most gentle treatment you can provide is a strong spray of water. Using a hose or spray bottle set to a firm stream, thoroughly spray down our entire structure, paying special attention to the undersides of every leaf. This will dislodge a significant number of the mites and wash away their protective webbing. For best results, repeat this every other day for a week.
If the water spray alone is not sufficient, please consider a natural miticide first. Horticultural oils, like neem oil, or insecticidal soaps are very effective. These solutions work by smothering the mites and disrupting their life cycle without leaving harsh chemical residues that can harm beneficial insects and our roots. To use, ensure you coat every surface of our plant, especially the undersides of the leaves, until the solution drips off. Apply in the cooler hours of the early morning or late evening to prevent leaf burn. For a severe, persistent infestation, you may need to use a synthetic miticide labeled specifically for spider mites on ornamental plants. Always follow the label instructions meticulously, as these chemicals can be very potent.
Spider mites thrive in hot, dry, and dusty conditions. You can make our environment inhospitable for them by regularly misting our foliage to increase humidity around us, which they despise. Ensure we are receiving the appropriate amount of water at our roots—not too much, not too little—as stress from improper watering makes us far more susceptible to pests. Regularly wipe down our leaves with a damp cloth to remove dust, which gives the mites fewer places to hide and allows our pores to breathe and function efficiently.
