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Thank you for posting the photos, karl. I've tried to figure out how to do it many times, always without success.

mariou
E-mail me for instructions.I've successfully coached many others on how to post pictures.

Have you tried looking @ the stuff with a magnifying glass?

Any webby stuff (spider mites)?

It kind of looks similar to spider mite damage to me also, but I was going to wait to weigh in until someone closer to your area did so first. But they didn't, so I will.

Spider mites won't go away with just one spraying now and again. It takes a timed routine to break their reproductive cycle. Depending on temps, they reproduce a whole generation in between 3 and 5 days, and the trick is to time the second spraying to get the new generation before new eggs are laid by the ones that hatched after your first spraying, so you need to spray a second and maybe a third time, right at that point. Between 3 and 5 days apart -- 5 days if it is rather cool out, 3 days if it is hot.

Most easily available spider mite sprays do not kill the eggs, so this repetition is necessary. There are expensive sprays available (only by mail order) that do get the eggs, but you are talking about a major financial investment if you go that route.

hoovb- no webby stuff

kstrong- I didn't know you had to spray so frequently. I used Floramite, which is supposed to kill eggs, and it's supposed to be 21 days before you need to spray again. What do you recommend for spraying 3 or 5 days apart? My Floramite approach isn't working so I'd like to try something else.

Thanks!

Floramite is what I use, and it does work on the eggs. I was thinking you were using something more like one of the less expensive products available from Home Depot that is labeled for mites. There are several of those. For Floramite (which clocks in at $65 for 4 ounces at Amazon.com), you should not need the repeated sprayings.

p.s. Given that you have now stumped everyone here, I would take a branch of that to the local ag department and let them figure it out. I don't know what state you are in, but most states have an office that looks at insect damage and tells you what to do about it.

Kathy- I was born in, and still live in Manhattan. i love this little island and am proud of everything it has to offer. However it really falls down when it comes to anything pertaining to gardening. We don't have a local extension office (nor do we have nurseries or garden centers). I could try to send a leaf somewhere and hope it doesn't dry up before it reaches its destination.

I suppose I could try Merit - I just hate to spray when I don't know what I'm spraying for.

Thanks for your time and for sharing your thoughts. I very much appreciate your efforts.