They keep changing the names of these products, but is that stuff you've used
LABELED as a control for spider mites?
Does it say "Insecticide AND Miticide"??

Generally speaking, Orthene is an INSECTICIDE.
Insecticides do not control spider mites, which are aracnids.
In fact, killing the INSECTS not uncommonly increases problems with spider mites.

For spider mites, you need a MITICIDE.

Or repeated washings with a lot of water sprayed hard, from under the leaves.

Jeri

The stuff I used does say it is for spider mites, and they seem to be gone now. I am having a problem with regular spiders (green big ones).

I incorrectly stated it was orthene, but it is called orthenex insect and disease control which is labeled for spider mites.

However, I am not having a problem with spider mites anymore, but regular spiders (green big ones) and their webs.

Aren't regular spiders a GOOD thing for your garden?? I always let them be so they can eat the bad bugs.

Carol

I agree with Carol. What is the problem with your spiders? I love the spiders on my roses, I think they're cool. Especially the white crab spiders. If you have easy to see spiders and webs you don't have a problem in all likelihood.

Also as Jeri was saying spraying a lot of pesticide is ultimately likely to leave you with more of a bug problem over time than you started with! I had spider mites this spring, they're still around. But washing my roses twice a week has helped greatly in keeping them from getting too comfy.

Whatever you're spraying personally I'd probably stop using it.

Kate

Thanks Kate. I am no longer spraying.

I only used it 3 times to kill the red spider mites. The directions suggested that I spray 3 times using 7 to 10 day intervals to cure the problem since they lay eggs.

OK -- But the product you've used, in addition to killing mites, kills
insects that might have controlled them for you.

And at least one of the ingredients in the mix, Fenbutatin-oxide,
is HIGHLY toxic: "one or more of the following: highly acutely toxic,
cholinesterase inhibitor, known/probable carcinogen, known groundwater pollutant
or known reproductive or developmental toxicant."

Even comparatively "harmless" Triforine can cause permanent eye damage.

Spider mites can usually be controlled by a strong water spray.
At the most, go for a stand-alone miticide.

And don't worry about your green spider. In all probability,
he's a "good guy."

Jeri

Here is a link that might be useful: Toxicity Information

You are very welcome. Of course only you can make the decision about what legal pesticide to use but Jeri raises some good points.

I'll give you an example of my own experience this year. Starting mid June the spider mites moved in in a major way to my Hollyhocks. I did nothing because to be honest I really didn't care. Now those hollyhocks are simply loaded with bumblebees. There are so many that at night when it gets cold they just fall asleep on the hollyhocks and stay there all night until it is warm enough the next day to start working the hollyhocks again. Now I'm so happy I did not spray anything I don't have the words.

Just another perspective. Thanks Jjay.

Kate

Let me put in another bad word about all-in-one type pesticides (combined fungicide, insecticide, miticide, whatever) such as Orthenex.

The acephate insecticide in Orthenex not only kills mite predators but it and several other insecticides are known to stimulate mite reproduction. To counteract this, several rose insecticides are routinely formulated with a miticide. Now, if the you then use such a product to control mites, you not only have to spray a more toxic mixture because of the insecticide, but you probably have to spray a more concentrated version of the miticide because its efficiency is decreased by the insecticide.

I'm not saying that spraying any single pesticide is a good thing, I'm saying that spraying a combined pesticide is probably a worse thing.

Thanks Jeri and Kate. I guess I became desperate because my rose bush along with my hibiscus looked very bad. I will be looking for something less toxic next time and try to focus on just the cause.

Thanks for the info Mike.

Hey jjay, that's how we LEARN!

It's good to remember that in this wonderful Internet age, there is information
to be found on the active (and even the inactive) ingredients in any pesticide.

So before we spray, we surf -- to be sure we know what we're using, and how best
to handle it.

Jeri