How long did you have your ivy before noticing the mites?

I bought a small ivy from the grocery store about two weeks ago and I'm paranoid it will end up with mites. So far I haven't seen any. I take it to my sink and give it a thorough spray down (underside of leaves and all) once a week. It's doing well, lots of new growth.

The climate is very dry here, so I'm concerned it will lead to mites. Unless the opposite happens and it's too dry. For example, we don't have fleas or ticks because it's just too dry.

Aruzinksy - Very scary! Glad to hear you were able to get over the sensitivity.

I'm using respirator cartridges that are good for organic vapors, acid gas, and particulates (OG/AG/P100).

It's a very comforting feeling when you can't smell any chemicals whatsoever when spraying. I always check mask/face seals when using my respirator. Normally I don't shave on weekends, but I always shave at least around my jawline before using my respirator for safety.

Also using disposable Nitrile gloves, which takes away any worries about skin absorption/accidental ingestion.

Mentha - I believe the effective ingredient in Fit against mites is the Oleic acid, which is a fatty acid (similar to insecticidal soap). Fit also contains other citrus oils/etc, which I'm not sure if they work against mites.

Bronco Fly Spray uses Pyrethin as its active ingredient. Essentially the same as Safer's and Schultz.

Don't scoff. Citrus oils work amazingly for all sorts of mites and insects. They are a good natural alternative to chemical treatments. When I was heavy into herbalism I heavily researched natural insecticides, fungicides, and miticides that were not only safe for me but also my birds and fish. I am highly allergic to many types of chemicals and scents. These were two that I found that worked for me. BTW Bronco has a 2 week residual so it works on hatching eggs also.

"Don't scoff. Citrus oils work amazingly for all sorts of mites and insects. "

I wouldn't scoff, if it were not for the fact that citrus trees get all sorts of mites and insects. The essential oil that is steam distilled from citrus leaves and twigs is called "petitgrain oil" and it has a chemical composition similar to citrus peel oil.

Mentha - I'm not scoffing, I just like to be clear when I do not know the answer to something.

I have no issue with oils and many are effective against all sorts of pests.

Knowing how each ingredient affects specific pests is critical to ensure they are actually effective when used. And even more effective when rotated with pesticides that kill in a different way (particularly with resistant mites).

With Bronco, if you are after the 2 week residual period, I would recommend keeping your plant away from UV light and high temperatures.

One of the disadvantages (or advantages for the environment) is that Pyrethrin degrades in just several hours when exposed to sunlight and warm temperatures.

However, if applied to a plant indoors that does not get UV exposure, it degrades slowly and can still be effective for several days or weeks.

This is why Pyrethrin pesticides can be used on fruits and vegetables just a few days before harvest (including ones sold as organic).

I had to look at the bottle. It doesn't have Pyrethrin listed as an active ingredient. Active ingredients are: Prallethrin, Permethrin and Piperonyl Butoxide. It also has citronella. I don't know why it works but I've used it for lice, mites, wasps, spiders, aphids, flies, ants, mealies, scale, ticks, and a whole slew of other things.

Mentha - Thanks for the extra bottle details. It's always good to know what is inside. Here is the breakdown:

1. Permethrin, Pyrethrin, and Prallethrin are all Pyrethroids, essentially the same types of compounds.
2. Piperonyl Butoxide is a synergist that works with Pyrethroids to make them more effective.
3. Citronella is an insect repellent and has been prohibited against being used as an insecticide in Europe (by the EU in 2006) as its effects are not proven there.

Pyrethroids interfere with axonal membranes (nervous system). They are effective against everything you listed, but the following have developed resistances to it:

• Lice (Getting more resistant)
• Mites (Two Spotted in particular)
• Flies (Horn Flies in particular)

Thanks for the breakdown.

My vote, is that if it works, don't change it.

Permethrin is very toxic to cats.

Another pyrethroid that is effective against mites is bifenthrin. See

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bifenthrin

and it's inexpensive, see

http://store.doyourownpestcontrol.com/bifen-xts

But, I expect that, used alone, bifenthin won't eradicate mites. It might be a good candidate for combining with Avid and a surfactant, i.e., the combination might eradicate mites.

Don't worry, I'm definitely not going to spray it on either of my cats. They get DE instead.

How long can spider mites live if they are not on a plant? If you remove the plant, will spider mites continue live on furnishings for a time?

Aruzinsky - Have you read anything or have any experience with using insecticidal soaps against spider mites? Or them in combination with Avid?

SaraM - They can hide and go dormant for a very long time. If you look online, there are many discussions from marijuana growers that recommend complete room cleaning and treatments. Not saying you're one of those, but spider mites can be a major problem for all sorts of growers.

for what it's worth, i sprayed my calamondins with fish/kelp emulsion based on citrus forum recommendations to prevent scale infestation. ok-ok, i layed indoor systemic too. but! usually with indoor systemic (imidacloprid) mites show up inevitably. but since i've been spraying with fish emulsion (i did it twice at 2 week interval in the fall) - i have NO MITES on calamondin! and no scale either.

i also sprayed my crotons and African masks and many others . i definitely reduced or eliminated mites completely over winter. masks still had some, and crotons just a bit. but if you grow them - you'd now that just a bit is a BIG success.

smth to try in case you're interested.

oh, and of course, i did the same for my ivies. first time ever - there was almost NO MITES. no visible mites to speak off. and usually there's a lot by march (i go away in winter a lot and don't monitor my plants closely for sev months).

ewwmayo- Well I can imagine in that situation one would have to be careful what type of treatment would be ok to use.

Regarding houseplants- After winning "Battle Fungus Gnat" last year (took 3 months), I've learned this is why it's important to be vigilant right from the get go. I've also noticed in the big stores recently there's a LOT of ivy. My guess is that will increase sales for them (from people buying replacement plants after they couldn't battle the mites on the first plant....)

Petrushka- Really.? Is it a combination emulsion of fish and kelp, or two separate? I've heard about fish emulsion, but it was used during watering. Healthier the plant, the less bugs. Almost bought some last week, but wasn't sure if it was worth it.

What about systemic granular insecticide and frequent misting? Or leave it outside in the spring and get a pump sprayer and spray it once or twice a day? Spider mites dislike moisture.

Aruzinsky - Have you read anything or have any experience with using insecticidal soaps against spider mites? Or them in combination with Avid?

No, for the plant's sake. I am prejudice against anything that smothers the plant or leaves visible residue. Avid has translaminar activity therefore it shouldn't be diluted with anything that inhibits absorption by the plant.

Aruzinsky - Triton is quite hard to find here, unless you're working in a laboratory (medical grades). I was thinking the insecticidal soap's surfactant property would help spreading and absorption of Avid. Not so much the actual mite-killing property of the soap or significantly diluting the Avid.

Mostly trying to think of affordable and easier ways to try it without risking hefty import fees and paying in USD (since the CAD is very low right now).

Mat68046 - Systemics such as imidacloplorid do not kill mites and actually tend to increase their activity. Misting may help but it's not really a 'solution'? My grow area has a lot of ventilation and airflow so any moisture gets removed quickly, so the benefits are very short lived. At least in my case!

Re: fish emulsion

you can use fish emulsion or combo fish-kelp. yes, you can water it in - but it stinks. so for outside it's ok, but i don't water it in indoors. i spray outdoors or in the plastic lined shower.

Spider mites were attempting to attack my plants (palms) 2 years ago. I noticed strange, long, strings of webs coming from the ceiling to my plants! I began to use a spray bottle daily…spraying strong streams of water over my plant leaves( I spread a plastic drop cloth before)…I haven't seen a spider mite in 2 years! I think the trick is that the leaves are sprayed daily. Also, I welcome lady bugs ,that come in during the winter, to crawl on my plants…I think they help to eat them too.

And once in a while, I have added a few drops of Dawn dish liquid and Isopropyl Alcohol(wintergreen…because it smells nice!)) to my spray bottle…to use on plants that have been outside for the summer. I also spray horticultural oil on plants before I bring them in. Works for me!

Aruzinsky - Been discussing this topic with a chemist that specializes in surfactants. They recommend Lutensol TDA 10 or XL 90 if Triton X-100 is not available when used with pesticides.

Warm the surfactant first, measure by weight (not by volume), mix with pesticide, then mix that combination with water.

Based on my understanding, this would be utilizing an 18 carbon chain acid, which should be okay for plants. Insecticidal soap would be redundant with this mixture.

Going to have to do more research and digging.

Escolat - Horticultural oils are often meant for dormant plants only, although some are okay when applied to new growth. Should be stated on the label. =)

"Aruzinsky - Been discussing this topic with a chemist that specializes in surfactants. They recommend Lutensol TDA 10 or XL 90 if Triton X-100 is not available when used with pesticides."

Good to know, but, that information should only be used to plan an experimental trial application on plants because it is difficult to predict the degree of phytotoxicity of any particular surfactant. In the absence of this knowledge, the most reasonable assumption is that the phytotoxicities of different surfactants are the same and therefore select the one that prevents beading on foliage at the least concentration to minimize harm to the plant.

Incidentally, in my experience, a popular surfactant, Polysorbate 20 (Tween 20), is a poor choice for the reasons sited above. See

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polysorbate_20

Tween 20 is commonly used in spray solutions of the plant growth regulator, 1-triacontanol, only because the original experimenter, Ries, used it for that purpose in the 1980s. There is no reason to believe that Triton X-100 wouldn't work better in that application.

Aruzinsky - It'll be my own experiment. =) Lutensol XL 90 is oleic acid, which is sometimes used as insecticidal soaps for plants: National Pesticide Information Center .

In this case, the chemist is an expert and only works on surfactants for one of the largest manufacturers in the world. I had specifically mentioned Triton X-100 in my discussion with them.

Where did you find the recommendation for Triton X-100? I'd like to do some more reading on why it was chosen. Or why do you say it is not likely to damage plants?

Not arguing, just curious. Side note: I have a background in chemistry, so that's another reason I want to understand.

"Where did you find the recommendation for Triton X-100? "

I found it in a patent for spraying a solution of methanol on plants:

http://www.google.com/patents/EP0645962B1?cl=en

Also,

http://www.pnas.org/content/89/20/9794.full.pdf

Also, Google:

methanol plants growth "triton X-100"

"Or why do you say it is not likely to damage plants?"

The only thing that I looked at was the minimum concentration that prevents beading of solution on the glossiest leaved plants and the absence of overt leaf damage. In that regard, Triton X-100 had the lowest concentration that prevented beading with no visible signs of leaf damage. I always assume that spraying plants with anything other than water is a short term shock to the plant therefore less is better for the plant.

Another variable of interest is the absorption of the surfactant into the plant. All else equal, when applying material that is to be absorbed, e.g., fertilizer, systemic pesticides, etc., you want the surfactant to also be absorbed. I suppose this could be determined by spraying a surfactant solution onto a leaf and, after a suitable length of time, e.g., one week, spraying the leaf again with a small amount of pure water (so there is no washing effect) to see whether the water beads. Honestly, I don't remember doing this, but I should.

Just now found this about surfactant phytotoxicity:

http://lib.dr.iastate.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=4904&context=rtd

Aruzinsky - Interesting patent and discussion. I think the Iowa State article provides better support for using Triton, as the effects are quantified quite nicely.

If the required dilution amount of Triton X-100 is similar to Lutenson XL-90, I think 0.5mL/L concentration is higher than necessary. 0.25mL/L seemed effective for my usage, but it would depend on plant species.

I did a quick test with distilled water and it appears that the water is beading a little less than prior to treatment. It wasn't a planned test, so it is hard to quantify. However, I do know that non-ionic surfactant residues are most easily removed with a quick rinse of distilled or purified water.

If surfactant damage is a concern, then rinsing after application appears to be a good idea. With the percentages that we are using, it's likely a non-issue. But if using insecticidal soaps with higher phytotoxicity, then this is probably a good idea.

Great article by Iowa state about surfactants and plant effects. Lots of discussion about concentration (even 0.25% is phytotoxic for some species), affect on different part of plants (bad for roots), and effects of various surfactant structures (larger molecules/long fatty acid chain lengths are the least damaging).

It's interesting to note because readily available Insecticidal Soaps are typically 1-1.5%, which would put them in the potentially damaging for many plant species.

Based on my treatments so far, Lutensol XL-90 does not seem phytotoxic is small quantities, when used with Avid.

I have not yet observed any leaf damage and this applies to Haworthia, Aloinopsis, Faucaria, and Pleiospilos. Based on my own experience so far and the chemist's recommendation, I don't see any problem with using Lutensol XL-90 or Triton X-100 as surfactants with pesticides.

I just remembered something from experiments that I performed over 25 years ago. The juice from alfalfa sprouts is a good surfactant and not phytotoxic. Just put a bunch of sprouts with a little water in a blender, blend, wait for the foam to subside, and strain through a paper towel. Since the solution is loaded with plant hormones, a foliar spray is probably good for your plants. Of course, ultimately, you should buy alfalfa seeds and make your own sprouts but, to verify that I am right, you can just buy some alfalfa sprouts at the supermarket.

I grow English ivy in water. A shower of water will get rid of them. Ivy prefers to grow on a window sill behind a curtain with no direct sunlight. Only change water about every 4 months.

"The only thing we used as a defense against bugs was a solution of soap ... The thing about all those chemicals is, you don't need them!"

Just to be clear, did you or did you not ERADICATE mites?

If you mean by eradicate, get rid of them until they show up again, which could be a month, 6months, a year, or more, then yes they were eradicated. But in reality, we never talk about "eradicating" pests, because even though you kill all the ones on your plants, the eggs and hatchlings float around in the air, and can reappear at any time, unless your plants are in hermetically sealed environments. Its better to think in terms of "control." Your object is to prevent damage to your plants, and you do that by controlling, or knocking out, the bugs as soon as they appear.

Can you use dish washing detergent ? Dawn ?

"But in reality, we never talk about "eradicating" pests, because even though you kill all the ones on your plants, the eggs and hatchlings float around in the air, and can reappear at any time, unless your plants are in hermetically sealed environments. Its better to think in terms of "control." Your object is to prevent damage to your plants, and you do that by controlling, or knocking out, the bugs as soon as they appear."

What do you mean "we?" No "professional" should ever sell mite infested plants. My house is not hermetically sealed and mites do not appear unless brought in on a plant. And, if that plant was grown by you, you are responsible. That's one reason "eradicate" is in my vocabulary.

If the object was control, which it is not, I would apply mite preditors to my house plants. E.g., see

http://www.arbico-organics.com/category/pest-solver-guide-mites?gclid=CNr6zNrsm80CFdgKgQodmfwCig

But, the word ERADICATE is right there in the title of this thread!!!!

By "we," I was referring to professional interior plant care specialists. You might know them as interior landscapers. While it's absolutely true, as you say, that mites can be brought in on a new plant (and curses on a grower who sends out plants with mites,) it's not true that that's the only way they can get into your plants. Of course, it's much less likely to happen in your home than in a public place, but it can happen. That's why a quick inspection should be part of weekly, or bi-weekly plant care. And of course, you can say "eradicate" instead of "control;" kind of potato/potahto. I was actually trying to make the point that you always need to watch for bugs, that they exist in our environment, but they don't need to be a big deal.

@anthonysears - Well, I wouldn't recommend Dawn, or any type of detergent, they are supposedly too harsh. There are horticultural soaps you can buy that are all (supposedly) pH balanced, chemical free, etc. etc. There are also castile soaps you can buy or DIY. That said, I will also add my own purely anecdotal and not-supported-by-laboratory-experiment experience. As a professional interior horticulturist, I've used soap to control bugs for 25 years. While I stayed away from detergents that said "grease cutting" on the label, or some such thing, and I did use the cheapest simple dishwashing product available. Sometimes in an emergency I even used handwashing soap from the restroom. In all those years - and we're talking about 1000's of plants here - I never had a plant damaged by soap spray.

"By "we," I was referring to professional interior plant care specialists."

How is it that you feel free to speak for others without their permission? Did you take an exhaustive poll of your professional group before speaking? I have belonged to several professional groups in my life and not once did I feel any urge to speak for the rest of them, so I was wondering what drives someone like you to use the presumptive "we" and think that they can get away with it.

" Of course, it's much less likely to happen in your home than in a public place, but it can happen. ... And of course, you can say "eradicate" instead of "control;" kind of potato/potahto."

No, there is a difference between eradicate and control. A profession grower of house plants has a moral obligation to eradicate mites from the plants.

"Of course, it's much less likely to happen in your home than in a public place, but it can happen. That's why a quick inspection should be part of weekly, or bi-weekly plant care."

I know the difference between possible and probable. The probability that a mite will enter any building, including a public space, when it is -10 deg. F., outside is so small that it can be practically modeled as impossible. And, in zone 5, if you see mites on your plants in February, they were probably there in October, or you brought them in on a new plant since October.

"... not-supported-by-laboratory-experiment experience. ... I never had a plant damaged by soap spray."

Therein lies a major fault in your thinking. To be accurate, you have never observed OVERT plant damage. Had you performed a controlled experiment, with two large groups of identical, pest free plants, with only one group treated with soap, I suspect that the soap free group would have grown faster and larger.

"By "we," I was referring to professional interior plant care specialists."

How is it that you feel free to speak for others without their permission? Did you take an exhaustive poll of your professional group before speaking? I have belonged to several professional groups in my life and not once did I feel any urge to speak for the rest of them, so I was wondering what drives someone like you to use the presumptive "we" and think that they can get away with it.

" Of course, it's much less likely to happen in your home than in a public place, but it can happen. ... And of course, you can say "eradicate" instead of "control;" kind of potato/potahto."

No, there is a difference between eradicate and control. A profession grower of house plants for resale has a moral obligation to eradicate mites from the plants.

"Of course, it's much less likely to happen in your home than in a public place, but it can happen. That's why a quick inspection should be part of weekly, or bi-weekly plant care."

I know the difference between possible and probable. The probability that a mite, not on a plant, will enter any building, including a public space, when it is -10 deg. F., outside is so small that it can be practically modeled as impossible. And, in zone 5, if you see mites on your plants in February, they were probably there in November, or you brought them in on a new plant since November.

"... not-supported-by-laboratory-experiment experience. ... I never had a plant damaged by soap spray."

Therein lies a major fault in your thinking. To be accurate, you have never observed OVERT plant damage. Had you performed a controlled experiment, with two large groups of identical, pest free plants, with only one group treated with soap, I suspect that the soap free group would have grown faster and larger.

I think the regular inspection for insects and horticultural soap sounds like good plant caring habits. Very practical for those that have a very large number of plants.

Here is a scientific paper that shows phytotoxicity of Safer Soap on some plants:

http://fshs.org/proceedings-o/1982-vol-95/149-151%20(OSBORNE).pdf

Note:

"4 oz/gal rate once a week ... Dracaena marginata
was damaged at this rate but the damage observed was
minimal. Brassaia actinophylla was severely damaged by this
soap."

"The phytotoxicity symptoms observed were slightly yellowed to dead leaves. In some cases there was severe distortion of new growth. Dracaena marginata treated with the soap became chlorotic."

And, the authors did not look for stunted growth.

Incidntally, the miticide, Pentac, that they compared with the soap has been obsolete for, maybe, 40 years.

There is an alternative to adding surfactants to micides. You add a pheromone that attracts mites to the spots on the plant where the miticide lies, i.e., the residue from beaded solutions. See

http://www.troybiosciences.com/product_plantProtection_stirrupM.asp

I have used Stirrup in combination with Avid, without surfactants, on my tomato plants, and it seems to work well for controlling mites. And, there has been a progressive reduction in their peak populations over the many years of using it.

Oh my goodness aruzinsky, apparently I've offended you - you're so upset you published your objections twice. Seriously, though, "people like me?" I'm not presuming to "speak" for anyone - simply using the word we in a general sense, like "we take care of plants," or "we work hard;" like a chemist might say of him/her self and others in the same profession, "we do experiments to learn about the effects of chemical substances." In that sense, "we" aren't likely to talk about eradicating insects, because eradicating is defined as "to get rid of completely," and "we" know that is impossible, and control is the best "we" can do. As in the article you site, where the researchers repeatedly use the word "control." However, to be more precise, "we," be we growers, plantcare companies, or even retail stores, generally just talk about "killing" mites, and what products and processes kill them best.

If people want to use chemical controls, fine by me. I thought all the discussions of chemicals might be a little off-putting for some people, so I merely wanted to throw in my experience of success using a simple, inexpensive, easy to acquire, and safe treatment. I don't think it's a "fault in my thinking" to say I never observed damage to a plant. The point with interior landscaping is not to grow plants as big as they can be, but to keep them looking beautiful. Spots, discolorations, stunted leaves, and so on, would not be beautiful, and these things I did not see. Some of these plants were in my care for several years, and did not show any negative effects. Informal observation has value, too. After all, I don't need to conduct detailed astronomical observations to be able to say with reasonable certainty that the sun will come up tomorrow.

Spider mites, as well as other pests commonly found on indoor plants, are a fact of life. (Of course, if you live in an area where the winter temperatures are regularly below freezing, you're not going to be seeing bugs floating in from outside. Thanks for clarifying that.) That doesn't change the fact that they do float around when temps are warm, and they can infect anyone's plants at any time. Some people might appreciate knowing they have alternatives other than chemical insecticides for dealing with them, call it what you will - eradicate, exterminate, eliminate, extirpate - the point is to get the little buggers off your plants.

"Oh my goodness aruzinsky, apparently I've offended you"

Yes.

"Seriously, though, "people like me?" I'm not presuming to "speak" for anyone- simply using the word we in a general sense, like "we take care of plants," or "we work hard;" like a chemist might say of him/her self and others in the same profession, "we do experiments to learn about the effects of chemical substances."

I don't do that because it is presumptive whether you are conscious of it or not.

"In that sense, "we" aren't likely to talk about eradicating insects, because eradicating is defined as "to get rid of completely," and "we" know that is impossible, and control is the best "we" can do."

It is obvious that, by "eradicate," the OP meant kill every single mite, mite egg and mite larva on a potted ivy plant. You are doing the OP a disservice by falsely suggesting that it is impossible. And, you are doing the OP a disservice by suggesting that, as part of "we," she already knows that it is impossible and therefore a fool for asking.

"However, to be more precise, "we," be we growers, plantcare companies, or even retail stores, generally just talk about "killing" mites, and what products and processes kill them best."

You don't know that because you haven't taken an exhaustive poll.

"I don't think it's a "fault in my thinking" to say I never observed damage to a plant."

That is NOT what you said. You said, "I never had a plant damaged by soap spray."

"The point with interior landscaping is not to grow plants as big as they can be, but to keep them looking beautiful."

Yes, but you are speaking to a mixed audience, some of which want to grow plants instead of just use them as decoration. You are doing those people a disservice by saying, "I never had a plant damaged by soap spray." because, for all you know, it retarded the growth of your plants.

"That doesn't change the fact that they do float around when temps are warm, and they can infect anyone's plants at any time."

How do you know that they float? Whereas I suspect that mites can travel on the wind, I doubt that they float in still air, but, instead, drop like a feather. And, I don't know how long they can live in the air. I have not been able to find any scientific research on this subject.

That is a good point about how mites travel (or stay in the house for a period of time). I had an ivy that apparently had mites when I brought it home but it took a few weeks for me to realize it. I ended up returning the plant, but then I was so worried about all the plants around it having mites. Turns out none of them developed mites and it's been 6 months. Maybe I was careful enough and cleaned well enough after getting rid of the mites? I actually wipe off the watering can end in between plants if I've touched any leaves just to be sure I'm not spreading anything.

Also, I've bought enough plants from different places now to know whether the plants have bugs or not. I learned the hard way by losing plants because of that or from root rot because the plant had been so overwatered before I brought it home. I think it's how the plants are taken care of, not that bugs just appear.

SaraM, Spider mites "love" certain plants over others. The chances of transferring mites from an English Ivy (Hedera helix) to a Philodendron for example, aren't that great.

Yea, spider mites find English ivy especially tasty. And if the ivy happens to dry out too much and start to wilt --- they REALLY love that.

Go get a 5 dollar bottle of miticide?

Newsflash. I just tried Newport Quillaja Extract as a foliar surfactant and, at 1 tsp./quart, it coats very glossy leaves better than Triton X-100 at 1/2 tsp./quart. I bought it several years ago to add foam to my homemade root beer. Now, I am running phytotoxicity tests on it mostly because I added potassium sorbate as a preservative. If it shows no phytotoxicity, I will use it instead of Triton X-100. You can buy it here:

http://www.newportflavours.com/ingredients/food-ingredients/gums-thickening-agents-and-emulsifiers/quillaja-extract-natural-vegan-gluten-free-kosher-a-powerful-foaming-agent-/c202_437_439/p63995/-cp/

And, in case you haven't been following the discussion, this is for adding to miticide sprays.

Update:

Of my plants, Newport Quillaja Extract only coats Colocasia Gigantea better than Triton X-100. Quillaja Extract does a perfect job of coating Colocasia Gigantea . But,solutions of Quillaja Extract bead on my Canna Tropicanna, which is typically easy to coat with other surfactants. But, solutions of Triton X-100 bead on Colocasia Gigantea foliage. Both do a good job on tomato foliage. And, the potassium sorbate that I added does not cause phytotoxicity.

I looked for some ivy growing as a weed on my property but couldn't find any. At one time, I had a lot of ivy growing on my brickwork, but removed it to do tuck-pointing. Otherwise, I would tell you exactly what to use on ivy.