How to Kill Little Mites on Pepper Plants

Pepper plants are susceptible to many pests in the outdoors, and mites are one of the dangers. These little pests come in different colors, such as yellow and red, and are almost invisible to the naked eye. Although the mites are hard to see, the damage they do is not. Common signs of these insects include spotting on the leaves, foliage curling downward and tiny webs. Use a combination of methods to kill the little mites on your peppers before the problem gets out of control.

Pruning shears
Magnifying glass (optional)
2 teaspoons mild dishwashing soap
Cloth
Ladybugs or predatory mites
Organic insecticidal soap, insecticidal oil, horticultural oil or neem oil

Instructions

- 1
  Pruning heavily infested pepper plant leaves keeps mites from spreading. Find these leaves by looking for webs or use a magnifying glass and inspect the curling foliage’s undersides.
- 2
  Mix 2 teaspoons of mild dishwashing soap in a gallon of water and dip a cloth in the mixture. Wipe down your pepper leaves, covering the undersides, and leave the solution on for a few minutes before spraying the soap off with water. This kills existing mites and the damp leaves promote a humid environment that discourages mite eggs from hatching.
- 3
  Spray your pepper plant completely with water in the morning before the sun is up or in the evening when it is going down. Doing this daily helps force the mites off the plant and reduce their numbers. Do not forget the undersides of the leaves.
- 4
  Release ladybugs or predatory mites on your pepper plants. These insects feed on pest mites, which helps get rid of them naturally.
- 5
  Apply an organic insecticidal soap, insecticidal oil, horticultural or neem oil solution to the chili plant by following the directions on the bottle. Acceptable horticultural or neem oils are petroleum based, according to the University of California's Integrated Pest Management program.

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