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I have been battling Scale Insects, Spider Mites, and Fungi on and off recently.... It would be interesting to have a thread regarding everyones solutions to these problems. There are a few things that do seem to work. Aside from some of the farther out things I have looked into, Like discerning spider mites 'resonant frequency' and using some Tesla theory / device To disrupt their frequency and thereby eliminate them.... Or wondering if it could be possible to use low intensity microwaves to fry them, but save the plant... Or somehow ground the plant, and electrocute the bugs......somehow....?!? And other science fiction sounding ideas.... But in 'real life' Here is what I have noticed: The thing that really seems to work, is take off the scale insects you can by hand with alcohol, And a paper towl..... Then, mix up one tablespoon of Clorox bleach, in one gallon water. Have a spray mister, and also a pressure pump garden sprayer. Spraymist/bleach solution on the underside and top, of leaves, as well as soil, of all plants. Then, pump up the pump sprayer to high pressure, set the nozzle to spray hard... Spray off all the bleach,, spider mites, their eggs etc. Bleach is ok in the soil, it can stay. I used Azamax for weeks trying to stop these things! It did seem to slow the scale insects down a bit. Still, I would spray that Az. On there, and three days later, the plants would be infested again. I do think is has some value though, but sometimes it hurts the new growth a bit too. I keep reading accounts of people working their way up to super expensive and toxic pesticides for spider mites, only to have them develop a tolerance....and spraying toxic stuff all time, With less and less effect. Or switching between three very toxic pesticides. I couldn't afford them right now, several hundred (US diminishing value) dollars for a few ounces. With scary warnings and effects. I have read that Avid does kill them, and Floramite....I cant seem to get any Kelthane..or it's active... On my budget, and with the plants basicly in my room..... Nothing seems to eliminate quite as many spider mites, scale larvae and their eggs Like spraying with the bleach, Then pressure washing them off....in a plastic container in the bathtub, since I am inside. Container gets sprayed often with bleach, water and bugs go down the drain or toilett.... I swear, one lady bug in it's entire lifetime, will never get rid of the amount of bad insects you can eliminate from just several leaves with the clorox and pressure spray. There in no resistance to it to build up, it is relatively non toxic, and it seems to work. I am going to use up my Azamax as soil drench, it is systemic a little bit too, Relatively 'safe' And does have some good properties of confusing insect hormones. Ladybugs are cool and all, I will probably get them again too... But really, they are little slackers. Oh, they LOOK like they are working hard, But they are just goldbricking. The second you turn your back, its party time for them. Then, after they all finally fly into the light and die and enlightened death, A few days later you realize........the spider mites are back bad as ever! Like they never really left, but just hid from ladybugs. Perhaps the Californicus or Longpipes mites work....predatory insects. Still, ladybugs or maybe pirate beetles could be good combined with the bleach and spray... ...just knock them off and save them first! If you felt the need for a biological solution to having too many ladybugs, You could get a lizard.....then, if those got out of control, a few snakes, Then, perhaps a hawk or two to keep the snakes in line.......a cat here and there and..... Biological controls could get complicated! Any other far out solutions to these problems? Especially the resonant frequency thing, that was cosmic woo and intriguing... It would also be absolutely superb to somehow be able to kill mites with plasma energy, I just can't spend the time to research everything right now! But really, How do you kill and prevent pests in your garden, indoors?