Spiders in My Pots of Chrysanthemums

Spiders

• Spiders often live around plants. Most spiders are not poisonous to humans, so there's no reason to fear them. Just leave them alone. They do not harm you plant. Spiders' presence might indicate a pest issue on or around your plants. This alerts you, so that you can take action before your plants become stressed. Spiders hunt and consume insects, helping keep your plants free of pests. Unfortunately, spiders capture beneficial insects, such as lady beetles, that control spider mites. Spiders present on fall chrysanthemums may simply moving, seeking for shelter from cooler temperatures and not looking to stay.

Mites

• Several types of mites, including many spider mites, trouble chrysanthemums. Two-spotted spider mites are the most common of the mites. They feed on a wide range of plants. Their sap sucking damages plant cells and robs plants of resources. You may not see the mites without the aid of a magnifying glass, but you might see their webs. The Colorado State University Extension likens the appearance of the mites to moving dust.

Damage

• Spider mite injury to chrysanthemums appears as stippled patterns on the foliage. Watch for discoloration that moves from the stem toward the leaf tip on the leaves' tops. Damage occurs from the plant's bottom upward. Mite numbers usually dramatically increase during hot, dry weather, so the issues they cause with plants may be mistaken for lack of water.

Treatment

• Wash your plants with a garden hose. This reduces mite populations, as well as removing any spiders and their webs. Repeating the process several times discourages spiders from returning and reduces mite numbers. Early treatment with insecticidal soap helps rid your plants of mites, but heavily infested plants might die, according to the Clemson Cooperative Extension.