Question
Hi there, I'm from Wellington, New Zealand and am currently into my 5th year growing my Sarracenia Purpurea with beautiful results and have been growing them in Peat soil all these years. Have placed them in the conservatory and they seem to love it there.

However just recently I have noticed little webs around them and seem to find pin sized spiders which are of a yellowish orangy color. Are these the same as spider mites? I have been advised that using Confidor will take care of them but Im hesitant in using it as these plants are really sensitive. I have read in your other suggestions that these mites hate water and washing them off will get rid of them. However, my pitcher plants do not have much space in the middle as most of the leaves are growing beside each other and have quite a thick foilage among each other. How do I use water to flush the mites off? Will it harm the plant if I spray from the top and water gets into the pods itself and fill it up?

With cutting off the dead pods (brown ones), do we wait for it totally turn brown and soft before cutting it off? I have been leaving it till it is soft and hesitant to cut them off even though they have all turned brown but still hard.

Thank you so much for looking into my questions and will hope to hear from you soon.

Answer
Hi Eugene,

Spider mites are a very tough customer.  You will need to spray.  Here in the U.S. Confidor is called Imidacloprid and is a systemic insecticide.  Contrary to popular belief, Sarracenia are not all that sensitive to insecticides.  The only one to avoid is insecticidal soaps since they break down into fertilizer in the soil.  Although I haven't used it myself, Confidor is probably fine.  You could also use an insecticide based on Permethrin.  I've used it safely, and it is very toxic to arachnids, but not mammals.  (This is the same substance used to treat scabies and lice in humans.)

After you kill the spider mites spraying the plant will help keep them off.  It's fine to get water in the pitchers since that is what happens when it rains anyway.  Sarracenia purpurea needs the water to catch insects.

Cut off dead leaves as soon as they start browning.  It's just good hygiene and prevents mold problems during the winter.

Good Growing!

Jeff Dallas
Sarracenia Northwest
http://www.cobraplant.com