Spider mites do overwinter in mulches and plant debris left over from the previous summer. But if you think that you will avoid mites by burning or otherwise sterilizing your garden soil, you are mistaken. Spider mites have an admirable capacity to find tomatoes even if the tomatoes are planted on virgin soil. They apparently do this via wind transport or some other means we haven't quite figured out. Unfortunately, there are not many magic bullets on the market for spider mite control on vegetables. Use an integrated approach: 1. Do not compost mite-infested plant material unless your compost pile is uniformly hot enough to kill mites. 2. Inspect your tomato seedlings for mites and choose only mite-free plants. With a hand lens, check the undersides of a few leaves of every plant you purchase. 3. Keep your plants well watered to avoid drought stress. 4. At the first sign of infestation, do one of the following: - Try blasting mites off with a stiff stream of water directed at leaf undersides (this can significantly delay mite population buildups, if done thoroughly); - Apply horticultural oil or insecticidal soap sprays; pick off and destroy any leaflets with mites on them. - Apply a good miticide labeled for use on vegetables. 5. Get your spring tomatoes started early, and remove plants when they become mite infested.

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