What Are Soil Mites & What Does It Mean If You Have Them?

Have you ever watered the soil in your seed starting room, and all of a sudden, your worst nightmares come true?! The soil seems to come to life as dozens or even hundreds of tiny, creepy-crawly bugs start to vacate the soil as you water. 

Or perhaps you see tiny mites actively roaming the soil surface, and you feel as if your plants are being overrun by an outbreak of pests? If this sounds familiar, it's time to learn what soil mites are, how to prevent them, and what to do if you have them, so you can Grow Bigger!

Where It All Begins

Whether you want to get rid of slugs and snails in your garden, eliminate squash bugs, control tomato hornworms, prevent squash vine borers, or reduce other pests, it all starts with healthy plants and good preventative pest control measures. But even with good growing practices, you will inevitably have a problem with pests in your organic garden one day.

MIgardener carries a line of natural, organic pesticides for just that reason. Solutions that get results but are still environmentally safe for plants, animals, and people.

What Are Soil Mites

Soil mites are a diverse group of small arthropods that are typically found in soil, leaf litter, and other organic matter. Soil mites come in many different shapes and sizes, ranging from less than 0.2 mm to over 2 mm in length.

They have eight legs and a soft body covered in fine hairs, which help them move through soil and cling to surfaces. Soil mites can be grey, brown, tan, white, or even red in color.

Soil mites are important decomposers, breaking down organic matter and recycling nutrients in the soil. They play a crucial role in the soil food web, serving as a food source for other soil organisms, including springtails, nematodes, and predatory mites.

They are often confused with spider mites. Yes, they are in the same family, but not the same insect, and they should not be treated with the same control methods either.

Spider mites can be found on the leaves of plants. They are slow-moving, feed on plants, and produce fine webs. (Here is a blog post on how to get rid of spider mites with natural methods.)

Soil mites live mainly in the soil, although you will sometimes find them on the lower parts of plants. They are fast-moving and do not damage plant leaves.

Are Soil Mites Harmful

Some soil mites are predatory, feeding on other small soil organisms, while others are detritivores, feeding solely on decaying organic matter. Some soil mites are also known to feed on plant roots, and can be harmful to plants if you have them in large numbers.

There is no evidence that soil mites are harmful to humans or pets; however, I prefer to play it safe and not let them run rampant.

What Does It Mean If You Have Soil Mites Indoors

Soil mites are present in most soils, particularly in soils that are very damp. Their presence may indicate that you are overwatering. They generally thrive in soil that is damp, rich in organic matter, warm, uncompressed, and lacking natural predators.

You have a higher chance of having them if you use soil that has not been sterilized, has been left outside, potting soil or seed starting mix that contains compost, or soil that has been transplanted with plants from outdoors.

Seed starting mixes are prime for soil mites because they retain water well, are loose, and are typically used in warm locations with very few, if any, natural predators.

How to Get Rid of Soil Mites

• Sterilize Soil - If you haven’t planted yet, sterilize the soil you will be using indoors or for seed starting, especially if you purchased it from an outdoor source. (Sterilizing soil will also help prevent fungus gnats.) To sterilize soil, either use boiling water to pre-moisten the soil or place it on a baking sheet and bake in a 350°F oven for 5 minutes.

• Make Seed Starting Mix - You can skip the sterilization process and save money at the same time by crafting your own starting mix for seeds!

• Go Soilless - Soilless mixes will not contain much decomposing organic material, which is the primary food source for soil mites. I like to use coco coir as a growing medium; it comes sterile, which eliminates the chances for fungus gnats, soil mites, mold, and mildew spores.

• Diatomaceous Earth- Diatomaceous earth is naturally occurring and made from crushed diatoms. The crushing creates a microscopic abrasive surface that irritates the mites, causing them to shed their exoskeleton and dehydrate. Mix it into the soil or dust it on the soil surface to prevent them from getting out of control. There are so many great diatomaceous earth uses!

• Reducing Watering - Soil mites can survive in dry soil for quite some time; however, dry soil regulates their ability to reproduce, causing them to be reduced in numbers. Pro-Tip: Consider placing a fan near your seedlings! Not only will this generate airflow, which causes stronger, healthier seedlings, but it will also reduce soil moisture that can attract and welcome soil mites.

I hope you enjoyed this blog post and learned something new that you can apply to your garden!