Which orchids in YOUR collection get a winter rest?

[camille1585]

Originally Posted by Kath

Sorry to show my ignorance, but what is 409 please?? The rest I can cope with

Formula 409 is an all purpose cleaner that you find in the USA. Unfortunately I don't know if there is an equivalent product in Europe. I wouldn't want to use just any old cleaner I find in the supermarket!

[Kath]

[
When I used methylated spirits I applied it directly with a paintbrush and it kills on contact. It just doesn't get the ones you can't see

Thanks so much! I'll try the get them drunk, and hope that does the trick. As you say Hedge, the problem is the ones you can't see, hidden away!

[ewcia1028]

Originally Posted by Kath

Sorry to show my ignorance, but what is 409 please?? The rest I can cope with

I am so sorry Kath,I am new to this site and didn't realize that you are from France.Straight alcohol is working good too.Yes that would be difficult to find 409 in Europe.I am happy with my formula and my Mealybugs are in control.Good luck Kath.

[Kath]

That's no problem. I'll try again and see if I can keep the little critters under control!

[ewcia1028]

Thanks for your reply,nice to meet you Kath

[Jeffery]

so what is giving the plants rest and is it an automatic thing after they drop there flowers?

[Florida_guy_26]

For the australia person looking for orchids, try australian orchid nursery on the web. And kathy- to get rid of mealy bugs or anything else that creeps or crawls, try this- i have modified but about 1 tablespoon cinnamon extract (liquid) about 1 tablespoon dish washing liquid and about 1/3 the size of your spray container filled with alcohol. Lets say for argument sake, you have a 3 cup container. Put 1 cup alcohol in after you mix 2 cups of water and the cinnamon and soap together. So you should have roughly 3 cups and 2 tablespoons of volume mixed together. Do not foam it up too much but keep it all mixed up and spray the leaves, the roots and the medium or simply dunk the whole plant and pot roots and all in the solution and watch the little rug munchers die in agony. I have had some earwigs come back to life after they looked pretty dead so make sure you can incinerate the bugs or flush them so they do not come back. It works very well for me and kills almost anything that I dont want growing in the pot or along with the plant. Hope that helps kathy.

[Kath]

1 tablespoon cinnamon extract (liquid) about 1 tablespoon dish washing liquid and about 1/3 the size of your spray container filled with alcohol. Lets say for argument sake, you have a 3 cup container. Put 1 cup alcohol in after you mix 2 cups of water and the cinnamon and soap together. So you should have roughly 3 cups and 2 tablespoons of volume mixed together.

That sounds brilliant! I'll probably dunk the plants in the solution. Will it work if the solution is watered down so I can drown the mealies. Sounds like cinnamon is the stuff!
Thank you for your help!

[Florida_guy_26]

You can water down the alcohol, but the rest should be potent because the stronger it is, the faster it will kill them. The alcohol does a pretty damn good job of killing everything in sight. You can try using maybe 2 - 4 oz alcohol since 1 cup is about 8 oz and see how that works out, but as I said before, the recipe made stronger will kill everything, even if it tries to fly away. If you want to use a big bucket that has like 15-20 gallons, in it, then use a whole bottle of cinnamon and about 1 cup of dish washing soap and then at least 1 cup of alcohol and you should still get some very good results. I use it for everything and the bugs die very quickly from it.

[Kath]

Wonderful! Thank you so much!! I have a lot of phals to treat, so I've warned the the bugs I'm on my way!!