scale

[VickiC]

Hi,
I have been in my orchid room this morn. checking plants and I noticed that a mtssa. in specific did not look well at all, so I examined it closer and found scale. I would have taken a picture of the plant for you, but I threw it in the dumpster because I didn't want to take the chance of spreading the problem to my other (approx. 30) orchids in the room (if it already hasn't).....and I didn't have anywhere else to "seclude" it to where there aren't other orchids inside my house. Anyway, it was somewhat of a "trial" orchid, and I was not terribly interested in saving what little of it there was, actually. I've never had scale before, but I felt I knew what it was from searching sites and reading past posts from other OB members.

For a short while, I have been seeing a yellow leaf with brown splotches on this plant, as well as the 2 new growths seeming to have came to a stand-still, but I haven't noticed anything that looked like an obvious culprit until today. I realize now that I probably should have asked you about it back when I noticed the discoloring, but being VERY NEW to growing orchids, I just assumed that I had done something wrong while trying to learn how to care for them correctly, and hopefully, the problem would correct itself as soon as I learned (IF I learned, that is) what I was doing wrong. I bought the mtssa. at Lowes (a "bag-baby") about 3 months ago and after I removed all the bad roots when I got home, there was nothing left but 3 leaves attached to 3 very old pseudobulbs and another old pseudobulb that had the leaf trimmed from it before I bought it, as best I remember.

Anyway, bottom line and to make a long story shorter.....my question to you is what would you suggest I treat my orchids safely with on a regular basis for insect/fungus control? I've avoided regular preventive treatment in the past because I simply didn't know what method would be best. Since I've been trying to learn how to grow orchids over the past few months, I've read quite a bit about different products/methods and have really gotten confused. I didn't want to treat them with the wrong thing.....maybe something too strong for a newbie to use. ??

I would appreciate any advice that you can give to me.

Thank you in advance,
Vicki