scale - Orchid Board

VickiC · #1 11-10-2008, 02:49 PM

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

Ray · #2 11-10-2008, 08:49 PM

I think you acted too rashly. Putting the plant in a plastic bag is excellent isolation during treatment.

You DO NOT want to do preventive treatments. That is how resistant populations of insects are developed.

Instead, do periodic "inspections" of your plants to check for inevitable invasions, and in the event of one, treat the entire collection, being careful to wet all surfaces of the plants. Repeat that treatment weekly for three weeks, and you will have likely solved the problem.

Further, the next time you see intruders, use a different insecticide, as rotating killing modes also helps avoid the development of superbugs.

Ross · #3 11-10-2008, 08:54 PM

Not only do I totally agree with Ray (who could argue with the "Orchid Iconoclast") but I would add that scale isn't that hard to deal with if it isn't all over all your orchids. I get scale on certain orchids and then it mostly occurs on the blossoms or the spikes. The Encyclia Tampensis is prone to scale as is a couple of the Paphs sitting under the Beallara which gets scale all the time. I just do a search for pests when I water and squash the adults then spray with Neem oil. Nothing fancy. It controls them - doesn't eliminate them. But the plants are doing well.

quiltergal · #4 11-11-2008, 03:38 AM

I've got a Beallara that arrived from the grower covered in scale.

I've been battling it for a little over a year now. It's not with my other orchids. (Probably why it has never bloomed for me, not enough light where it is) I just do a weekly inspection armed with rubbing alcohol and Q-Tips. It takes a bit of time at first but I've greaty reduced the resident population. I was using a systemic Bonide for a while but I think that was designed for soil, not bark. It just seemed to wash through after I watered the next week.

VickiC · #5 11-12-2008, 01:15 PM

Thanks for your help, everyone! I always appreciate your advice!
Vicki

MuscleGirl'sHobby · #6 11-12-2008, 10:31 PM

My Ctna. Why Not arrived with a small undetected scale problem. I was oblivious to it (being a novce, and never having seen scale or the damage they do) until it was a pretty bad infestation. The plant still managed to bloom, but the bloom was affected some. I unpotted it, got rid of the media, and washed it thoroughly, carefully disloding all the little scale I could see. Then I treated the whole thing with neem oil weekly for about 4 weeks. I kept it unpotted, so had to mist the roots often, and kept it in a bit darker conditions to avoid burning the roots. It's now potted back up and quite happy. I did notice one little scale the other day, so sprayed her down with neem again. I haven't had a single issue with my other plants athough I'm now inspecting them quite closely nearly daily!

VickiC · #7 11-13-2008, 12:35 PM

Hi MuscleGirl!
Thanks for your help! I'm glad to know your orchid is doing well!

There's one other thing that I've been wondering about, though.....whether scale attacks root systems or not.....or if they just focus on the leaves (ect.). Just another thought.....among my billions of questions about orchids.

Oh well, I'm sure that's one thing I'll learn by "trial and error" (so to speak) as time goes on.
Thanks again!
Vicki

Quote:

Originally Posted by MuscleGirl'sHobby

My Ctna. Why Not arrived with a small undetected scale problem. I was oblivious to it (being a novce, and never having seen scale or the damage they do) until it was a pretty bad infestation. The plant still managed to bloom, but the bloom was affected some. I unpotted it, got rid of the media, and washed it thoroughly, carefully disloding all the little scale I could see. Then I treated the whole thing with neem oil weekly for about 4 weeks. I kept it unpotted, so had to mist the roots often, and kept it in a bit darker conditions to avoid burning the roots. It's now potted back up and quite happy. I did notice one little scale the other day, so sprayed her down with neem again. I haven't had a single issue with my other plants athough I'm now inspecting them quite closely nearly daily!