New Phrag Besseae var Flavum

[Susie11]

Hi Everyone. I just got my last phrag probably for this year. They are expensive and I am not rich so this is it for now until next year - maybe



I love the yellow on this one. I like the red one too but seeing as I already have a MDC I thought that it made sense to get a yellow and they don't come much better than Besseae var Flavum for yellow. It's still in bud so no flowers yet but hopefully the spike won't blast and I'll have some pics to show you all soon.

It does have a stolon but I am intending to wrap sphag around it and let it develop more mature roots then repot into the same medium as it's in now. Any advice on how to do this would be great.

Urgh, since posting this thread I have just discovered that my new lovely plant has the dreaed mealy bugs!! Yuck!! Are these mealy bugs and if so how do I get rid?



Is it really a mealy bug? I have heard so much about them but I have never had the pleasure of their company before. Are they deadly?

[TimetoFindMe]

It looks like a mealy. I'd spray it down with insecticidal soap. You'll have to do it several times most likely to make certain you've eliminated them. Maybe once every 2 weeks or so (but only a few times), but I'm sure others will correct me if I'm wrong.

When I had mealies on my Adenium obesum, it took 4 weeks to get rid of them but that was a bad bad infestation. Its the infestation that got me the plant for 75% off =P. I had to spray once ever 1.5 weeks, 4 applications in total.

You could also swab the leaves down with alcohol on a cottonball if you only see a couple.

[Susie11]

Originally Posted by TimetoFindMe

It looks like a mealy. I'd spray it down with insecticidal soap. You'll have to do it several times most likely to make certain you've eliminated them. Maybe once every 2 weeks or so (but only a few times), but I'm sure others will correct me if I'm wrong.

When I had mealies on my Adenium obesum, it took 4 weeks to get rid of them but that was a bad bad infestation. Its the infestation that got me the plant for 75% off =P. I had to spray once ever 1.5 weeks, 4 applications in total.

You could also swab the leaves down with alcohol on a cottonball if you only see a couple.

Hi Timetofindme. I welcome your advice. Where can I find insecticidal soap? Is it a specialist item from a garden centre or is it widely available from the supermarket? I have been adviced by someone else to use rubbing alcohol and then by someone else again to use something else. I'll give anything a go. I just want them gone! I don't think there are too many as I can only see one fat one on the leaf and then at the top of the pot - the tan one, there is a little one. I have squashed them and rubbed the white patches off with a brush but anything else will have to wait for tomorrow. I hate them so much! grr .

[Wjs2nd]

You can make your own insect soap, just use a few drops of dish soap (not a concentrated one) and some water. I forget the mix proportions but I know you can look it up on other treads here.

I have another suggestion when your done with the bugs. My Phrag was in mix that looked like yours and was doing okay. That is when I realized the mix was broken down to much. I repot my Phrag and it has been much happier.

[Susie11]

Originally Posted by Wjs2nd

You can make your own insect soap, just use a few drops of dish soap (not a concentrated one) and some water. I forget the mix proportions but I know you can look it up on other treads here.

I have another suggestion when your done with the bugs. My Phrag was in mix that looked like yours and was doing okay. That is when I realized the mix was broken down to much. I repot my Phrag and it has been much happier.

Thanks for the advice. I think that I will repot when I have washed the bugs off. Rockwool is supposed to be changed when it is no longer a clean colour and I know what you mean. This does look to be a little old so thanks for pointing it out. I have another one that needs changing as well.

[Wjs2nd]

Sometimes it seems never ending, haha. I had one I just repotted and noticed that I should repotted another.

[Susie11]

Originally Posted by Wjs2nd

Sometimes it seems never ending, haha. I had one I just repotted and noticed that I should repotted another.

I only have fourteen at the moment but I think that I have had to repot almost all of them so far. From now on I will make a point to do just that as you never know what nasty creepy crawlies might have hitched a ride !!