Preparing orchids to come back inside

[gngrhill]

Originally Posted by Leafmite

Be careful about using systemics if the plants are going to remain outside and bloom. It may cause harm to the bees.

I would only use right before bringing inside. Nothing should be in bloom at that time.

[Orchid Whisperer]

Originally Posted by gngrhill

I have been unable to find the Bayer 3 in 1. Have tried ever since I first joined OB. What I have is also Bayer and instructions are for mixing with water in a watering can. I guess I will just use it to soak the medium and maybe spray with something else.

The product is Bayer Advanced 3-in-1 Insect, Disease, & Mite Control. (Imidacloprid 0.47%, Tau-Fluvalinate 0.61%, Tebuconazole 0.65%). Mix 97 ml of the 3-in-1 per gallon water.

I don't worry about bees much. 34 years growing orchids, mostly with no pesticides, I can't recall ever seeing a bee on them.

[Ray]

Originally Posted by Tschimm

I never use chemicals for 'just in case'
It's just not worth the money

If plants have been outdoors for any length of time, they will have "hitchhikers". This is not a "just in case" situation.

[Orchid Whisperer]

Originally Posted by Ray

If plants have been outdoors for any length of time, they will have "hitchhikers". This is not a "just in case" situation.

I agree Ray. In addition to scale, mealy bugs, and mites, virtually every orchid will have other insects along for the ride. In Georgia, ants and cockroaches are part of the native outdoor insect population, and control is needed to prevent bringing them indoors.

[Tschimm]

Does Bayed 3 in 1 kills ants and cockroaches ?

I just dunk my plants in water before they come in for half an hour.
Some of the critters survive this treatment and will get killed by my house spiders 😀

Most of the insects on my orchids are earwigs and sowbugs.
I admit I would worry more if we had much cockroaches (those big ones) and ants here.

[Ray]

The vast majority of insecticides only kill adults, so a single dunk is unlikely to be a sufficient treatment to totally rid the plants of critters.

The standard rule is three, identical and thorough treatments, at one-week intervals, as that really increases the probability that all eggs and juveniles will have matured and killed before they can reproduce.

[gngrhill]

[QUOTE=Orchid Whisperer;813608]The product is Bayer Advanced 3-in-1 Insect, Disease, & Mite Control. (Imidacloprid 0.47%, Tau-Fluvalinate 0.61%, Tebuconazole 0.65%). Mix 97 ml of the 3-in-1 per gallon water.

What I have is Bayer advanced complete insect killer (Imidacloprid .72% and B-Cyfluthrin .36% ). I find it strange that I can't find the 3-in-1 around here when so many OB members use it.

[Leafmite]

Is it possible that it was banned in New York? Many of the pesticides I used when I first had the fruit trees are no longer available for sale due to being banned in the US for the same reason.

---------- Post added at 06:55 PM ---------- Previous post was at 06:47 PM ----------

I bought Garden Safe and a bottle of Neem oil so if I see anything when I am bringing them inside, I can just hit them then. The stuff says that it is safe to use indoors, etc..

[Orchid Whisperer]

[QUOTE=gngrhill;813716]

Originally Posted by Orchid Whisperer

The product is Bayer Advanced 3-in-1 Insect, Disease, & Mite Control. (Imidacloprid 0.47%, Tau-Fluvalinate 0.61%, Tebuconazole 0.65%). Mix 97 ml of the 3-in-1 per gallon water.

What I have is Bayer advanced complete insect killer (Imidacloprid .72% and B-Cyfluthrin .36% ). I find it strange that I can't find the 3-in-1 around here when so many OB members use it.

You can use the product you have, just use approximately 63 ml per gallon since your product has a higher imidacloprid concentration.

[My Green Pets]

I also have the Bayer complete insect killer. I start applying weekly in September. Plants came inside second week of October last year.

Roaches are my primary concern, but pill bugs are also a nuisance. Last year I also brought in a number of tree frogs hiding in my big vanda. The slugs tend to show themselves at night and in the early morning, and can be coaxed out with beer traps sat among the plants. But the bush snails are there forever. They tend to eat mostly dead tissue though, it seems.

This is exciting. Bringing plants in means autumn bloom season is on its way!