Bioadvanced tree and shrub on orchids?

[Beginning-lie]

What do you all think about using this on orchids? Time for them to go back outside, and I will occasionally see soft brown scale and mealies. The product label states imidacloprid .74%, with fertilizer analysis 2-1-1 (perhaps the enhance uptake?). The fertilizer I use is stronger than that when mixed according to label my go-to is typically malathion, but it would be nice to catch it before it starts, as it were. I understand that this an off label application, and so any issues would be on me. I've seen an article on the St Augustine Orchid Society webpage showing an older Bayer product (1.74%, no fert), so I assume this would work? My plants live on my screened porch, and would be inaccessible to nontarget bugs (with the exception of an occasional roach, which I guess I would consider a target anyway). Any thoughts are welcome, thank you.

[Dimples]

I used the Bayer Tree & Shrub drench (without fertilizer) on my phals after finding mealybugs on another houseplant. Bayer has since rebranded to Bioadvanced.

I treated every plant in the house twice, about a month apart. I used 6oz/gallon because I have some tall ficus trees and everything did well, even though it was a stronger dose than necessary for my smaller plants. I’d imagine the new product with fertilizer would be fine too.

[Beginning-lie]

Thank you. Guess I'll give it a try.

[Roberta]

I'd avoid the formulation with fertilizer. The fertilizer is likely to be too strong. This is the one that you want, the link is Home Depot but it's available lots of places.
BioAdvanced 3 in 1

[Dimples]

Originally Posted by Roberta

I'd avoid the formulation with fertilizer. The fertilizer is likely to be too strong.

Even though it’s 2-1-1?

[Roberta]

Still fertilizer that you'd be adding over and above what you're regularly using. (And what quantity? The dilution for pesticide treatment may or may not give too much fertilizer, it's not just the ratio but how much you're using) Might be OK, but then how does that fit into the pesticide schedule vs the fertilizing schedule? (I have the old Bayers Advanced 3-in 1 but think instructions are similar for the new produce. The instructions call for 6 tablespoons of concentrate per gallon. If there's fertilizer in there too, how much does that yield in parts per million in the final "juice"? I'd rather not do the math) There is a product that just has the pesticide, why not use it?

But then, I am leery of combination products for other things too... like cold meds that have acetaminophen and decongestant and antihistamine. I prefer to do one at a time, for the symptoms that I actually want to treat.

[Beginning-lie]

I suppose I assumed that the 2-1-1 would be the concentration after mixing to the label directions for a potted tree...something to think about. The 3 in 1 has the same .74% imidacloprid, and I assume could be used as a drench. At any rate, I wouldn't be fertilizing when using either product, as it is I likely don't fertilize as much as I should, maybe once a month (when I think of it). Thank you for your thoughts on the subject!

I see that the straight 1.74% product is still available by other makers, just not locally. Not sayin' I never order things online, but I like to put my hands on a product and read the labelling before purchase, kind of a dinosaur that way...

[Roberta]

2-1 1 is the proportion of nutrients. So in any unit of measure you have 2 parts nitrogen to 1 part of potassium and 1 part of phophrous. The ratio is the same whether it is 100 mg - 50 mg-50 mg (which would be OK) or 10 g-5g-5g in a gallon or whatever amount you're using which would be 'way too much. So if you use 6 tablespoons per gallon to get the right pesticide concentration, what weight of nutrients are you adding? (How much nitrogen is in 6 tablespoons? ) you can calculate it... but do you want to?
Hint: 6 tablespoons of water weighs about 88 grams. What is the percentage of nitrogen? You can calculate what you're adding if you have that number. The ratio is of no use, you need the percentage by weight.

[Beginning-lie]

This makes sense, thanks.

[Roberta]

Originally Posted by Beginning-lie

This makes sense, thanks.

You're welcome. Make your life easier, get the product without the fertilizer.