Newbie and pal Phal need help!

[Rebecca47]

Good to know, thank you! Issue is I lost that part of the label, but can find out from Bayer. The article Orchid Whisper send says 15:75 and I recall the btl says to add the chemicals to the water. I have a full bottle (32 oz) but may need a second to treat everything as many times as I will need, another reason to hold off until warm weather. Living on a fixed income really exercises one's patience!

[estación seca]

Most unfortunately, my experience has been mealy bugs are by far most lethal to plants wintering indoors. That's why so many people spray their plants in the week before bringing them in. If I knew I had mealies on a plant, I would treat it right now.

[Rebecca47]

A ha!, but there's the twist, I grown my Phalaenopsis indoors year round and STILL the little monsters find them! I do not use A/C so the windows they are growing in front of are open so the beasties manage to get in past the storm windows/screens.

With exception to the insect issue all but one or two of my plants are very happy and healthy. Lots of sturdy foliage and well supported by large root systems.

I do have 2 plants that are not ding as well as
they could, one is a micro miniature that is now coming back to health, with new roots and a keikie and what I believe to be the beginning of a bloom stem (too tiny to really tell yet) I fashioned a "hospital tank" for it our of 2 one gallon clear plastic juice bottles. in it it stays evenly moist and warm and with 70 - 80% humidity. I open it it once a day for several hours and all seems to be well. The other one is a rescue that had been doing really well when it suddenly dropped leaves and began to fail.
it had quickly gotten quite a load of scale. It is also in quarantine and is being given extra TLC as well as regular applications of my home made bug juice. It, too, is coming back, but it is still touch and go. Both near fatalities are due to my own carelessness - I overlooked their care for a couple of weeks when I was ill. (both being in quite small pots didn't help).

Anyway, your theory about outdoor plants being brought indoors for winter doesn't pan out in my case. So there must be other factors in play.

Your thoughts, please.

[turock]

@Rebecca. (Since the original post is very old)

Ha! I didn't even read the date on the original post. D'oh!

Originally Posted by Rebecca47

As for misting and why I do so; besides increasing the humidity it also insures my collection is getting need moisture in between trips to the sink for a thorough watering. ...Misting is not for everyone, so do what works!

Rebecca

You're absolutely right. There's no silver bullet for orchid culture. It's all about what works in your environment and for your habits.

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[Rebecca47]

Plants, regardless of genus - species are like children, as long as they are provided with what they need to not only survive, but thrive that is what they will do. Just as each child responds differently, so do plants in cultivation. It is our duty and responsibility, therefor, to adjust the care we provide to the quirky requirements of the individual.

With my Daylilies, sometimes all I need to do is move a plant a few inches and it does 100% better. I give my seedling a lot of chances to do what I feel their genetics give them the capabilities for doing. One of this past summers seedlings was doing so poorly yet it produced a beautiful bloom ! Instead of composting it, I potted it on and gave it individual care in the nursery area and it immediately took off and began to increase. So now we will see what it can do come the 2016 growing season, IF it survives winter/ (Mother nature has the final word when it comes to plant hardiness and survival!)

[estación seca]

Female mealybugs and scale can only crawl. If you continually have them, that means your current control regime is inadequate, or you are regularly replenishing the population with bugs on new plants brought into your growing area.

They hide in crevices, so you cannot see them. This is why it is recommended to be sure treatments penetrate all the crevices.

Several repeat treatments are needed at 3-5 day intervals every time mealy bugs are found.

Immediate treatment is needed as soon as they are seen.

[Rebecca47]

Originally Posted by estación seca

Female mealybugs and scale can only crawl. If you continually have them, that means your current control regime is inadequate, or you are regularly replenishing the population with bugs on new plants brought into your growing area.

They hide in crevices, so you cannot see them. This is why it is recommended to be sure treatments penetrate all the crevices.

Several repeat treatments are needed at 3-5 day intervals every time mealy bugs are found.

Immediate treatment is needed as soon as they are seen.

I do understand the life cycle and habit of these pests and I do at least try to practice safe plant handling by quarantining new plants, although when I am re-arranging the window and or light gardens I only check for obvious infestations. As soon as I see one mealybug or a scale I take action and kill every bug I see as well as thoroughly soak the plant with my bug spray making certain to saturate the crevices.

As stated in a previous post I am currently using 50% alcohol (8 oz w/16 oz water), should I be using a stronger grade of alcohol? Both 70% and 90% are available; and would I mix them at the same rate 1:2 (1 part alcohol to 2 parts water). With winter coming on I can not be taking the plants outside to use the Bayer and I don't have enough media on hand to do a mass re-potting as Orchid Whisperer suggested. (I live on a fixed income and have to plan ahead for large purchases).

To be honest, I am more concerned with harming the plants with the cure than I am about what these blasted bugs will do to them. Perhaps someone can address t his concern.


Images aren't the best quality, but you be able to see the state of health. These are my Dwarf and Miniatures.

[estación seca]

Your dilutions render the alcohol ineffective at killing the bugs. Use 70% alcohol without dilution, on a warm day so it dries rapidly. It won't hurt the plants. The areas that have been damaged by mealy bugs or spider mites will turn brown, but the viable parts of the plants will be fine.

Mealy bugs, scale and spider mites are far more damaging to plants than 70% isopropyl alcohol.

[Rebecca47]

Thank you,I will switch up to straight 70%. Thank you also for letting me know it will not damage the plant as that was one of my worries.