How Do You Quarantine New Plants?

[lycaonpictus]

Not sure if this is the right forum, but seemed as good as any.

As has been mentioned elsewhere, we're getting into Orchid Show season, which means I'm hoping to add some new plants to my collection. I shame-facedly admit than, in the past, I have not been good about quarantining new purchases. Since the consequence of my bad habit at least partly contributed to losing a majority of my collection to scale a few years back, I'm determined to be more rigorous this time!

So how do you quarantine new plants? For how long? In the same room with some separation, in or in a completely different part of the house? Inquiring minds want to know.

[Zoi2]

I usually quarantine in a separate room for about 20-30 days.
Joann

[BikerDoc5968]

Definitely a different room. While we usually believe the vendors at shows are reputable, and therefor should be selling "clean" plants at shows, I am not so naive as to trust this statement.

[mojomick]

I usually repot the plant if it is close to the right time. I dunk the cleaned off roots in KLN and Physan solution. I check for any bugs, and then keep the plant in one of the windowsills in the house for a minimum of two weeks, longer if I suspect a problem, and then take it out to the greenhouse. Knock on wood, no problems as yet. Betty

[Connie Star]

I've only been doing this about a year but I've put new plants in a different room that I call my isolation ward before moving them into the general area. I also have an "ICU" in mind for anything that looks sick; fortunately I haven't had to use it yet. I've left some in isolation for only a few days- I guess I've just been lucky so far......

[andeehunt]

Usually I do as same as Zoi do it but I quarantine it not more than a fortnight,

[peeweelovesbooks]

Hmmmmmmmmmm....I really don't quarantine per se, but I religiously repot every plant before letting it loose with the others. This means a close inspection, cleaning and dousing the plant so that I don't get creepy crawlies. I've been buying orchids for 3 years and I've not had a problem since I started.

[Madlyn]

I recently acquired several new orchids from a show sale. After quarantining for 2 wks in a cool (clean) garage I found just a few, very small, darting bugs, possibly fungus gnats and their larvae?? They disappeared after I flushed the bark media with water and placed a yelow plant strip in the box with them. But I'm afraid to bring the plants into my growing area. Should I repot and/or do something like another poster to this thread suggested -- "I dunk the cleaned off roots in KLN and Physan solution." I don't know what Physan is. I'll appreciated all your counsel and guidance as I am an orchid beginner. -- Thanks, Madlyn

[peeweelovesbooks]

I disinfect with a solution of dawn soap, cinnamon oil and water.

I also use Physan sometimes, and once every six months I use something else as a preventive. But, I've found that repotting orchids before I put them with everyone else saves me a lot of headaches later.