Multiple Pests

[scy]

What was the name of the solution you got from Home Depot? Is it safe on orchids? Unfortunately, I have limited areas where I can put it. I have the cym about 5 feet away from my other orchids with a partial wall in between.

As far as I can remember it was Shultz InsectSpray for houseplants. I am not sure if it is safe for orchids.
I sprayed everyday for three days, then once more after a week, then once more after two weeks, just to make sure all generations are killed (maybe it was too much but i was very angry at them).
About isolating plants: you can carry microscopical eggs on your watering can if you accidentally brush against affected foliage, that's why I mentioned keeping them far away.

This one here:
Schultz® Houseplant & Garden Insect Spray

[Eyebabe]

I occasionally get some mild issues with scales
X-clude 1600 (pyrethrum) spray will kill mealies and scale. (And even stink bugs!) It is a spray like foam and easier than cleaning each individual leaf etc. Reapplication is necessary as there are always "escapees" and it is like neem oil where you have to watch the sun on the plant for about a day after application.
I use this for acute treatments and neem oil for maintenance. If isopropyl alcohol gets on the root systems I find it causes damage and stunts the plant growth (maybe b/c I don't bother to dilute it ) so take care to only wipe leaves if you are using that.
I bought Malthion at the local home depot a month or so ago but have not needed it....yet.
Some bugs are part of life and I have received plants before that unknowingly had some spots of scale etc.
If I got one terribly infested though that would really piss me off...the vendor owes you not just a plant, but a nice lunch sometime

[scy]

Thanks for the suggestions on sprays! I did look for Malthion and didn't find any the last time I went to Lowe's & Home Depot. I think I'm going to try Bayer Advanced Dual Action Rose & Flower Insect Killer. I read on a different forum that someone used this to get rid of scale on their orchids. On the label, it does have one of the chemicals used in Merit. Hopefully I'll have better luck.

It also states that it will get rid of fungus gnats. I'm growing majority of my other orchids semi-hydroponically. Is there a way I can get rid of fungus gnats on my other orchids before I go spraying? Others have suggested that I let my orchids dry out but I'm not sure that's really an option for me because of the s/h. Any other suggestions?

[phearamedusa]

For the fungas gnats, you need bacililus thrugi something, commonly called aqua bac or mosquito dunks. This is used to control mosquitoes in ponds, bird bathes or any standing water. Another product would be BTK. It will not harm your plants, fish or birds, it's a bacteria that effects the larval stage of bug development.

[scy]

Originally Posted by phearamedusa

For the fungas gnats, you need bacililus thrugi something, commonly called aqua bac or mosquito dunks. This is used to control mosquitoes in ponds, bird bathes or any standing water. Another product would be BTK. It will not harm your plants, fish or birds, it's a bacteria that effects the larval stage of bug development.

How would I use this in s/h pots? Do I break them off into pieces and throw some on top of the leca and watering it right after? Each orchid has its own humidity tray too. Should I just put small pieces in all the humidity trays and forget about getting it in the s/h pots? Thanks for the suggestion!

[scy]

*Sigh* I just found what I think are spider mites in my succulent. I was doing a light misting when I saw the entire top of the leca was filled with thin webbing! While I didn't see the actual spider mites, what else could it be? I immediately separated it from my orchids and sprayed over the top layer of my orchids to see if there was any webbing on the others. I did not see any.

Between this, the white & brown scale on the cym and fungus gnats everywhere, I'm getting really fed up with all this. I'm tempted to throw out the cym and the succulent and just hope for the best with my other orchids.

	Mistking Looking for a misting system? Look no further. Automated misting systems from MistKing are used by multitude of plant enthusiasts and are perfect for Orchids. Systems feature run dry pumps, ZipDrip valve, adjustable black nozzles, per second control! Automatically mist one growing shelf or a greenhouse full of Orchids. See MistKing testimonials

[Call_Me_Bob]

tap=ke a piece of white paper, and run it along the leaves of the succulent. if red dots/ splotches are on the paper when your done. its spider mites..

EDIT- SHOULD BE TAKE NOT TAPE

[Eyebabe]

Originally Posted by scy

How would I use this in s/h pots? Do I break them off into pieces and throw some on top of the leca and watering it right after? Each orchid has its own humidity tray too. Should I just put small pieces in all the humidity trays and forget about getting it in the s/h pots? Thanks for the suggestion!

Put some of the bits or a piece of a dunk in your filled water container an hour or so prior to watering your plants. I would leave the stuff in there after you are done watering and water for a few weeks like this before dumping the stuff out.
It works nicely to control the fungus gnats.
I use "as needed"