Urgent help- please

[Cookiemonster]

I bought two orchids in august- from completely different places.

I discovered plant A had some sort of insect infestation- tiny white bugs hanging out in the roots and soil and destroying the roots- I then decided to repot with new soil, sprayed the roots with garden safe insect killer and such---3 weeks later, its dead.

I just discovered the other plant NOW has the same or similar infestation going on because its a clear pot- saw some tiny white thing taking a walk around , its a healthy plant, but I started noticing that the luscious green roots- some of them are turning BROWN,
please HELP me figure what to do, I dont want to lose another orchid, Im already very upset about the first one.

It seems whatever was in plant A spread to plant B,

What steps to take

thank you.

[michael_exler]

First what kind of plant is it, what kind of (soil) did you or are you using, and what kind of garden safe product is it?
Many times if you can see them, you can kill, or at least wash them off you plant, then treat the plant to kill any you may have missed.
my concern is using something that will harm the plant as well.
The other concern if figureing out exactly what it is your dealing with so you can get something that targets them.

[cb977]

Answers to the questions Michael has asked...and a picture would help us to figure it out with you. Can you post a pic?

[Cookiemonster]

Hello,
The plant that died was a
regular white phal NOID --- I sprayed the roots with
1/2 alcohol and 1/2 Garden Safe Garden & Plant insecticide, the soil was a medium bark mixture- when I took out the plant from the old potting more that 70% of the roots were soggy or brown and dry (cornflakes) and so I cut those ones off and left the healthy ones repotted in medium bark/charcoal mix and left it....
3 weeks later dead


The one Im trying to save is a Phalaenopsis In Charm Jade, It is still in the same mix I bough it in- Spaghnum Moss (Green and White) the roots were SUPERhealthy green and growing everywhere--- some of the roots are now brownish at the tips and such inside the pot, I saw little white things crawling around
The insect from what I can remember was white had about 4-6 legs on the sides of its abdomen- Im guessing aphids? I have no idea.

The dead plant well I threw that out just in case if that might be adding to this plants contamination--- I'll try to take pictures of this one later ...

[dougd]

I rescued an Onc. that was covered from head to toe with white fly.

I took the plant outside, removed all the potting soil and disgarded both pot and media. I placed the plant in a bucket of physan 20 and organic pesticide for 30 minutes (submerged). Then washed completly in clear water and repotted. No problems to date, and no more white flies. Good luck.

BTW...I sprinkle granulated systemic pesticide from Bonide on my plants. I never have problems with bugs.

[smweaver]

If you want to avoid pesticides (since it seems that the first plant may not have reacted favorably to having its roots sprayed with the half-alcohol/half-safers mixture), go to your local grocery store, buy a gallon jug of distilled water (not spring water!), heat it up so it's very mildly lukewarm (not hot, but not ice cold either), place the surviving plant (pot and all) in a deep bowl or dish that will cover the plant up to, say, nearly the top of its leaves, and fill the container with the distilled water. Leave the plant immersed for an hour (don't worry, the plant will survive this treatment just fine--and might even thank you later for leaching its potting mix). Whatever insects aren't drowned by this procedure will be taking refuge on the tip of the leaves that are sticking out of the water--at which point they'll make easy pickings for you to squash. I've used this procedure many times (it's now my standard procedure, in fact, whenever I acquire a new plant from any source) and I've never had a problem with either a plant responding unfavorably or any surviving insects being left alive after the deluge. Good luck!

[Gin]

Alcohol is drying if Safers Soap was used with it that is a double whammy . I have used alcohol on leaves but not on roots . The bugs maybe are from decaying matter in the pot . Aphids are usually on bloom spikes and flowers /buds . Could possibly be mealy bugs . I have used the method smweaver uses with a drop of dish soap added to the water . Then spray the leaves with Safers to kill escapees or eggs . Gin

[camille1585]

I've heard of the soaking method, but isn't it a problem with phals as the crown will be under water? I would be afraid of rot afterwards!
As for what it is, I would say mealybug or root aphid. Possibly whitefly if this bug is on the leaves as well.

I use alcohol (rubbing alcohol) as well on my houseplants for such problems, but not sprayed. In a cup I mix water and alcohol (50-50) with a drop or two of dishsoap to help the mixture stick to the bugs. Then I take a cottonball, dip it in the mixture and dab at the bugs/ affected areas. On a plant I'm not sure if it will like it, I dab just a piece of leaf/root and wait a few days to see if it affects the plant. It's a bit tedious to do if the bug population is large, but generally it works well if I catch the problem early.

[gixrj18]

It's okay if the crown gets wet, as long as the water doesn't sit there....it has to dry quickly. As for the hot water, I believe 120 degrees will kill most insects....but not the plant.

[Cookiemonster]

Oh my goodness, everyone thank youuuuuuuuu-
I just was looking at the roots and they're DYING, so Im going to get some potting mix and soak the roots first thing... I need distilled water!