What can I soak a sick plant in for serious scale?

[Andrew]

Originally Posted by greengarden

It is outdoors. I get the odd little bit of scale on the new growth of some of my other plants but easily managed by wiping it off, nothing like this plant.

Which pesticides/treatments haven't worked for you so far?

[nlm2951]

I did have that problem, but they told me about the Rose & Flower insect killer and mites spray went to HD got it and is working fine, Ortho, Bayer even Walmart has it, clean and spray

[Leafmite]

When granular rose systemic and malathion fail, you can try Sevin (at the concentration recommended for spraying fruit trees). This causes fruit drop so we only use it in emergencies (once every two to four years) but it leaves no survivors. We grow roses and fruit which get hit with everything and so we have to have an entire arsonal on hand. Always be very careful handling pesticides (we wear the recommended eye gear, breathing mask, then rinse out our clothes, shower and change after spraying).
For my houseplants, I always try organic methods first but I will always elect to save my plants with chemicals rather than toss them. In the summer, I let the lady bugs and wasps keep my plants clean. Good luck!

[s.kallima]

I've had good result with SucraShield on scales , Ray's (first Rays) website is a good source of info about it and other products less toxic than standard pesticides

[DavidCampen]

Originally Posted by Leafmite

When granular rose systemic and malathion fail, you can try Sevin (at the concentration recommended for spraying fruit trees). This causes fruit drop so we only use it in emergencies (once every two to four years) but it leaves no survivors.

I have noticed that Sevin Dust 5% applied to the top of the potting media gets rid of bush snails.

[greengarden]

The one I have is mavrik but that is gone now and I am going to replace it, probably with confidor to start with.

For those that do use the dry ice how long do you leave the plant in the container for? I've just stuck it into a CO2 chamber now but not sure when to take it out?

[Oscarman]

Originally Posted by goodgollymissmolly

What insecticide are you using? Weekly is not frequent enough to catch the new hatches. The insecticide won't kill eggs so you need to kill any new insects before they provide new eggs.

How are you doing it? You need to spray to runoff, be sure to remove and saturate all covering bract areas, and drench media.

What about using a sticker-spreader to also help with the penetration of the spray?

[violetta]

Originally Posted by DavidCampen

I find imidacloprid to be ineffective against both mites and thrips.

For thrips I use abamectin, Conserve SC and Overture WP.

Last year I killed all thrips on my plants with imidacloprid, as a last resort after trying dish washing liquid, alcohol, etc. But you have to rotate pesticides as the thrips become used to them

[DavidCampen]

Originally Posted by violetta

...you have to rotate pesticides as the thrips become used to them

Yes, not only should you rotate pesticides but the pesticides in the rotation should all have a different MOA. That is why, for thrips, I use abamectin, Conserve SC and Overture WP; each has a different MOA.

For mites I use Floramite, Akari, Tetrasan, chlorfenapyr and abamectin; each with a different MOA.

---------- Post added at 07:22 AM ---------- Previous post was at 06:58 AM ----------

Originally Posted by Oscarman

What about using a sticker-spreader to also help with the penetration of the spray?

The advisability of doing this depends on both the specific pesticide and the specific "spreader-sticker".

Actually, I don't use "spreader-stickers"; I will use polyoxyethylene glycol non-ionic surfactants but not silicone non-ionic surfactants. A surfactant is the "spreader" part of "spreader-sticker" but the "sticker" part can include various oils and petroleum distillates that you probably don't want to put on orchids.
Compendium of Herbicide Adjuvants: Spreader-Sticker

I use this surfactant product:
Surfactant for Herbicides, Non-Ionic Surfactant for Herbicides

This product also does not contain oils and might be available at retail garden stores.
Hi-Yield Spreader Sticker

[Stray59]

For those that do use the dry ice how long do you leave the plant in the container for? I've just stuck it into a CO2 chamber now but not sure when to take it out?[/QUOTE]

Sorry to be just getting back to you, but Have been busy following my mother's death; a little backlogged on responding.
I just leave the box closed overnight - by morning everything that is going to die is dead. I meant to mention that I tape the edges of the treatment box to keep air out and CO2 in as the box I have used is not airtight. Hope it works - I have easy access to dry ice, so I use this when my malathion spray doesn't work - i.e. Catts or tightly packed orc's with lots of crevices.
Let me know!
Steve