What's the best way to get rid of scale

[quiltergal]

Spraying and drenching all 48 of my plants now for scale, mites and any other form of creepy crawlers. Bayer's 3 in 1 recommends spraying in the morning before bees become active to minimize the collateral damage.

[MJSK]

If you want to stay away from chemicals, I used Bonide Horticultural Oil on several of my orchids that had brown scale. I sprayed outside to drench the orchids - both sides of all leaves and the pseudobulbs. It worked.

[lepetitmartien]

The organic way:
- remove all visible bugs
- spray/drench with alcohol/soap solution, alcohol makes it way more effective.
- this can be done the first time with a repotting, it'll help a lot.

Have the alcohol/soap under hand all the time and don't hesitate to spray on sight.

Cinnamon decoction works too, as the alcohol does its job (not on the roots though).

I have no experience on oil based products but they work, beware, some may need some cleaning after 2 days to unclog the stomates.

In good conditions you can use auxiliaries, but it's not made for interiors but GH or outside.

The chemical way:
-Cyanamide is toxic for US humans too… (and kids, the dog…) it's basically cyanide with and amine group, guess what it does?
- Imidaclopride and Thiaclopride, both neonicotinoïds killing bees, forbidden by next december in Europe for 2 years, you're warned, work all right, but you have to use them in turns (2-3 applications then turn to the other then back etc.) as using only one will only select the resistive tough guys.

You can combine methods.

[SlipperGirl]

I was on firstrays and found this for getting rid of scale

Mix 1 teaspoon (5 ml) each cooking oil and liquid dishwashing soap or detergent in a quart (liter) of water. Concentrations are not critical - some recommend a tablespoon (15 ml) of oil be used. Shake well, and spray the plant, being sure to thoroughly wet all surfaces. Repeat every 3 days for about 2 weeks.

Do you think it will work or should I just get the insecticide?

[book_diva]

I've just discovered scale on one of my orchids, on the flowers. If I spray the flowers, won't they drop off?

[book_diva]

And for alcohol, what type of alcohol?

[SlipperGirl]

Originally Posted by book_diva

I've just discovered scale on one of my orchids, on the flowers. If I spray the flowers, won't they drop off?

Yes the flowers may drop, but getting rid of the scale is more important then the flower.

Originally Posted by book_diva

And for alcohol, what type of alcohol?

Isopropyl alcohol.

[book_diva]

Thanks, slippergirl!

[SlipperGirl]

Originally Posted by book_diva

Thanks, slippergirl!

No problem

[SlipperGirl]

Just got the bayer advanced dual action rose and flower insect killer, will spray the plants tomorrow.