Anyone ever submerge whole Phal in a solution to treat for pests?

[LisaK]

I have already posted my Phals leaves that show some translucent spots that I have had varying replies on regarding what it could be. I'm not sure if it has mites, since it once had webs, scale since it has round spots, or fungus gnats as I have recently seen two flying around.

I'm about to repot and I was hoping someone could explain a successful treatment for pests to the exposed roots during repotting. Since bugs make themselves at home on leaves has anyone ever completely submerged their entire Phal in a treatment? I have heard of it done for 10 minutes during repotting but wanted to know more specifics. If you have, what did you use, how and how long?

Thank you....

[desertanimal]

I orchid sat for a household that had a mealybug infestation. I dunked every one of those plants in a bucket of water treated with pesticide for several weeks in a row. I had a lot of plants to take care of, so I just dunked and drained. No soak.

[estación seca]

I've done this with many cactus and other succulents. It works. Haven't tried it with a Phal but would have no qualms if I needed to. You would need to add a tiny bit of dish detergent to break the surface tension and ensure the bugs are drowned.

[Orchid Whisperer]

Remove your Phal from the pot, clean off as much old bark from the roots as possible, pick off any dead roots, dead leaf bases, etc.Use a soft paint brush or soft tooth brush & dilute soapy water to remove any debris adhering to the leaves. Rinse all parts of the plant with clean water. Also clean the pot thoroughly with soapy water & rinse, or use a new pot.

Buy some Bayer Rose & Flower spray (blue plastic pump spray bottle, available at most home improvement or garden centers). Thoroughly spray the leaves top & bottom, spray the roots too. Then spray the new bark medium & repot.

Spray the leaves at one week intervals for a month, bugs will be gone.

This is more economical than dunking, and less likely to transmit pests or diseases. Remember that pesticides usually treat one class of pests, but not all (may kill insects but not mites or snails, for example). Also, dunking is potentially more dangerous for you.

[estación seca]

To be clear: I was talking about dunking in water with a little soap added, and no pesticides. It kills pests and their eggs.

[orchidsarefun]

dunking won't harm your phals. I either dunk or saturate spray leaves and roots with a neem oil/sucrashield mix. I do seedlings as well - never had any issues.

[Optimist]

I never use chemicals. I use fish. I put phals and any other orchid into my fish tank and the fish eat any bugs on them. I had a mini bulbophylum which had a bunch of tiny bugs crawling out. 'they may have been living in a hole in the wood as it was mounted on a stick. I put it in the fish tank and my voracious bug seeking lady bettas and loaches were on it like butter on bread. Real bugs are real treats for fish. Birds too, possibly. Now, when ever I get a new orchid, its first watering is to be tossed into the fish tank and inspected by the fish for pests.

Dunking will not harm phals or any other orchid. I have left them underwater for several hours. They even seem to like it. Right now I have phals either bare root, or in balls of moss in a fish tank filter. They won't die. Many times they are under water for long periods. It rained for several hours today and my orchids are all still outside. Where root rot and crown rot happen is long periods, in cool weather where there is no air movement. i even water phals at night because most tropical/rains where they naturally live happen in the evening and at night.

[Mandy2705]

Optimist, this is the first time I have heard of this and it totally makes sense. Now I must get a fish tank with fishes in them so they can treat my orchids. The wonderful things you learn on this forum ❤️

[estación seca]

I would worry a lot of orchids arrive with substantial pesticide residues. Fish are extremely susceptible to these. I had fish eat the roots off a Cattleya I put in my pond to soak for a few hours, so be sure you put orchids in with strict carnivores.

[Orchid Whisperer]

If you have a plant with an unrecognized virus or other disease, you risk spreading the disease between plants if you dunk multiple plants in the same solution, whether the solution is a pesticide mix, soap solution or a fish tank. Granted the risk is small, but the risk is real.

One reason I have some plants more than 30 years old is I avoid such risks at all times.