Rubbing alcohol
 

The culprit: Scale
The control: Rubbing Alcohol
The dilemma: I have used rubbing alcohol on a swab to spot treat some scale - it works with some success. What about spraying all of the leaves on the plant with rubbing alcohol? Has anyone done this before, is it recommended? If it is supposed to be OK - what's the secret!

I have applied it this way a couple of times and on different genera (Tolumnia and Phalaenopsis) with poor results.

I have tried it...there is no risk to the plant providing it is not sprayed on the flowers. :) I have even used the 70% alcohol before with no problems encountered....just as long as it drys quickly and doesn't sit wet for a long time. Someone at the society even suggested spraying them with the alcohol first to "weaken" them, then once it has dried to spray End-All (contains canola oil) to kill them completely.

My biggest problem seems to be with mealy bug right now. Grrrrr!

I guess 99% isoproply alcohol could be a bit strong - that appears to be the problem. Amazing things can be learned when you read the label! :lol:

99%??!!! :shock: Ouch!

For mealy bugs I use an insect soap. I acquired a rather nice Monstera deliciosa specimen and it must have brought in the mealy's....ugh. Anyway, one of my Onc's got a few just via proximity. I took it to the sink and sprayed some of the soap onto a cotton swab and just rubbed off the noticable ones. I did this once a week for a month or so and so far they have not returned!

-J

Natural Pesticide
 

Natural Pesticide

1 cup 409
1 cup Rubbing Alcohol
3 cups water

Mix together, put in a spray bottle and spray both sides of the leaves.
Quaranteen the one with bugs yet spay the others as a preventive maintenence.

Lee R.[/b]

Formula 409 is hardly "natural," but that concoction works!

Basically, alcohol is a "contact killer" so is great for soft-bodied bugs with little mechanical protection. For "Hard" bugs like most scales having that protective shell, you need to smother them in an oil (cooking oil is fine), and add a wetting agent (liquid soap) to ensure coverage.

I used to keep a spray bottle of alcohol and another of soap and oil in water in the GH, but decided to go for a single, one-two punch. The 409 formula and my Rise & Shine (which does use a natural surfactant) accomplish both.

That's great thanks for the info.

What is Rise & Shine? Is it a USA product!

I just did round 2 of 3 with Neen Oil and I see lots of dead looking scale.

BTW my plants seem to have just taken off in their growth, maybe they know somebody loves them. :lol:

Dave,

Rise & Shine is a product I concocted for use in my greenhouse as a leaf cleaner. It is basically an all-natural, vegetable-based soap solution to which alcohol has been added as a defoamer. because of the soap and alcohol, it is also a great insecticide, but I cannot sell it as such due to EPA registration requirements.

My wife (physical therapist doing home care for the local hospital) carries a bottle in the car as a hand cleaner/disinfectant, and also uses it to clean and shine up walkers, canes, wheelchairs, etc., before distributing them to patients.

I use a 50/50 mix of rubbing alcohol and 409...no water.
Keep it in a sprayer. It immediately gets the job done.

I think it's also important to actually remove any pests that you've sprayed. Wiping the leaves works fine and I use a curved dental instrument to pull anything out of the base of the leaves.

Good point (think I also said this before.) I have had good success with stray adults (the ones with the light buff scales) by 'rubbing' them off with my finger then spraying entire plant with a safe home insecticide (I use Schultz brand 'Garden Safe Houseplant & Garden insect spray') It is basically Canola Oil and natural Pyrethrins. Scale will be with us for a while as the imature insects can hide anywhere.

Those dental tools work really well for getting down in the nooks and crannies of the leaves. The edges are not sharp, just somewhat pointed and curved. They're great for pulling anything out of the leaves

I have scales on 2 of my plants and will be trying this remedy. Thanks so much!

Leon of the former Hoosier Orchid company told me he once killed a phaius tankervillai by over doing the alcohol to the point of causing serious tissue damage. He said he sprayed it so much that it was dripping off of the plant. (The plant was infested with mealy bugs) I usually just wipe down the plants leaves with a paper towel dipped in alcohol and it works fine and I haven't personally had any issues.

Hi Dave,

I've been using the rubbing alcohol straight from the bottle. I pick up a 2 pack at Costco and just fill my spray bottle. I spray the leaves and really soak them. Not the flowers. but some even get really close to the base of the plants. Does not seem to do any harm. I did have a problem awhile back with scale but not since I keep that handy dandy bottle of alcohol hanging right on one of my plant stands. Worked on some aphids on my orchid tree nearby. Adios to them too. Have not tried the 409 mix yet but have plenty to give it a try. I like using the alcohol since it evaporates quickly.

I have heard because of the rapid cooling/drying of rubiing alcohol that it can actually "burn" your plants by supercooling them. I have seen that only happen once on my phal. I don't know if this is true or not, but I would just be sure to rinse off the alcohol afterwards.

I just treated my 2 plants with a 50/50 solution of rubbing alcohol and 409. I sprayed the leaves down really well and then wiped them down with a paper towel (this is also when I removed the nasty scales). I will update with how the plants are doing.