Thinking of quitting the orchid hobby
 

I haven't been around much, mostly because I don't have anything to contribute in the forums.

As the title says, I'm wondering if it isn't time to call it quits. Not because I'm not interesting in or have no time for orchids, but because I'm at the end of my rope.

I've been battling mealy bugs for years (well over a decade) and I'm now fed up. Keeping them under control used to be sufficient, but now they also transmit some disease which killed off most of my Phals, and whatever new Phals I get are diseased within a year. As those of you who knew me from years ago, I love Phals, my passion in the hobby was collecting species and primary hybrids.

So I had to stop with Phals, and now have odds and ends of Catts, Phrags/Paphs, Oncs. But those don't do the same thing for me that Phals did. And as soon as they flower, the mealies are all over them, it's disgusting and demotivating.

I've tried cleaning everying (shelves, saucers, pots), treated the plants multiple times but I just can't get rid of mealies. My Howea forsteriana palm is full of them. My curtains are full of the egg sacs or whatever those are. They're under the sofa cushions. They're on a rolled up zipper in my sewing box. They're EVERYWHERE. I don't think I can get rid of them without throwing out every single last plant I have.

I'm not thinking about givjng up but I haven't got any new plants for almost two years. This has to do with the maintenance of those I alreafy have is very time consuming and sometimes it turns jut to be a chore. Also, some of them are diseased and I can't solve their issues.
I think my main problem is that I have too many different orchids with very different requirements and that adds substantially to the difficulties of not having a proper location to grow them. I'm a windowsill grower a I don't have a gh or a little yard where to grow them.
I've been thinking about giving some of my orchids and keep only one or two.

Dear Camille, that is heartbreaking. I feel so sad for you.

Absent effective pesticides, the only thing I could think of would be to stop growing plants entirely for a period of time long enough for all the eggs to die. I heard in a lecture they are viable for 2 years.

Camile, that breaks my heart! I wish that I could offer a solution, alas I have none. (At least, none that is legal...)

I am reading your message and my heart breaks.
I can only imagine how tired you feel if not physically, then emotionally battling this problem.

Are you unable to get pesticides labeled for mealies?

If you can, a herculean effort to propery treat every plant you have can eliminate them.

I came close to giving up, not for any specific reason, just lost the passion. I gave away some easy healthy plants and neglected others. At the peak of my growing, I had over 75 plants in my window sills (more if you count the plants I got for the challenge of growing them). After a few years of near total neglect, a few survived.

A couple of years ago, I picked up a Cym at a show, the first show I've been to in a long time (shows are diminishing in size as well, at least the two SF shows, the SJ show has disappeared all together). I also tried to diversify with other plants (I've since given most of them away). And more recently, I picked up a few replacement orchids.

Although my waning orchid interest is different than yours, I kind of understand your frustration with pests. I used to grow a Citrus hystrix and it was a constant battle with scale and winter weather (and I have a mild climate). Your situation is magnified 100 times mine. I gave up (I now order the fruits and leaves online and freeze them).

I've never experienced an infestation indoors, just a hitchhiker or two. I did have a maple tree outside that got inundated with something (turned out aphids), you couldn't see the bark, leaves and small twigs were falling, all in a matter of a couple to a few days. Knowing nothing of pests at the time, I called in an expert. If you have't already done so, consult a pest expert because mealies are disgusting regardless of trying to grow plants. Start a regimen of eradication for a year, two, however long it takes. Get the disposable plant equivalent of a canary to monitor progress.

In the meantime, what healthy plants you have, do the best you can to rid them of the mealies and send them to friends/family who have no vested interest in them, willng to "foster", one per place. That way, you can visit.

When you are all clear and you want to try again, slowly bring them back, one by one.

Camille, I'm so sorry for what you are dealing with. I'm a fellow Phal lover, and I really feel for you. I believe you and probably other OB members in Europe have mentioned the impossibility of getting certain pesticides. If the eggs have infested your entire home, not just the plants, maybe ES's suggestion of going for a couple years with no plants, long enough for all the eggs to die, is the only option left for you. It's so sad, though, that it may come down to that.

My sympathies for your situation with the mealy bugs.
Such a shame it's led to forcing your hand to give up orchids.

Thank you all for your support, it helps a bit! It helps me get motivated again to try to find a solution, somehow. I can treat the plants all I want, but until I get rid of the mealies which are everywhere else, it's going to be a losing battle.

Anyone know if steaming is enough to kill the eggs? I can wash the sofa cushion covers, but not the curtains (too bulky for washing machine) and the sofa itself (cheap, fabric, old, so not overly concerned about damage).

I was thinking of thoroughly treating the plants again, and moving them to another room while I try to make my living room mealy bug free. Roberta, I'll get back to you later on your offer! If that fails, then I guess I have to go with the nuclear option of trashing every single last plant I have.