$5 rescue phal with mealybugs

[greenpassion]

Hello all. Yesterday I went to a little shop up here where I live and they had phalaenopsis orchids who's Bloom's had gone by priced at $5. I picked up a beauty with double spikes very healthy root system. I got her home though and happened to notice on the tip of one of the spikes was what I understand to be a mealy bug. I picked it off found another pic that off and sprayed it with Bayer 3 in 1 insect and Disease Control Spray. I have her currently isolated in another room from my other orchids. I'm thinking despite the media not looking broken down, that I should repot her with clean bark in a different pot and spray her again. I'm hoping to get her back with the general population obviously free of bugs! Any advice? Is my planning plausible?

[estación seca]

I would throw it away. Not worth the risk to your other plants.

[greenpassion]

Hmmm. True.

[fishmom]

If you really like the plant, I would strip off ALL the old media and really drench the plant with 3-in-1 before repotting. It is the only way to get rid of an infestation. Scrub the pot too, if you are re-using it. Then keep it separate until you are sure your measures have worked.

As ES says, dumping it would be safer.

[jcec1]

You could end up spending a lot more on insecticides, than you would by dumping this one and buying a healthy one. All you need is for one unnoticed fertile bug to infect the rest of your plants.

[rbarata]

Keep it isolated!
Is Bayer 3 in 1 based on imidacloprid or thiacloprid? If so, spray one a week (including the medium before giving it a light watering without splashing the leaves) for four weeks and you'll be ok.

When you buy another plant take a really close look before you buy it.

[greenpassion]

Yes. Thank you all for your replies. It's actually unusual for me to not check a plant closely before buying it. I was looking for disease and checking out the root system and didn't actually even think about bugs other than mites. Lesson learned. I plan to keep it isolated repot with fresh medium and new pot Dash and I don't even know what color of the flowers will be, but it's so robustly healthy with two gone by spikes that I really want to try to give it a chance.

[Orchid Whisperer]

Until you are sure every mealy is DEAD and GONE, I would not even put this in medium.

Try this instead (in isolation) remove and throw away all medium, even new medium if you just repotted. Hang the clean bare roots in an empty jar, leaves outside the jar, Soak the roots a half hour each day, discard the water. Keep doing this until you have treated that entire plant (including roots) with weekly sprays of Bayer Advanced 3-in-1 (or rose and flower), continuing at least a month. After the month is up keep tending in the jar for another week to verify the bugs are gone, then plant in a new pot, new medium.

BTW, "Isolation" means no where near another living plant. Opposite side of your house if possible.

I would complain to a nursery that sold you a plant withealies on it.

[greenpassion]

That is awesome advice. That is exactly what I will do. It makes perfect sense, as I really don't want to trash this orchid. Will do!!

---------- Post added at 09:22 PM ---------- Previous post was at 09:20 PM ----------

But I do have a question. Won't soak in The Roots a half an hour like that that often overwater it?

[Orchid Whisperer]

Good question, but no, it will not over water the plant. I have actually been raising a few Phals this way, full time, for over a year. No adverse reaction from the plant, strong root growth, zero root rot.

The method is called 'vase culture'. It is a good method for monopodial plants like Phalaenopsis or Vanda.