Hi all,

Spring show season is about half over and I have to say that this year
I have received more questions about mealies than any other year. Way
more, it is as if the east coast is in the mist of a mealie
infestation. I am not sure where they are all coming from, but at one
show the vendor next to me was including mealies with his plants.
Check plants before buying! It has been sort of weird, a lot of the
people with mealies are convinced that the way to rid the problem is
with alcohol even after multiple failed efforts. I am not sure where
all the alcohol hype is coming from, but I bet it is not coming from a
grower with more than 5 plants.

With all the mealie questions I though maybe chemicals had been
removed from the market, so I checked a garden center. Many of the
old cures were still on the shelves (Orthene, Malathion and Sevin) as
well as the newer weapon Imicloprid. The tools are still there, I
just don't get it.

Pat