Hi there Pat, I was just going to ask if there were any new better
weapons.
I have been fighting a losing battle here in my two greenhouses, trying
everything & for the last two years, Enstar & Mavrik the
choice. Lots of $$$$ & for a while I thought I had them beat both mealies &
soft scale. (Includes newly repotted plants)

Instead of just spraying, I started a special routine, a
section in the g/h at a time. Just finished yesterday.
A sort of production line.

1. Sprayed visible bugs with alcohol. Scrubbed ridges in pseudos with tooth
brush.

2. Dipped the entire plant & pot in the Enstar/Mavrik solution. (Growth
inhibitor/Contact killer)

3. Sprayed with a Neem Oil solution afterwards.

It took me 9 days to do the entire g/h & then I have to
start spraying again to complete the Enstar/Mavrik regimen.
I have tried everything in the past, tag plants with date etc, isolate &
clean down to bear bones & still the bugs returen!!!

My point is, you jarred my train of thought here..........what do growers of
thousands use. I think they throw them away &
write off the loss.

I will not be using the &&&&& stuff & wondering Imicloprid is?

Got potting to do.
Cheers Wendy



"Pat Brennan" wrote in message
oups.com...

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