All,

I have had some probs with fungus and also, this month, either thrips or
aphids. (I vote for aphids, because I can usually see thrips.) The streaks
in flowers on a few plants made it clear that some beasties were at work.

We treated with Physan, at 2 tsp/gal, first, before we noticed the bug
problem. A week later, we treated with Orthene. Having used Orthene before
at label recommended dilution and seeing leaf damage afterward, I asked a
very successful local grower what strength he uses; he said 2 tsp/gal (much
less than the label recommends, but you can't argue with his success).

The leaves on our Vandas sustained a good bit of damage right after the
treatments. They look scorched in places. Any help at all for this? I'm
really at a loss now.

To make matters worse, I recently bought a mature Asctrm. from a friend.
What happened to it is the subject of another thread. Yuck.

Diana

I got tired of the sprays.... so...I am testing beneficial nematodes.
Not because I am anti-chemical, but because I got a plant from
a greenhouse and it infected my collection with a chemical
resistant pest. They know it is resistant, and didn't even say
anything. Despite my repotting everything that comes into my
place, this somehow had taken a hold last year. The BN's have
only been in the collection for a few weeks, so I am not proudly
proclaiming victory yet, but since the temps have been in
the mid 80's for a few weeks, and things look promising.
Claims to hunt down and kill over 250 types of pests. Safe
to pets and humans, and since I only have about 400 plants,
only runs about 30 bucks. As long as there is a food source,
they live, if not, they die off.

Good luck.. the constant chasing of pests can be annoying.

Crystal

--
http://home.comcast.net/~xtals/orchid.htm
"Diana Kulaga" wrote in message
hlink.net...
All,

I have had some probs with fungus and also, this month, either thrips or
aphids. (I vote for aphids, because I can usually see thrips.) The
streaks
in flowers on a few plants made it clear that some beasties were at work.

We treated with Physan, at 2 tsp/gal, first, before we noticed the bug
problem. A week later, we treated with Orthene. Having used Orthene
before
at label recommended dilution and seeing leaf damage afterward, I asked a
very successful local grower what strength he uses; he said 2 tsp/gal
(much
less than the label recommends, but you can't argue with his success).

The leaves on our Vandas sustained a good bit of damage right after the
treatments. They look scorched in places. Any help at all for this? I'm
really at a loss now.

To make matters worse, I recently bought a mature Asctrm. from a friend.
What happened to it is the subject of another thread. Yuck.

Diana

Crystal,

I'll be interested in knowing how the BN's work out. I grow outside under
screening, though, not in a greenhouse, so I don't know if that solution is
workable.

Do these critters have a down side? Here in FL, nematodes are the scourge
of anyone who tries to grow squash, cucumbers, that sort of thing. I
imagine the one I'm referring to is a different variety. Maybe time for
some research.

Tx

Diana

"Diana Kulaga" wrote in message
hlink.net...
Crystal,

I'll be interested in knowing how the BN's work out. I grow outside under
screening, though, not in a greenhouse, so I don't know if that solution
is
workable.

FWIW, I haven't tried beneficial nematodes, but I do buy ladybugs to control
aphids in my outdoor gardens, and they seem to work. I buy one or two bags
a year, and release them as necessary. They will stay dormant if you keep
them in the fridge. This year I plan on getting a few praying mantis pods,
too.

--Matt

They are medium borers, so I don't think that will be an issue. This
is not the company I bought mine from, but here is the information
on them.

http://www.biologicco.com/products/L&G%20scanmask.htm

I suppose there might be a downside. Doesn't everything have an
upside and a downside depending on your point of view? These
are invisible to the naked eye. I haven't pulled out the magnifying
glass to see if I could spot them with that.. but so far I was happy
enough to buy another group, and they are just sitting in my fridge.
I figure I could easily spend 30 bucks on pesticides for the life
of the nematodes, and I don't have to constantly worry that I am
using too much or too little to handle the problem. I am a skeptic,
so another month or so of warm weather will be the test to see
how they are handling things. I always seem to have a problem
with bugs in the in-between seasons, and so far I don't even see
my usual outbreak of whitefly.

Crystal
--
http://home.comcast.net/~xtals/orchid.htm
"Diana Kulaga" wrote in message
hlink.net...
Crystal,

I'll be interested in knowing how the BN's work out. I grow outside under
screening, though, not in a greenhouse, so I don't know if that solution
is
workable.

Do these critters have a down side? Here in FL, nematodes are the scourge
of anyone who tries to grow squash, cucumbers, that sort of thing. I
imagine the one I'm referring to is a different variety. Maybe time for
some research.

Tx

Diana

They are medium borers, so I don't think that will be an issue. This
is not the company I bought mine from, but here is the information
on them.

http://www.biologicco.com/products/L&G%20scanmask.htm

I suppose there might be a downside. Doesn't everything have an
upside and a downside depending on your point of view? These
are invisible to the naked eye. I haven't pulled out the magnifying
glass to see if I could spot them with that.. but so far I was happy
enough to buy another group, and they are just sitting in my fridge.
I figure I could easily spend 30 bucks on pesticides for the life
of the nematodes, and I don't have to constantly worry that I am
using too much or too little to handle the problem. I am a skeptic,
so another month or so of warm weather will be the test to see
how they are handling things. I always seem to have a problem
with bugs in the in-between seasons, and so far I don't even see
my usual outbreak of whitefly.

Crystal
--
http://home.comcast.net/~xtals/orchid.htm
"Diana Kulaga" wrote in message
hlink.net...
Crystal,

I'll be interested in knowing how the BN's work out. I grow outside under
screening, though, not in a greenhouse, so I don't know if that solution
is
workable.

Do these critters have a down side? Here in FL, nematodes are the scourge
of anyone who tries to grow squash, cucumbers, that sort of thing. I
imagine the one I'm referring to is a different variety. Maybe time for
some research.

Tx

Diana

They are medium borers, so I don't think that will be an issue. This
is not the company I bought mine from, but here is the information
on them.

http://www.biologicco.com/products/L&G%20scanmask.htm

I suppose there might be a downside. Doesn't everything have an
upside and a downside depending on your point of view? These
are invisible to the naked eye. I haven't pulled out the magnifying
glass to see if I could spot them with that.. but so far I was happy
enough to buy another group, and they are just sitting in my fridge.
I figure I could easily spend 30 bucks on pesticides for the life
of the nematodes, and I don't have to constantly worry that I am
using too much or too little to handle the problem. I am a skeptic,
so another month or so of warm weather will be the test to see
how they are handling things. I always seem to have a problem
with bugs in the in-between seasons, and so far I don't even see
my usual outbreak of whitefly.

Crystal
--
http://home.comcast.net/~xtals/orchid.htm
"Diana Kulaga" wrote in message
hlink.net...
Crystal,

I'll be interested in knowing how the BN's work out. I grow outside under
screening, though, not in a greenhouse, so I don't know if that solution
is
workable.

Do these critters have a down side? Here in FL, nematodes are the scourge
of anyone who tries to grow squash, cucumbers, that sort of thing. I
imagine the one I'm referring to is a different variety. Maybe time for
some research.

Tx

Diana

They are medium borers, so I don't think that will be an issue. This
is not the company I bought mine from, but here is the information
on them.

http://www.biologicco.com/products/L&G%20scanmask.htm

I suppose there might be a downside. Doesn't everything have an
upside and a downside depending on your point of view? These
are invisible to the naked eye. I haven't pulled out the magnifying
glass to see if I could spot them with that.. but so far I was happy
enough to buy another group, and they are just sitting in my fridge.
I figure I could easily spend 30 bucks on pesticides for the life
of the nematodes, and I don't have to constantly worry that I am
using too much or too little to handle the problem. I am a skeptic,
so another month or so of warm weather will be the test to see
how they are handling things. I always seem to have a problem
with bugs in the in-between seasons, and so far I don't even see
my usual outbreak of whitefly.

Crystal
--
http://home.comcast.net/~xtals/orchid.htm
"Diana Kulaga" wrote in message
hlink.net...
Crystal,

I'll be interested in knowing how the BN's work out. I grow outside under
screening, though, not in a greenhouse, so I don't know if that solution
is
workable.

Do these critters have a down side? Here in FL, nematodes are the scourge
of anyone who tries to grow squash, cucumbers, that sort of thing. I
imagine the one I'm referring to is a different variety. Maybe time for
some research.

Tx

Diana

Be prepared to be discouraged. I found the mantis to be pretty
useless. Most don't survive molting. They really aren't that great
of a pest reducer. But they can be fun to watch.

Crystal

--
http://home.comcast.net/~xtals/orchid.htm
"Matthew Donadio" wrote in message
...
"Diana Kulaga" wrote in message
hlink.net...
Crystal,

I'll be interested in knowing how the BN's work out. I grow outside
under
screening, though, not in a greenhouse, so I don't know if that solution
is
workable.

FWIW, I haven't tried beneficial nematodes, but I do buy ladybugs to
control
aphids in my outdoor gardens, and they seem to work. I buy one or two
bags
a year, and release them as necessary. They will stay dormant if you keep
them in the fridge. This year I plan on getting a few praying mantis
pods,
too.

--Matt

Be prepared to be discouraged. I found the mantis to be pretty
useless. Most don't survive molting. They really aren't that great
of a pest reducer. But they can be fun to watch.

Crystal

--
http://home.comcast.net/~xtals/orchid.htm
"Matthew Donadio" wrote in message
...
"Diana Kulaga" wrote in message
hlink.net...
Crystal,

I'll be interested in knowing how the BN's work out. I grow outside
under
screening, though, not in a greenhouse, so I don't know if that solution
is
workable.

FWIW, I haven't tried beneficial nematodes, but I do buy ladybugs to
control
aphids in my outdoor gardens, and they seem to work. I buy one or two
bags
a year, and release them as necessary. They will stay dormant if you keep
them in the fridge. This year I plan on getting a few praying mantis
pods,
too.

--Matt