"Matthew Donadio" wrote in message
...

I know my lesson now. I only buy from a few growers who I trust...


One of the Phal species that I recently aquired (more correctly, my husband
got for me for my birthday) arrived mounted, in what appeared as great
shape.
A Phal minus, with 3 leaves, with it's roots clinging to the cork board. In
less than a day, the roots detached from the cork. They didn't appear
shriveled or damaged, in fact, quite plump green, and a healthy mess of
roots. It just detached maybe because of the way I watered it the first
time (I let it sit in a bucket of rainwater for 10 minutes). I decided to
remount it on a new piece of cork literally identical in size and appearnce
to the one that it was attached to. As I peeled off the Phal, I discovered
what appeared to be a farm of mealy bugs! Sworming thriving, large and
healthy looking mealy bugs! Of course I immediately prepared an alcohol
bath! literally dunked the entire plant in a soup bowl full of 70% rubbing
alcohol! took it out and they were gone! I repeated the treatment 3 times
for the next week. Needless to say, I instantly moved it into solitary
confinement where it's still is. It has five healthy looking leaves, it has
two spikes, two buds on each. One bud filled up nicely but I suspect that
it will blast. You see, this morning, when I did my daily watering of the
mounted Phals, I once again discovered that this little fellow is under
attack. Four mealy bugs were hanging out on the flower bud! Before you ask,
I've inspected the rest of the orchids VERY closely, with my husband's
magnifying glass, so far so good... knock on wood ....Oh yeah... the
reason that I am telling you all this, is because this Phal minus was a
gift, it is precious, and well, I love it ...and it was purchased from a
very well known, very respected, and trusted orchid vendor!

Mariana

GrlIntrpted wrote:

"Matthew Donadio" wrote in message
...



I know my lesson now. I only buy from a few growers who I trust...


What happens when you don't trust anybody?

As Marianna points out, even the most trusted growers will
occassionally sell you an infested plant. It just happens, and it
certainly isn't intentional. What does this mean? For the hobby
grower, don't 'trust' anybody. At least not to sell you pest free
merchandise. Or perhaps a better phrase might be Regan's "Trust, but
verify". Never put a plant into your collection that you haven't
examined closely, and isolate all plants for at least two weeks before
introducing them to their new friends.

A commercial grower (or even a hobby grower with more than a few
hundred plants) will most likely have a critter somewhere in their
collection, at some point during the year. I used to think that mealy
bugs circled the planet in their little U.M.S. Mealyprize, teleporting
down to my prize Paphs just when I was getting cocky about taking the
plant to a show. A good quarantine policy will keep your indoor
collection pretty clean. Greenhouses will tend to be less easy, because
pests come in through the vents (mealies, aphids, 100 different kinds of
scale, slugs, squirrels, stupid plant pecking birds...).

Commercial growers have the added disadvantage of bringing in plants
in large lots from many different wholesalers (most commercial growers
buy at least some of their stock this way), and this is a great vector
for the occasional nasty critter to sneak in. The reseller might not
even know the pest is there, especially if they bought the stock in bud
or bloom, and turned it around rapidly (which is exactly what they are
trying to do - it costs money to keep them in the greenhouse).

Rob

--
Rob's Rules: http://www.msu.edu/~halgren
1) There is always room for one more orchid
2) There is always room for two more orchids
2a. See rule 1
3) When one has insufficient credit to purchase
more orchids, obtain more credit
4) LittlefrogFarm kinda/sorta/somewhat open for business -
e-mail me for a list )

"Rob Halgren" wrote in message
...
"Matthew Donadio" wrote in message
...
I know my lesson now. I only buy from a few growers who I trust...
What happens when you don't trust anybody?

Well, I could be paranoid now, but there is a difference between buying from
a grower who you know keeps an eye out for problems, and buying from someone
who could really care less.

My problem plant came from either Home Deopt or a local produce store. Home
Depot is a bug factory, and this produce store was just trying to make a
fast buck. I examine all of my plants upon arrival, but I do not want to
take chances anymore from known problems.

FWIW, some growers ship plants with pest-free cetification from the state.
I bought a few Phrags recently, and was surprised when I saw the stickers on
the outside of the box saying so (they still got examined, though).

Or perhaps a better phrase might be Regan's "Trust, but verify".

I think the true origin of this phrase may be the KGB...

--Matt

"Kenni Judd" wrote in message
...

In the case of the plant that Mariana posted about, I don't see how the
grower could've known about the bugs, since they apparently weren't
visible
without detaching the plant from the mount -- not something we routinely
do
with plants in bud or flower, since it tends to cause the flowers to fall
off ... but if Mariana complained to a reputable grower about them, she
would probably still get some compensation, probably a credit towards her
next order unless she wanted to return the plant for a full refund
[including return postage]. At least, that's what would happen if it came
from our place.


Kenni, I would like to stress that I did not post this as a complaint in any
fashion. I told my story because I wanted to point out that reputable
orchid vendors have flukes too . I absolutely love and adore this orchid
vendor and would buy from them again and again (besides, they carry really
cool stuff that others don't . I will drop them a note and inform them,
something that I have not thought about because sometime past already and
I've said nothing. But my note will not come in the form of a request, or a
demand for credit, I will just let them know perhaps this would alert them
to correct a potential disaster.


Best regards,
Mariana

Rob wrote:-
Never put a plant into your collection that you haven't
examined closely, and isolate all plants for at least two weeks before
introducing them to their new friends.

Rob this should be added to your rules. It is difficult to isolate new
plants in
the greenhouse unless one has lots of room. I have learned my lesson, as I
have
lost a lot of plants due to bugs unseen. I repot, soak & spray everything.

--
Cheers Wendy

Remove PETERPAN for email reply

Rob Halgren wrote:
GrlIntrpted wrote:

I found an old screen box - nylon screen on all six sides that is about
3 feet on a side. I do not know what the original use was. It has a
nylon zipper on one side. I put new plants in the box and then take the
box into the greenhouse.

The trick is I also put a 1/2 cup of ladybugs out of the refrigerator in
the screen box with the plants. I leave everything that was for a week
or two.

I keep the ladybug population in the greenhouse high all winter. Since I
do not use ANY non-biological treatments in the greenhouse (I grow food
as well as orchids in the greenhouse). This is critical to the success
of both food and orchids.

I found the screen box at an army surplus store 3 or 4 years ago. It has
USMC on it.

Doug

In article 7SApc.29251$5a.11672@okepread03,
"wendy7" wrote:

Rob wrote:-
Never put a plant into your collection that you haven't
examined closely, and isolate all plants for at least two weeks before
introducing them to their new friends.

Rob this should be added to your rules. It is difficult to isolate new
plants in
the greenhouse unless one has lots of room. I have learned my lesson, as I
have
lost a lot of plants due to bugs unseen. I repot, soak & spray everything.

doug houseman wrote:

I found an old screen box - nylon screen on all six sides that is about
3 feet on a side. I do not know what the original use was. It has a
nylon zipper on one side. I put new plants in the box and then take the
box into the greenhouse.



Amazingly excellent idea! There is still brilliance to be had in
the world. I wish I had some.

The trick is I also put a 1/2 cup of ladybugs out of the refrigerator in
the screen box with the plants. I leave everything that was for a week
or two.



I bet they don't eat spidermites... But it is still a good idea.


Rob (has too many rules already)

--
Rob's Rules: http://www.msu.edu/~halgren
1) There is always room for one more orchid
2) There is always room for two more orchids
2a. See rule 1
3) When one has insufficient credit to purchase
more orchids, obtain more credit
4) LittlefrogFarm kinda/sorta/somewhat open for business -
e-mail me for a list )