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A gift of 15 infested orchids.

FireFire Posts: 19,096
edited September 2018 in Problem solving
I have just been give 15 small moth orchid plants. It was a sweet thought, by someone moving away from London. On close inspection I find there are masses of mealy bugs and scale insects. The root systems are some of the healthiest I've seen, in great shape. The leaves are sticky and chewed and in terrible shape. I keep a few other healthy moth orchid plants in the house and don't want to risk them picking up mealy bugs or scale; and I don't have either, that I know of, in the garden or the house.

As the plants essentially seem very healthy, I don't really want to throw them out. So they have sit in my living room. I look at them, they look at me. I understand that some meths might help the mealy bugs. Am still feeling undecided....  I like a rescue plant, me.
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Posts

  • Joyce21Joyce21 Posts: 15,489
    Many years ago I applied meths to a cactus which had mealy bug.  It got rid of them.
    SW Scotland
  • LynLyn Posts: 23,190
    My mum always used meths, applied with a paint brush. 
    Gardening on the wild, windy west side of Dartmoor. 

  • Hostafan1Hostafan1 Posts: 34,889
    meths and a cotton bud were my weapons of choice.
    Devon.
  • FireFire Posts: 19,096
    Ok. Against scale too or should i ditch those?
  • FireFire Posts: 19,096
    Thanks all.
  • B3B3 Posts: 27,505
    On the 15th day of Christmas, my true love sent to me......
    In London. Keen but lazy.
  • LynLyn Posts: 23,190
    Meths painted on the scale as well.
    Gardening on the wild, windy west side of Dartmoor. 

  • FireFire Posts: 19,096
    ... "four bawling Kurds and a load of nasty insects? You call this a sign of affection?"
  • FireFire Posts: 19,096
    I have methed and repotted the lot. Fingers crossed. Thanks for your thoughts.
  • FireFire Posts: 19,096
    As an update, all the orchids died and took some of my own old and glorious plants with them. Bad move on my part to try this rescue.
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