Orthenex

[Chris Savas]

Hi, all,

I have been using Orthenex in my general insect controll spraying. I have been buying and using the 16 Fl oz size, but have run out. I have looked in five different stores and can't find it.

So, what should I look for to use on my orchids (just over 100 plants)? I have spotted a couple of plants that have some cottony scale. I have used it because it is systemic.

Thanks. Chris in Central Florida (Remove not from the address to respond directly.)

.

[Ray B]

I definitely mix them. In fact, I have been known to mix Enstar, Merit, and Orthene when dealing with a bad infestation.

I seem to recall that Enstar (that "S" really ought to be a dollar sign) was least expensive at some rose-related online store, but it's not cheap anywhere.

[Pat Brennan]

Be careful with acephate while spikes are forming. In the plant, the systemic tends to concentrate where the plant is actively growing and can cause flower color breaks. I will use acephate this time of year, but I do not use it on the phals between Sept and March. I would not become too wed to acephate, there is a general move away from the organophosphates. I do not think that any of the acephate products are labeled for greenhouse use any more. The current buzz is for Safari (dinotefuran), another neonicotinoid like the neonicotinoid imidacloprid found in Merit, Marathon, and Bayer tree and shrub. People are reporting much better success with Safari than with the imidacloprid based products. But at $350 per 3 pound jug I have no first hand knowledge.

Pat

[Wendy7]

Thanks for this info Pat, Yes I had flowers with streaks which was caused by a systemic pesticide named Cygon. It is no longer available in CA. My gosh that Safari is expensive even if you split it 3 ways!!!! Now I often wonder about fumigation & if anybody fumigates their greenhouses? Cheers Wendy

[tenman]

Wendy-

I had an ongoing problem with scale on the bromeliads. I fought it with everything for two years. Last spring at repotting time, I filled a

50-gallon plastic 'sweater storage' tub I usually use for fertilizer with a strong malathion solution and took each upotted plant and with the use of my 'grabbies' (long tube with pincers on end usually used for picking up trash on the lawn or retrieving hard-to-reach plants by the pot), completely submerged (roots and all) and swirled them around in that, one by one. No scale a year later. None. Zip. Nada.

I know one is usually hesitant to share solutions between orchids, but if you just have a few or even a couple dozen plants which seem to be the problem, this could be done in, say, a one- or two- gallon jug of some sort, emptying and washing it out between plants and still only use the same fifty gallons. I know it would be laborious, but it works!

Tennis

[KTTT]

It's not easy to buy Enstar at a local shop. I can only find them from online stores.

[Pat Brennan]

[Diana Kulaga]

The other site has been slow, but it is in use. Since most (AFAIK) still can access this group, there hasn't been a pressing need to use that one. But the binaries group is a blessing.

Diana

[eeyore]

Thanks again. I did wander over there and did see one new text post in over four months. Hope I'm not permanently banned for placing gardenias over orchids, just love the smell.