Cleanliness: The First Step to Defeating Orchid Pests
One of things to remember in orchid cultivation is that these plants have several natural enemies in the form of small creatures such as insects. Red spiders are a big threat, and so are cockroaches. Thrips, beetles, and some kinds of snails and slugs can also be pests.
To grow orchids successfully, you must take measures to defeat these pests before they can damage your plants. There are specific things you can do for each kind of pest. Your first and by far most important defense against any and all pests is cleanliness.
Pests come in on imported plants, despite the best efforts of agricultural control officials.Nursery-grown orchids can have pests on them, as well.
A good practice is to make a thorough examination of every new plant before you allow it to enter your home. Immediately destroy all pests that you find upon visual inspection. If you neglect to do so, they will in time destroy the foliage, and possibly kill the plant entirely. Your ochid’s flowers will also be destroyed by these marauders, which is especially frustrating and disheartening.
If you already have orchids, you must treat every new arrival with some suspicion. Isolate it in a “probationary” room or structure for a few days. If you find insects on it, do not rest until you have entirely got rid of them.
Washing every part of a plant’s bulbs, roots and leaves can make it almost impossible for pests to remain alive on it. The best procedure simply consists of thoroughly and systematically cleaning the bulbs and foliage. First, shake the plant out of the pot. Next, cut away all decayed roots that you see. Then, wash the sound roots in clean fresh water. Fnally, re-pot the plant in a clean container with new material.
When done well, this is a good means for destroying pests that a beginning cultivator wold have to search closely for to even spot. Some pests are often observed in egg form. Others appear as insects but are so tiny they cannot be seen without a magnifying glass. But if you will clean your orchid plants as suggested, you can be confident you have destroyed all pests, no matter how “invisible.”.
A good guide to orchid growing will have many more tips and suggestions for making sure that a pest doesn’t put an end to your prized plants. The most complete guide to expert orchid care, many growers agree, is Orchid Care Expert by Nigel Howard, which may be downloaded from the Internet. Mr. Howard’s ebook is a complete course in itself, great for beginners as well as those more experienced. Also, check out the Orchid Secrets web site, which has an ever-growing library of articles on many topics of orchid cultivation.
Popularity: 2% [?]
