I like the Garden Safe Insecticidal Soap for treating spider mites. Non toxic, no photolytic reaction, doesn't leave a greasy film on the leaves. It is surprisingly effective at killing scale as well.
I posted a picture of my catasetum on my orchid society page and a very astute member said I needed to check for spider mites due to two large yellow leaves. Mind you this is July 16, 2024 and we are in the throws of a very hot & humid summer. Nothing should be turning yellow with my hand watering and keeping things out of the rain storms. I also have two oscillating fans gong 24 hours on my screened patio.
Catasetums are spidermite magnets! Though, if you rub a white napkin on the leaves you can see if they are on there! Sometimes they are reddish, other times they are black. You can get ahead of them by rinsing the leaves off every time you water, for me it helps tremendously keep them at bay!
I live in AZ where spidermites are one of the biggest garden pests. The spidermite damage on the orchid didn't have the webbing that I'd expect from spidermites. I use Captain Jack's dead bug brew for the spidermites we have here. It has the same active ingredient
Hi Nicole- how do you handle spraying phals (or other monopodials) without getting water or insecticide in the crown and rotting it? I see the tip of my spike nibbled and places where I think the eggs are embedded. Also - do you think that spray can kill larva in the leaves also? I’m not familiar with spray on systemic - only the granular systemic that I use for aroids, etc. I tried it with orchids but it just fell/got washed out of the pot. As always, I appreciate you sharing your accumulated knowledge. 😊
Because my apartment is so warm and I have a fan going constantly my phals tend to dry out pretty fast. Tip I can give when you spray them, you can spray them thoroughly and then tilt them over to the side so that the water doesn't sit in the crown, it'll drip out and be less risky. The spray on systemic is good for killing stuff right away - I use the granules for my hoyas for the mealy bugs because they can be hard to get in every nook. I hope this all helped :)
I know you commented here a year ago but I am hoping that you see this. How has this worked out for you? Does it keep down pests too or just fertilize?
@travelinggirl6681 I've never had a problem with them. I soak my entire plant in soapy water, for any pest. It drowns them. And soapy water does not harm my plant. I then repot.
Bayer 3 in 1 is a spray good product for all insect and mite problems. Only problem you need to reapply every 14 days if you have an active infestation.
Many thanks for those great tips👍 Now I know what those brown splotches are on my Phals😱. I had to rewind the video to see if I'd missed Zoe on the table when you began 😻 🤣
I definitely needed this video. My leptotes bicolor is declining and I missed the spider mite infestation near the rhizome. Thanks for the tip about running a finger through the leaf! My oncidium twinkle is looking distressed as well. It sits next to my leptotes so I'm treating it as well.
Hi Nicole , first of all thank you for your helpful videos ! Is it ok to use Naturalyte as a preventative on all orchid with flowers or without it? Also is it safe around pets, in my case cats? Thank you 🙏
@@PatriciaRomero-v5o I've used it as a preventative before, but usually right before the summer. The main ingredient in NATURALYTE is spinosad which is usually used in flea treatments on pets which is why I went with it. I try to not have Zoe around when I use it in case she starts licking the plants lol, but it's supposed to have low toxicity to pets. I try to use gloves and open windows and keep her away for half an hour before letting her near. I hope it helps :)
An amazing product that is pretty new is growsafe. It's a horticultural oil that is very light and doesn't suffocate the leaves and is an emulsified product that you add to water and spray. So it's not a giant bottle of oil. It doesn't foam or smell or anything. I've found it the best thing for spider mites so far that is chemical free for indoors. It's like 5-15ml per 20 ounce of water. It's also not phototoxic so no burning leaves and you can mix basically any other pest product you want with it to do double duty. It's like 20 dollars, I live in a warm dry climate so spider mites are a nightmare and this stuff is amazing as a preventative too because it's just not practically for me to rinse everything off on a regular basis. Before it I just couldn't win it was too hard to rinse everything over and over, and I had to take everything outside and spray with Bayer 3in1 which is an extremely nasty chemical and the smell and breathing it in was horrible. So in a way growsafe is like the soap and neem oil combo ready to go and a bit different. I spray everything I get with it now and then add imidacloprid in the first watering.
Good video. Was wondering if orchids need something different to other plants but this is more or less the same approach I take for my succulents and food plants. I might spot treat a plant by watering with imidacloprid if I suspect first signs of a thrip infestation, but anything serious sees the whole plant and all its neighbors drenched from every direction with a full spray bottle of spinosad (I personally use it only on the balcony or in a bath). Any leftover spray in the batch goes on the substrate. Seriously thrips are the worst. Thanks for the video!
Thrips are awful! I've had good success with spinosad and i think it's a little less toxic than a lot of the other systemics! Happy growing and thanks for watching :)
Hey, thanks for the information on the Naturalyte. I use a spray bottle with water, a little dawn (blue liquid) and a small amount of mineral oil. This seems to keep things at bay. I had some tiny ants and this took care of the problem.
I think all of your collection is indoors, right? I was just curious if you ever had spider mites just show up when you had not brought any new plants? I had a mystery earlier this year with a small Oncidium that I had been caring for, and all of my plants are indoors. I check this orchid multiple times a day to make sure it was not drying out. I had it for about 3 months, and had not added any new orchids or plants to the collection. One morning when I went to check on it, it was covered in spider mites. They were not there the day before. I could not figure out where they came from and none of the other orchids were infested. I cleaned them off by using rubbing alcohol and cotton balls. I never saw any more after that, but it has bugged me ever since wondering where they had come from.
All of my collection is indoors, except in the fall I put some of my dendrobiums outside, then I spray them before they are back with the rest of my collection. I've read that spidermites can enter through windows and even from outside on your clothing, they are so hard to spot they can show up and spread without you realizing. I've seen plants in my local park infested by spidermites and I've thought, hmm, i hope none get on my clothes Lol.
@@NicoleDeanna thank you for your reply! I had no idea they could come through the window, and this particular orchid was the closest to the window. I didn't realize they could be so sneaky!
Ratio of bleach and water is just a squirt of bleach in a bucket of water until you can make it nice and frothy on top that is what I picked up from Ed's orchids
Hi Nicole! Well this summer i realized i am COVERED on spider mites.... some of my orchids are completed eaten!! But others not bothered at all, i am wondering why are a few infestated and the other next looks clean🤔.. Question: Can you treat a jewel orchid with neem oil?? My english are not very good Sorryyy❤🌺😊
I've noticed that orchids that are a bit more stressed are most susceptible to the dreaded mites! I've never tried neem oil on a jewel orchid, maybe try it just on one leaf to see how it goes. Your English was perfect;
Ugh yes pest pest pest! It's that time a year again! I'll have to use some spinosad is suffocating them dont work. I was.watching your video while watering and running into more pockets of spider mites. 🕷 😂 ugh
@NicoleDeanna Me too! My health has kept me from doing preventive. This time it has shown! They really hit my phals. But they are eating hard leaf Cattleya and vandas! 😔😩
Good info Nicole😀. I believe that systemic insecticides are banned throughout the EU now. Probably for the best in the long run. Healthy plants with strong resistance is the best defence. Don't waste time on sickly plants. I didn't have that many thrips or spider mite this year, touch wood😀.
Great advice! I use BioAdvanced Plant Food Plus Insect Control Spikes that contain Imidacloprid with my orchids (all are indoors only) and my other indoor plants. I give about half the recommended amount to my orchids. I also spray all my indoor plants with Captain Jack's Dead Bug Brew, which contains Spinosad every 3 months at the beginning of each season. Other than a Phalaenopsis and a Dendrobium that arrived with scale on them, I haven't had any insect problems at all. Thanks for all your very helpful videos, Sherrii🥷❤️
@travelinggirl6681 Are you in the US? I got them through Amazon. If you are outside the US, try searching for the active ingredient, Imidacloprid. If it's legal in your country, you will probably find it under another brand.
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Thank you, Nicole! Great information on thrips and mites.
I like the Garden Safe Insecticidal Soap for treating spider mites. Non toxic, no photolytic reaction, doesn't leave a greasy film on the leaves. It is surprisingly effective at killing scale as well.
I will need to check that out! Thanks for sharing!
@@NicoleDeannaI have it too. I love it! "spider 🕷️ mites be dead!" They're all dead. Easy peasy 😊
More than welcome it is good we all pass on what works
Mulțumim, foarte bine venit acest material despre dăunători 😊.
❤️
Thank you for the information. So far I haven’t had any mites or thrips. Just a few mealey bugs got rid of quickly. ❤
That's wonderful! I hope you never have to deal with them!
Do you put anything into the bark mixture to get rid of the eggs. Ya I think I have thrips too. Thanks for the helpful video.
I don't usually do anything to the bark mixture, but the systemic insecticide usually makes it into the pot. When I'm treating by default.
@@NicoleDeanna Thanks for the good advice on insect control. So do sprinkle the systemic in the pot. Because it's a powder form.
@@maraleelachovsky4702 I don't add anything to the mixture. Thanks for watching;
I posted a picture of my catasetum on my orchid society page and a very astute member said I needed to check for spider mites due to two large yellow leaves. Mind you this is July 16, 2024 and we are in the throws of a very hot & humid summer. Nothing should be turning yellow with my hand watering and keeping things out of the rain storms. I also have two oscillating fans gong 24 hours on my screened patio.
Catasetums are spidermite magnets! Though, if you rub a white napkin on the leaves you can see if they are on there! Sometimes they are reddish, other times they are black. You can get ahead of them by rinsing the leaves off every time you water, for me it helps tremendously keep them at bay!
Helpful information because I did not realize it is spider on my cattleyas
Thank you for this info! Very helpful
I live in AZ where spidermites are one of the biggest garden pests. The spidermite damage on the orchid didn't have the webbing that I'd expect from spidermites. I use Captain Jack's dead bug brew for the spidermites we have here. It has the same active ingredient
Yes, spidermites love dry conditions 😭 Glad Captain Jack's works for you!
I spray any new plant with neem mixture before placing with collection
Hi Nicole- how do you handle spraying phals (or other monopodials) without getting water or insecticide in the crown and rotting it? I see the tip of my spike nibbled and places where I think the eggs are embedded. Also - do you think that spray can kill larva in the leaves also? I’m not familiar with spray on systemic - only the granular systemic that I use for aroids, etc. I tried it with orchids but it just fell/got washed out of the pot. As always, I appreciate you sharing your accumulated knowledge. 😊
Because my apartment is so warm and I have a fan going constantly my phals tend to dry out pretty fast. Tip I can give when you spray them, you can spray them thoroughly and then tilt them over to the side so that the water doesn't sit in the crown, it'll drip out and be less risky. The spray on systemic is good for killing stuff right away - I use the granules for my hoyas for the mealy bugs because they can be hard to get in every nook. I hope this all helped :)
Also I think system can kill some of the larva on the leaves!
I use Neem meal in my substrate.
I know you commented here a year ago but I am hoping that you see this. How has this worked out for you? Does it keep down pests too or just fertilize?
@travelinggirl6681 I've never had a problem with them. I soak my entire plant in soapy water, for any pest. It drowns them. And soapy water does not harm my plant. I then repot.
Hi Nicole, you just made me realize I have spider mites 😬 on an orchid. I am attacking it asap! Thank you for today's lesson! Happy Growing 😊
Oh no, good luck Maria ❤️
@@NicoleDeanna I must have treated them without knowing because I ran outside to spray after watching your video and didn't see any lol
How do you spray phalaenopsis and other monopodial orchids and avoid crown rot?
I tilt them to the side when I spray them and let them dry sideways
Hello Nicole from Madrid Spain.I use neem soap for the spiders and when I have a lot of infection I use isopropyl alcohol.bye
That's a good protocol!
you have a cute kitty assistant)
❤️😸
Bayer 3 in 1 is a spray good product for all insect and mite problems. Only problem you need to reapply every 14 days if you have an active infestation.
Thanks for this! Seems like many folks use this one.
Many thanks for those great tips👍 Now I know what those brown splotches are on my Phals😱. I had to rewind the video to see if I'd missed Zoe on the table when you began 😻 🤣
Thanks for watching! I laughed while editing when I saw her in the background lol
Great video and very informative, thanks for sharing. Zoe is very cute! Do you mix the systemic with need oil? Good luck with the fight with pests.
Thank you Mary! I don't mix the systemic, I use one or the other generally. Appreciate you watching ❤️
I definitely needed this video. My leptotes bicolor is declining and I missed the spider mite infestation near the rhizome. Thanks for the tip about running a finger through the leaf! My oncidium twinkle is looking distressed as well. It sits next to my leptotes so I'm treating it as well.
I hope your twinkle comes out spidermite free!
I just found out i have both, and they're only attacking my species phals while my complex phals are untouched 😀
Ugh that's so annoying. Good luck! They will eventually attack all of the collection but you'll notice them on weaker plants first :(
Hi Nicole , first of all thank you for your helpful videos ! Is it ok to use Naturalyte as a preventative on all orchid with flowers or without it? Also is it safe around pets, in my case cats?
Thank you 🙏
@@PatriciaRomero-v5o I've used it as a preventative before, but usually right before the summer. The main ingredient in NATURALYTE is spinosad which is usually used in flea treatments on pets which is why I went with it. I try to not have Zoe around when I use it in case she starts licking the plants lol, but it's supposed to have low toxicity to pets. I try to use gloves and open windows and keep her away for half an hour before letting her near. I hope it helps :)
@@NicoleDeanna Thank you 🤗 Nicole
An amazing product that is pretty new is growsafe. It's a horticultural oil that is very light and doesn't suffocate the leaves and is an emulsified product that you add to water and spray. So it's not a giant bottle of oil. It doesn't foam or smell or anything. I've found it the best thing for spider mites so far that is chemical free for indoors. It's like 5-15ml per 20 ounce of water. It's also not phototoxic so no burning leaves and you can mix basically any other pest product you want with it to do double duty. It's like 20 dollars, I live in a warm dry climate so spider mites are a nightmare and this stuff is amazing as a preventative too because it's just not practically for me to rinse everything off on a regular basis. Before it I just couldn't win it was too hard to rinse everything over and over, and I had to take everything outside and spray with Bayer 3in1 which is an extremely nasty chemical and the smell and breathing it in was horrible. So in a way growsafe is like the soap and neem oil combo ready to go and a bit different. I spray everything I get with it now and then add imidacloprid in the first watering.
Thanks for the recommendation, sounds like a good option ❤️
Can you please advise us how to control mealy bugs? They are my nemesis.
Oh they stink! I usually do the neem oil to knock them off, and if I see just one, I take a cotton swab with alcohol and dab it to kill them.
Thank you so much for this info! Where do Mites/Thrips generate from out of the blue? Is it the Moss etc.? So far so good I haven't had this issue. ❤❤
They can come from other plants, or even come from outside if you have a window open, even from your clothes if you were outside. No escaping them 😂
Can u make this soap and neem oil solution and leave it in spray can
I've read it remains viable for 2-3 days before it breaks down so I'd make smaller batches if possible.
Good video. Was wondering if orchids need something different to other plants but this is more or less the same approach I take for my succulents and food plants. I might spot treat a plant by watering with imidacloprid if I suspect first signs of a thrip infestation, but anything serious sees the whole plant and all its neighbors drenched from every direction with a full spray bottle of spinosad (I personally use it only on the balcony or in a bath). Any leftover spray in the batch goes on the substrate. Seriously thrips are the worst. Thanks for the video!
Thrips are awful! I've had good success with spinosad and i think it's a little less toxic than a lot of the other systemics! Happy growing and thanks for watching :)
Hey, thanks for the information on the Naturalyte. I use a spray bottle with water, a little dawn (blue liquid) and a small amount of mineral oil. This seems to keep things at bay. I had some tiny ants and this took care of the problem.
Seems like a little soap with oil goes a long way!
My plumeria has had mites for over a year. Ive done everything and nothing got rid of them. I iut the plant outside because i just gave up in thr end.
@@Saijai143 :( that's so frustrating! You have to stay constant with it
I used everything under the sun to kill those things lol Well, minus fire 😂
@@Saijai143 😂😂😂 they are the worst
I think all of your collection is indoors, right? I was just curious if you ever had spider mites just show up when you had not brought any new plants? I had a mystery earlier this year with a small Oncidium that I had been caring for, and all of my plants are indoors. I check this orchid multiple times a day to make sure it was not drying out. I had it for about 3 months, and had not added any new orchids or plants to the collection. One morning when I went to check on it, it was covered in spider mites. They were not there the day before. I could not figure out where they came from and none of the other orchids were infested. I cleaned them off by using rubbing alcohol and cotton balls. I never saw any more after that, but it has bugged me ever since wondering where they had come from.
All of my collection is indoors, except in the fall I put some of my dendrobiums outside, then I spray them before they are back with the rest of my collection. I've read that spidermites can enter through windows and even from outside on your clothing, they are so hard to spot they can show up and spread without you realizing. I've seen plants in my local park infested by spidermites and I've thought, hmm, i hope none get on my clothes Lol.
@@NicoleDeanna thank you for your reply! I had no idea they could come through the window, and this particular orchid was the closest to the window. I didn't realize they could be so sneaky!
Ratio of bleach and water is just a squirt of bleach in a bucket of water until you can make it nice and frothy on top that is what I picked up from Ed's orchids
Thank you for this!
Do you have any problems with Vandas?
Not usually, but once I did have one with spider mites and neem oil helped!
@@NicoleDeanna Thanks!
Hi Nicole! Well this summer i realized i am COVERED on spider mites.... some of my orchids are completed eaten!! But others not bothered at all, i am wondering why are a few infestated and the other next looks clean🤔..
Question: Can you treat a jewel orchid with neem oil??
My english are not very good Sorryyy❤🌺😊
I've noticed that orchids that are a bit more stressed are most susceptible to the dreaded mites! I've never tried neem oil on a jewel orchid, maybe try it just on one leaf to see how it goes. Your English was perfect;
Thank you! I will try it
👍😊
Ugh yes pest pest pest! It's that time a year again! I'll have to use some spinosad is suffocating them dont work. I was.watching your video while watering and running into more pockets of spider mites. 🕷 😂 ugh
IT'S THE WORST! I need to be more on top of it and do preventative treatments. I've been so bad with that!
@NicoleDeanna Me too! My health has kept me from doing preventive. This time it has shown! They really hit my phals. But they are eating hard leaf Cattleya and vandas! 😔😩
Anyone here ever try predatory mites to control thrips etc?
I haven't but I've heard of folks doing this, not sure how it's worked out, curious if anyone jumps in with results!
Good info Nicole😀. I believe that systemic insecticides are banned throughout the EU now. Probably for the best in the long run. Healthy plants with strong resistance is the best defence. Don't waste time on sickly plants. I didn't have that many thrips or spider mite this year, touch wood😀.
Thank goodness! I'm glad all is healthy this year in your collection :))
Great advice!
I use BioAdvanced Plant Food Plus Insect Control Spikes that contain Imidacloprid with my orchids (all are indoors only) and my other indoor plants. I give about half the recommended amount to my orchids. I also spray all my indoor plants with Captain Jack's Dead Bug Brew, which contains Spinosad every 3 months at the beginning of each season.
Other than a Phalaenopsis and a Dendrobium that arrived with scale on them, I haven't had any insect problems at all.
Thanks for all your very helpful videos,
Sherrii🥷❤️
Thanks for sharing! I hear really good things about Captain Jacks!
Sadly, I don't think those are available anymore. I have tried to find them but haven't been able to locate them.
@travelinggirl6681 Are you in the US? I got them through Amazon. If you are outside the US, try searching for the active ingredient, Imidacloprid. If it's legal in your country, you will probably find it under another brand.