The Orchid Garden

Question: Alcohol for Scale?

Question:

I recently attended a lecture on orchids for beginners.  During the session, someone asked what was a good remedy for scale.  The leader said to wipe the leaves with 50%rubbing alcohol / 50% water. Any comments? Doug Skokna

Response:

  Doug,   Bill Tippit of Olympia Orchids gave me this formula: mix 1 part rubbing alcohol, one part 409(the household cleaner) and two parts water.  Soak cotton balls and apply solution to any scale, mites or mealy bugs.  The alcohol will kill the eggs and larvae and the 409 will coat any adults that were missed and suffocate them.   Karen Share what you know. Learn what you don’t.

Response:

Scale often lives below the bark line.  Any approach with a contact killer which only attacks the scale on the leaves will keep the scale in check, but never get rid of the problem. Pat Brennan – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I recently attended a lecture on orchids for beginners.  During the session, someone asked what was a good remedy for scale.  The leader said to wipe the leaves with 50%rubbing alcohol / 50% water. Any comments? Doug Skokna

Response:

Scale often lives below the bark line.  Any approach with a contact killer which only attacks the scale on the leaves will keep the scale in check, but never get rid of the problem. Pat Brennan

  Pat,   Bill told me mealy bugs will often get on the roots, and a plant infested w/ them would have to be repotted.  Would the same hold true of scale?  How would you feel about unpotting the infected plant, treating the "below the bark" area by, say, spraying w/ the alcohol/409 solution, then repotting in new medium?   Karen Share what you know. Learn what you don’t.

Response:

Karen, I have never used the alcohol/409 solution on roots so I am not much help, maybe someone else in the group has experience.  I also wonder if the solution would work as a soil drench.  I would not try either until you hear from some people who you trust. Pat Brennan

. . .How would you feel about unpotting the infected plant, treating – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – the "below the bark" area by, say, spraying w/ the alcohol/409 solution, then repotting in new medium?   Karen

Response:

  Pat,   Nuclear weapons as a cure…?   I’ll check w/ Mr. Tippit and see what he says about the alcohol/409 solution as a medium drench.  Let you know what I find out.   Karen Share what you know. Learn what you don’t.

Response:

In desperation, I have used an alcohol/dish soap/cooking oil/water mixture as a potting media drench on an oncidium with chronic mealy infested roots.  No apparent harm done. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Karen, I have never used the alcohol/409 solution on roots so I am not much help, maybe someone else in the group has experience.  I also wonder if the solution would work as a soil drench.  I would not try either until you hear from some people who you trust. Pat Brennan . . .How would you feel about unpotting the infected plant, treating the "below the bark" area by, say, spraying w/ the alcohol/409 solution, then repotting in new medium?   Karen

Response:

In desperation, I have used an alcohol/dish soap/cooking oil/water mixture as a potting media drench on an oncidium with chronic mealy infested roots.  No apparent harm done.

  To the oncidium or the mealies :[)?  (Sorry, I couldn’t resist the question.)   Karen Share what you know. Learn what you don’t.

Response:

There are so many remedies out there..seems the orchid enthusiasts has their own recipes and each one works!!!   I also have my own  ’method of madness’ When we first got into orchids..it was the alcohol/q-tip route..(which I still do for hard to get to area’s) then experimented other ingredients such as the 409, volck oil..etc..  I might as well tell you my crazy set-up..and hope you can use it.   We were given  cymbidium orchids that were infected with scales…The first thing we would do is unpot it. Then with a soft cloth (t-shirt soft, or cotton balls) would clean the leaves with a mix of dishsoap, alcohol and water.  I would actually dip the whole root ball  in that mix.   Since I had it all out and open like that..I might as well fungicide it while I’m at it. Then pot them back in fresh new medium..and the very last step I would do is SPRAY them with a mixture of either volck oil..or neems oil.  Oh yes..one more thing..the amount of dishwasing liquid..and water is liken to when you wash dishes…the alcohol is approximately 1/2 a cup to a pail worth.Sorry..I’ve never measure it. Hope you can use my two cents worth. Tea

Response:

I use the alcohol to remove what I can see and then spray and drench with orthenex.  Since it’s systemic, I figure that it’ll get them one way or another.  Unfortunately, it can’t be done inside, so that’s a summer remedy. __ Ken Woodward ___ ____Newton, MA___ – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Scale often lives below the bark line.  Any approach with a contact killer which only attacks the scale on the leaves will keep the scale in check, but never get rid of the problem. Pat Brennan   Pat,   Bill told me mealy bugs will often get on the roots, and a plant infested w/ them would have to be repotted.  Would the same hold true of scale?  How would you feel about unpotting the infected plant, treating the "below the bark" area by, say, spraying w/ the alcohol/409 solution, then repotting in new medium?   Karen Share what you know. Learn what you don’t.

Response:

In desperation, I have used an alcohol/dish soap/cooking oil/water mixture as a potting media drench on an oncidium with chronic mealy infested roots.  No apparent harm done.

Hm. This posting makes me a little nostalgic for my ex-wife’s cooking; but just a little.

Response:

forget the water…use straight alcohol.  (Although, frankly, cooking oil in water, with a tad of soap, is my choice for do-it-yourselfers). — Ray Barkalow – First Rays Orchids       Secure On-Line Ordering!        http://www.firstrays.com

| | I recently attended a lecture on orchids for beginners.  During the | session, someone asked what was a good remedy for scale.  The leader said | to wipe the leaves with 50%rubbing alcohol / 50% water. | | Any comments? | | Doug Skokna

Response:

Karen, I have never used the alcohol/409 solution on roots so I am not much help, maybe someone else in the group has experience.  I also wonder if the solution would work as a soil drench.  I would not try either until you hear from some people who you trust. Pat Brennan

  I checked w/ Mr. Tippit, who said the alcohol/409 solution can be sprayed on the roots, but not to use it as a drench.  Unpot the affected plant, spray the roots and any any beasties w/ the solution and allow to sit for 10-15 min.  Then repot in fresh medium.   Karen Share what you know. Learn what you don’t.

Response:

Does it go without saying that you should wash your hands well after handling the infested roots and old potting media and that you should repot with new potting media into a new or sterilized pot at a different location then where you unpotted the infested media in the first place?  At the very least use a fresh layer of newspaper over the work area during the different stages of this operation.  You won’t see the crawlers on your hands or on the work area. Al – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text –  I checked w/ Mr. Tippit, who said the alcohol/409 solution can be sprayed on the roots, but not to use it as a drench.  Unpot the affected plant, spray the roots and any any beasties w/ the solution and allow to sit for 10-15 min.  Then repot in fresh medium.  Karen Share what you know. Learn what you don’t.

Response:

  Yes, it goes without saying .  Washing down the potting area and yourself in bleach might possibly be helpful, too.  Also, burning your clothes.  Then moving.  Far away. (Very far.)   Do they have scale on the moon?   Karen Share what you know. Learn what you don’t.

Response:

Do they have scale on the moon?

Yea, but they are 1/6th the size of the ones here.  :)

Response:

Yea, but they are 1/6th the size of the ones here.  :) Just as long as they’re 1/6th as hard to kill… Any ideas on how to administer the alcohol solution in a vacuum? Karen Share what you know. Learn what you don’t.

Response:

Speakiing for myself, I think I would take the alcohol orally.  Seems to give me the best results.  LOL  Have a good day. !

Response:

  Hmmm, I don’t think we’re talking about the same type of alcohol anymore…Imbibing RUBBING alcohol might do more harm than good, unless you’re inclined to a scale/mealy bug problem .   Karen Share what you know. Learn what you don’t.

Response:

Filed under: Cymbidium Orchids

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