| Pests
Orchids generally do not suffer from the usual plethora of aliments which affect many of our favorite garden plants, this is for two reasons, firstly many of the species and hybrids we grow are alien to our local atmosphere, and consequently also alien to many pests and diseases we find outdoors, and the second one is that because of the fact that we grow them mainly indoors they are not exposed to the problem in the first place.
Unfortunately, when a problem occurs it can be difficult to eradicate once is gains a foothold. The main pests affecting orchids are: Slugs, Weevils, Scale, Mealybug, Thrips, greenfly, blackfly, spider mite.
On the internet one can find a pretty large numbers of recipes, but the most common and easy to prepare at home is: Six heaped teaspoons of ascorbic acid (vitamin C.) three teaspoon of plant friendly detergent (non ionic) and a pint of water, spray onto aphids and suchlike, the mixture will kill any insects which absorb oxygen through their skin, but not their eggs.  |