Naughty Thrips

[prisana]

Hey all, I have only been growing orchids for a couple of years, I have a total of 15, 3 of them are Vanda and Asocendas. My Princess Miyaki blue have been growing spikes after another, but just before the buds can mature, the thrips just sucked them dry. I tried the neem oil mixture, followed the instruction to the T , but it didn't say not to spray on buds. So I don't know if it's the trilogy brand neem or the thrips or me that killed the buds..please help. I tried blowing them off the plant gently, spraying it with water..I'm out of tricks..

[Cynthia, Prescott, AZ]

Try the Bayer Advanced Rose and Flower ready to spray, or one of the other Bayer products that have the same ingredient, Imidacloprid (sp?). It is systemic, and should give the plant protection for a while. You may have to figure out the mixture to get the same amount of the active ingredient as the Rose and Flower in some of the concentrated versions. Some of the neem oil ready mixes have pyrethroids as an additional ingredient that are very hard on buds. Just had my first case of thrips in 45 years of orchid growing. Cynthia

[NancyG]

Hi Prisana,

I have been having some trouble with thrips also. I live in Weston near you. Tried spraying with several things. It has happened to my Dendrobium and Onicidium which hang on palm trees. It also got all of the vanda blossoms except on one of my vandas. It is so dissapointing. Can you see them? Should you just spray all of your orchids just in case? I hate to be spraying chemicals if I can avoid it. Do you have a good place to get orchid supplies near you?
Thanks, NancyG

[prisana]

Thank you Cynthia for the tips, I've always been afraid to try any pesticides not marked for orchids, or have not heard of. I will take it from the master, though..any time.
Prisana

[prisana]

Hi NancyG,
Hey neighbor! I used to live in Weston too ,on Indian Trace. Anyways, consider yourself lucky, I hung my dens on my palm trees and got scale and giant mealy bugs., the one that foam at the mouth yuk! .Yes, you can see them they are tiny little buggers, long and slender. They move very fast, not sure of they jump like fleas or fly. I have black ones and the pale ones on my Vanda. I go to Home Depot for the basic orchid need like potting mix and such. After a while of bugging the living day light out of the employees there about other stuff, one of them reluctently told my of this little garden center off of Sunset Strip. Take Sunrise E. all the way to Sunset Strip, make a left , then another left ,immediately. It's behind Burger King. They have neem oil, rooting hormones, Consan 20 (the owner swears it's the same thing as Physan 20 , and it had worked for me so far ) They have different sizes pots , many times in 1/2 inch increment. Please ignore the dust, though. I just hate to have to order on line and get super sized on most things, or drive to Homestead for supplies..good luck
Prisana

[prisana]

correction..." mealy bugs and giant scales ", not the other way around..they won't let me edit it...sob. Prisana

[NancyG]

Thanks alot. I'll try that supplier. Does it have a name?

NancyG

[prisana]

NancyG,
Sure it does, I just don't remember it:0 ...sorry. You can't miss it though. When I go down there again, I'll make sure I get the name.

[Hobby Orchidist]

Thrips can severely damage the flowers of Vanda's. They will start their work even before you can see the flower spike coming out. They will also damage the roots of your vandaceous orchids. If you see indented rings around the roots of your Vanda's, that is the result of Thrips.

I grow Vanda's outdoors in Miami, Florida. Thrips are a constant problem in this environment. In this environment, I have found nothing that works except Orthene.

However, be careful. You must decide for yourself if you want to use a chemical like this.

Pros:

1. It is very good at controlling thrips. I use it once a month and I have no problems with thrips in an environment that is full of them.

Cons:
1. A toxic chemical.
2. It STINKS BAD.
3. Breathing and skin protection required to apply.
4. No entry into the sprayed area for ONE DAY after spraying.
5. You must READ and UNDERSTAND the directiongs for safe use.