OK to wipe Orchid leaves with rubbing alcohol?

[lilsoy]

Hi everyone, I just joined today and this is my third post asking for advice already! I hope that I will be able to accumulate enough experience to respond to posts in the future instead of just asking questions...!!

Last one for today though... I read on the Internet that I can wipe my orchid leaves with rubbing alcohol to kill bugs. I don't want to hurt my orchid... Just want to confirm with some more experienced orchid-lovers that it is ok to do this before I start swabbing!

Thanks again!

[Orchidflowerchild]

Originally Posted by lilsoy

Hi everyone, I just joined today and this is my third post asking for advice already! I hope that I will be able to accumulate enough experience to respond to posts in the future instead of just asking questions...!!

Last one for today though... I read on the Internet that I can wipe my orchid leaves with rubbing alcohol to kill bugs. I don't want to hurt my orchid... Just want to confirm with some more experienced orchid-lovers that it is ok to do this before I start swabbing!

Thanks again!

I always kept a (cleaned out) windex bottle full of rubbing alcohol in the greenhouse so I could spot treat for scale and mealies. I'm not real big on using too many toxic chemicals unless abosolutely necessary, as I have always had cats and other critters that I don't want exposed to poisons. Alcohol is very effective, but you do have to keep up on things, as it will only kill pests, but not their eggs. I suggest quarantining any infested plants in an area that is convenient for you to repeat spray every few days for a couple weeks. Also, water the plant first, wait an hour or two, then use alcohol, so the roots are already saturated and don't take up a bunch of isopropyl.

Best advantage of alcohol: watching a colony of mealies died a burning, paniful death.

-Cj

[PhalPal]

lilsoy - First of all welcome to the forum!

Rubbing alcohol works great for most critters but don't spray the flowers. Some growers put a few drops of dish detergent in the bottle also, kind of turns it into a bit of insecticidal soap and helps suffocate the bugs.

BTW - there is no limit to the amount of questions you can ask in one day.

[electric.chowder]

I had a small bug problem earlier in the season and used rubbing alcohol, mild soap and cooking oil (and mostly water) to kill them off. seemed to work fine, bugs havn't been back, and the plant is fine