12" new snow, 50 mph gusts and APHIDS!?

[Laura L.]

The weather outsight is frightful, but inside the greenhouse is delightful! Wanted to share my excitement - all my November purchased, WalMart, dendrobiums have new growth! Yea! Just when (after blooms) I was wondering if anything would start happening! Curiosity got the better of me, and a month ago or so, I took all of them out of their pots, clipped a few dead roots, divided one (!), gave new medium (Miracle Grow orchid mix), Physan finally arrived (backorder), try not to overwater or underwater, and kept watching them.

The den nobile purchased from a flower shop is getting keikis and maybe another flower!

My current fear, though, is that I have a bad outbreak of aphids on a fuschia, and that they'll get to the orchids. The fuschia is kept in a far corner, but I've tried soap, malathion plus, bug b gone, a systemic (the label said not for potted plants, but I am desperate), and I spend time most every day squishing them by hand. They must be immune because I am following the recommended spraying schedule, and just can't get rid of them.

I am getting sick of using these chemicals, too. Please don't tell me to toss out the plant. Help!

[Hummer344]

Welcome to the world of orchids. the aphids you have must really be immune to the spary. Are you covering the underside of the leaves? All areas have to be covered in order to be affected. I would reccomend lady beatles but you have already sprayed and that might kill them. On the other hand they may prove to be effective. You can get some at your local nursery.

On the weather front, I get cold just thinking about the cold weather in your area. Brrr. Its suppose to be in the mid 80's in our area today.

[sandra]

Truly the best stuff I've used is Bayer Advanced Rose & Flower Insect Killer. If you do buy this, make sure it says, "Advanced" on the bottle. Can find it at Home Depot.

[Vivienne]

Laura - it sounds like you now have the storm that just blew through Colorado. We didn't get all that snow though. Phew! The good news is... it's supposed to be in the 70s tomorrow. YEA!

I second the nod for ladybugs! True you already sprayed, but with luck, if they are killed, they'll go out with bellies full of aphids.

[Laura L.]

I have pinched off so many new shoots because the undersides of the leaves are so hard to get at, then burn the critters in the wood boiler, but yes, I do my best to get underneath. If this plant survives, it will be the bushiest in town.

I think I have the Bayer, that might be the systemic, I'll check.

The DNR (Dept. of Natural Resources) made sure we have lots of ladybugs. We have "year-around" ladybugs. They (DNR) released some "special ones" to eat the "friendly flies" I believe they were called. Now these new ones have pretty much taken over. There's lots of them in the greenhouse, but I don't see them eating any aphids!