How to Do a Good Job of Pest and Disease Prevention and Control for Home-Grown Orchids

     Early summer has arrived, temperatures have risen noticeably, and with the increased rain, all kinds of tiny insects that harm orchids are stirring into action. When pests are rampant, timely prevention and control is essential so that orchids can grow strong and healthy. Using pesticides is quick and convenient, and the results are good. But every medicine has some toxicity, so it is best to use them with caution to avoid pesticide damage. Using simple methods to control pests really has its own unique advantages. After putting them into practice, I and quite a few orchid-growing friends have achieved certain results, so everyone might as well give them a try: Treating aphids: use 5 g of washing powder, mix with 1200 g of water, stir thoroughly, and spray once every 3 days, for 2-3 times in a row; the kill rate can reach 100%.

     Treating snails: pour beer into a shallow dish and place it on the ground and on the potting soil. When snails smell the aroma of the beer, they will crawl into the dish by themselves and drown.

     Treating ants: crush garlic cloves, dig 3-4 holes in the flowerpot, and bury them in the potting soil. After 2-3 days, the ants, as well as earthworms and nematodes, in the potting soil will be gone.

     Treating red spider mites: light a mosquito coil containing pyrethrum and place it in the orchid pot, then seal the whole pot with a plastic cover. After fumigating for 1 hour, it can kill both egg masses and adults.

     Treating scale insects: take 1 jin of ripe neem tree fruit and soak it in 1 kg of water for more than 1 month, then take the liquid for later use. In late spring and early summer, use it at 1:1000 for prevention; if small scale insects are found, use 1:500 to kill them, once every 5 days, for 3 times in a row, and the small scale insects can be eliminated.

     Below is the pest control method of the orchid-growing friend klg, transcribed here for orchid growers to learn from as well: Tobacco: Effects: the nicotine and nicotinic alkaloids in cigarettes can prevent and control pests such as aphids, red spider mites, stink bugs, and ants. Preparation: (1) 40 g of native tobacco leaves or tobacco stems, add 1000 ml of water, soak for 24 hours, filter, then dilute with an equal amount of water, and add 2-3 g of washing powder to dissolve (if using cut tobacco, the concentration can be a bit higher; adding washing powder both helps adhesion and also has an insecticidal effect); (2) if there is no weighing device, you can soak several de-papered cigarette butts in about 30 times their amount of water, and after the water turns yellowish-brown, add a little washing powder to dissolve; Use: use after filtering.

     (1) Spray the front and back of the leaves;

     (2) When the pest infestation is severe, immerse the affected parts of the plant in the tobacco water for 1-3 hours, and at the same time soak the growing medium; this can effectively kill the pests on the leaves and in the soil;

     (3) The remaining tobacco water can be poured into ant nests or sprinkled around the pots to eliminate ants;

     (4) Burying unsoaked cigarette butts in the soil can prevent and control small flying insects.

     Precautions: (1) Because it contains nicotine, it is not suitable to add vinegar, otherwise the insecticidal strength will be weakened; (2) If washing powder is added, then on the next day after spraying (or immediately after soaking) rinse with clean water; (3) If it is mainly used for the prevention and control of scale insects, it is best to add washing powder, or use washing powder alone.

     Garlic: Effects: can prevent and control pests such as aphids, red spider mites, scale insects, and nematodes, and can also prevent and control powdery mildew.

     Preparation: take several cloves of purple-skinned garlic produced in the north, peel and mash them, dilute with 10-20 times the amount of water, and after 24 hours filter out the residue.

     Use: (1) Spray the liquid on the leaves; (2) Pour the residue and remaining liquid into the pot to prevent and control nematodes and scale insects.

     Precautions: garlic juice has a certain viscosity; to prevent dust accumulation, the leaves can be rinsed several days later. Chinese chives: Effects: can prevent and control pests such as aphids and red spider mites, and are even more effective against aphids. Preparation and use: mash 500 g of Chinese chives, add 1250 ml of water, soak for a day and a night, then filter, and take the supernatant to spray continuously once every other day for 3 times.

     Onion: Effects: can prevent and control pests such as aphids and red spider mites, and is even more effective against aphids.

     Preparation and use: (1) Soak 20 g of onion scales in 1000 ml of water, and it can be used after soaking for 24 hours; spray continuously 2-3 times within one week; (2) To fully extract the active ingredients, it can be cut or mashed before soaking, and it must be filtered before use.

     Hot pepper (dried red chili): Effects: can prevent and control pests such as aphids, red spider mites, whiteflies, and stink bugs.

     Preparation: (1) Dry thoroughly in the sun and grind into fine powder; (2) Add 50 g of chili powder to 1 kg of water, boil for 10 minutes, then cool and filter; (3) Take an appropriate amount of dried chilies, add 20 times the amount of clean water, boil for 20 minutes, let cool, then filter; (4) Take 250 g of dried chili seeds, add 2.5 kg of water, boil for 30 minutes, let cool, then filter.

     Use: (1) After wetting the leaves, dust with the powder; coarse powder can be sprinkled sparingly on the pot surface; (2) Spray the leaves and spray the potting soil. Plant ash: Effects: can prevent and control aphids. Preparation and use: soak 1 part plant ash in 5 parts water for 24 hours, then filter and spray.

     For prevention using the above methods, generally once a month. It is best to use them alternately. Among the above methods, I have not used plant ash, mainly because it contains alkalinity and is not very suitable in the north. I have used the other methods for one year, and have not found any side effects, nor have there been any pest infestations, but this is only my personal experience, for reference only.