High-yield cultivation of edible fungi and pest and disease control techniques for home-grown orchids
There are many pests and diseases that harm orchids. If not controlled promptly, the orchid plants will suffer serious losses. Common diseases include viral disease, southern blight, and leaf spot. Prevention should start with improving cultivation conditions and strengthening routine care. In the early stage of disease, for viral disease spray with a 1000-fold dilution of aspirin; for southern blight, mix 1 ampoule of chloramphenicol injection with 1 kg of clean water and pour it over the diseased plants, once daily for 2 consecutive treatments; for leaf spot, spray with a 2000-fold dilution of penicillin, once every 2 days for 3-4 consecutive sprays, which can give good results. The main pests are scale insects, aphids, and red spider mites. When there are few scale insects on the orchid plants, remove them one by one with a toothpick or toothbrush; when there are many, spray with a 500-700 fold dilution of malathion to kill them. For aphids, spray with a 500-fold dilution of 10% imidacloprid wettable powder, which is very effective.
I. Simple pest control methods
(1) Aphids: use 5 g of laundry detergent, add 1.2 kg of water, stir thoroughly, and spray, once every 3 days for 2-3 consecutive treatments; the kill rate can reach 100%. (2) 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. (3) Ants: crush garlic cloves, dig 3-4 holes in the flower pot, and bury them in the potting soil. After 2-3 days, the ants in the potting soil, as well as earthworms and nematodes, will be gone. (4) Red spider mites: light a mosquito coil containing pyrethrum, place it in the orchid pot, then seal the pot with a plastic cover, and smoke for 1 hour; this can kill red spider mite egg masses and adults. (5) Scale insects: use 500 g of mature neem tree fruit, soak in 1 kg of water for more than 1 month, and take the liquid for later use. In late spring and early summer, use a 1:1000 dilution for prevention; if small scale insects are found, immediately use a 1:500 dilution to kill them, once every 5 days for 3 consecutive treatments, and the small scale insects can be eliminated.
II. Orchid growers' experience in pest control
1. Tobacco. The nicotine and nicotyrine in cigarettes can control pests such as aphids, red spider mites, stink bugs, and ants.
Preparation: (1) 40 g of native tobacco leaves or tobacco stems, add 1 kg of water, soak for 24 hours, filter, then add an equal amount of water to dilute, and add 2-3 g of laundry detergent to dissolve (if using cut tobacco, the concentration can be a bit higher; adding laundry detergent both helps adhesion and also has an insecticidal effect). (2) If there is no weighing device, soak several de-papered cigarette butts in about 30 times their volume of water, and after the water turns yellowish-brown, add a little laundry detergent to dissolve.
Filter the above liquid before use. Spray the front and back of the leaves. When the pest infestation is severe, soak the affected parts of the flower in tobacco water for 1-3 hours, and also soak the growing medium; this can effectively kill pests on the leaves and in the soil. The remaining tobacco water can be poured into ant nests or sprinkled around the pots to eliminate ants. Unsoaked cigarette butts buried in the soil can control small flying insects.
Precautions: (1) Because it contains nicotine, it is not suitable to add vinegar, otherwise the insecticidal strength will be reduced. (2) If laundry detergent is added, wash with clean water on the next day after spraying (or immediately after soaking). (3) If it is mainly used for controlling scale insects, it is best to add laundry detergent, or use laundry detergent alone.
2. Garlic. It can control pests such as aphids, red spider mites, scale insects, and nematodes, and can also control powdery mildew.
Preparation: take several cloves of purple-skinned garlic produced in the north, remove the skin, mash them, add 10-20 times their volume of water to dilute, and after 24 hours filter out the residue.
Spray the leaves with the prepared liquid; pour the residue and remaining liquid into the pot to control nematodes and scale insects.
Precautions: garlic juice has a certain viscosity; to prevent dust accumulation, the leaves can be rinsed several days later.
3. Chives. They can control pests such as aphids and red spider mites, and are even more effective against aphids.
Preparation and use: mash 500 g of chives, add 1.25 kg of water, soak for a day and a night, then filter, and take the supernatant to spray 3 consecutive times every other day.
4. Onion. It can control pests such as aphids and red spider mites, and is even more effective against aphids.
Preparation and use: soak 20 g of onion scale bulbs in 1 kg of water, and after soaking for 24 hours it is ready to use; spray 2-3 consecutive times within 1 week. To fully extract the active ingredients, they can be cut or mashed before soaking, and filtered before use.
5. Hot pepper (dried red chili). It can control pests such as aphids, red spider mites, whiteflies, and stink bugs.
Preparation and use: (1) Dry the hot peppers thoroughly in the sun and grind them into fine powder. Add 50 g of chili powder to 1 kg of water, boil for 10 minutes, then cool and filter. (2) Take an appropriate amount of dried chilies, add 20 times their volume of clean water, boil for 20 minutes, let cool, then filter. (3) Use 250 g of dried chili seeds, add 2.5 kg of water, boil for 30 minutes, let cool, then filter.
After wetting the leaves, dust with the powder; coarse powder can be sprinkled lightly on the pot surface; for leaf spraying, spray the potting soil as well.
6. Plant ash. It can control aphids.
Preparation and use: soak 1 part plant ash in 5 parts water for 24 hours, then filter and spray. Using the above method for prevention, generally once a month. It is best to use them alternately. (Source: Rural Practical Science and Technology Information)