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Post by StickyIcky on Aug 26, 2014 15:53:32 GMT -5
Hi all, my first real post and I've got a question that I may get several answers to. I've been browsing the web and have noticed a few different recipes. I have a few sundew pots that have mealies (ewwww). I managed to get my hands on some 100% neem oil, what dilution/recipe should I go with? what do you guys use? By all means share some success stories, to strengthen my battle cry as I go in for the attack.
Also, should I add some to the water basin that the pots sit in?
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Post by hal on Aug 26, 2014 16:10:24 GMT -5
Welcome. Neem won't do much to mealybugs. That white powdery stuff is a waxy coating that protects them from sprays. And sundews are fairly sensitive to insecticides, even soap. Best results I've had treating them for bugs is to submerge them for a few days. Here's a good reference from the ICPS www.carnivorousplants.org/howto/Pests/Mealybugs.phpMost people grow sundews sitting in a tray of water. They don't mind wet feet.
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Post by lloyd on Aug 26, 2014 18:24:09 GMT -5
That web page has some good advice. Remove any mealies you see with the alcohol. Swab the areas underneath to try and kill the eggs-especially hidden areas. Wash off the soil and do the same for any mealies on the roots.
As hal said submerging may help too.
If the plant is easy to replace, it might be best to throw it away.
Check any plants nearby because they may very well be infected. Check every week-with a magnifying glass.
Search for Al Bickell's Neem recipe on this forum.
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Post by canuk1w1 on Aug 26, 2014 18:34:51 GMT -5
Everyting joo need here meng (including link to Lloyd's original post - from my personal FAQ): Al Bickell's Neem oil pesticide recipe: 1 litre water 2-3 cc Neem oil few drops of Eucalyptus oil (for red-spider mite) 1 tbsp light mineral oil 5-6 drops dishwater detergent ocps.proboards.com/post/26300/threadocps.proboards.com/post/26300Shake vigorously to suspend oils. Keep in fridge to keep fresh. Must be room temperature to keep Neem oil liquid. For scale use double the Neem concentration. In my experience the normal strength is fine on Mexican pings and larger Sarracenia. The higher strength is toxic to VFT's and small Sarracenia but they do bounce back. I have never tried it on utrics. Sundews do not like it and I would be careful trying it on them. For red spider mites use only the normal strength Neem version of the recipe not the double strength used for scale/mealy bugs. The Neem oil recipe is fairly toxic to VFT's so I don't particularly recommend it. Spider mites like dry conditions so drowning for a week or so may work. Also Eucalyptus Oil: a few drops per liter with a few drops of dish soap (as in the above recipe but without the Neem) might suffice. Al Bickell has stated that spider mites hate Eucalyptus oil. www.growsundews.com/neem_oil.htmlwww.terraforums.com/forums/archive/index.php/t-116542.htmlwww.cpukforum.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=45959
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Post by StickyIcky on Aug 26, 2014 19:46:59 GMT -5
Thanks everyone, even though the news is disheartening. My plants are all seedgrown, and mostly live in close proximity, sharing the same water basin. Some decisions to be made.
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Post by lloyd on Aug 26, 2014 20:07:46 GMT -5
Don't despair. It's possible they haven't spread. I don't think mealy bugs like peaty soils so they may not have invaded the roots or other plants. Get your magnifying glass out and inspect neighbouring plants-especially nooks and crannies. Keep a close eye for the next few weeks. Do lots of spraying with distilled water, I think mealies would really dislike wet conditions.
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Post by StickyIcky on Aug 26, 2014 20:19:25 GMT -5
Happy to hear that at least. My plants are in mostly peat with a little perlite. Pretty wet indeed, especially since I topped up the basin as high as it would go, just to mess with the little suckers. I test tried a pymethrin in canola oil on a couple of affected capensis babies. Even double dosed, and 2 days later, they're a little dryer, but are starting to dew up again. I'll give it a few more days before I trust it, but think that could help bring the populations down? Do you think I should neem anyways? Just don't wanna leave my plants vulnerable in the meantime.
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Post by lloyd on Aug 26, 2014 22:48:13 GMT -5
www.ext.colostate.edu/pubs/insect/05595.htmlThis seems like a pretty informative site. It suggests that pyrethroids should help. Again you have to be careful about toxicity to the plants. The important thing is to get down and dirty with the alcohol and remove all mealies and cottony debris to remove as much of the eggs and larvae as you can. Neem interferes with the reproduction and development of the little devils so it helps get things under control.
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Post by StickyIcky on Aug 27, 2014 16:00:32 GMT -5
So I sprayed everyone with neem last night, and added a small amount to the water basin. Made sure they would be in the dark afterwards so they wouldn't burn. They plants don't seem thrilled, less dewy, but no one's dying yet. The venustas probably look the worst, but they were already recovering from a transplant that involved separating them, so they already kinda looked like crap. I tell ya though, them little beasties didn't like the attack I launched on them last night. They are laying super low, didn't see a single one where I'd been able to spot at least a couple immediately. Happy to be at least slowing them down. So the consensus for neem is spray again in a week? Next move is to go plant by plant, alcohol swab the roots and crannies, and replant in fresh peat.
Also looking into possibly autoclaving my peat from now on, at work. Haven't been able to test it out yet. I'd do it when working alone, so as not to raise questions lol
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Post by canuk1w1 on Aug 27, 2014 18:14:07 GMT -5
That's some serious sterilization there son ;-) (true geek, don't try this at home folks)
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Post by lloyd on Aug 27, 2014 18:26:43 GMT -5
Don't alcohol unless you see the mealies or the cottony stuff-use a magnifying glass.
Keep a close eye (magnified) on the previously infected plants. If you see any cottony stuff, mealies or little guys wandering about (larvae?)-repeat alcohol & Neem.
I once killed two nice neps destroying scale (alcohol spray killed the leaves).
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Post by StickyIcky on Aug 27, 2014 18:48:13 GMT -5
I think I've found the infected pots, and isolated them into a glass cover tank (what used to be my germination tank). I've noticed a few on the soil of my flytraps' pots. Same restrictions apply?
I'm now just hoping that the ones I've deemed unaffected, are in fact, unaffected.
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Post by StickyIcky on Aug 27, 2014 18:51:20 GMT -5
By the way thanks everyone for the help. Much appreciated.
I haven't uprooted anything at all yet, just separated from the 'healthy" plants.
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Post by ng on Aug 27, 2014 20:51:10 GMT -5
If all else fails ill just send you a bottle of orthene. The spreader sticker only lasts a couple days so ide have to express it. For mealy bug it is one of the only ways you will win. I have fought them for years at our garden center. They are soil bound and the males fly lol what a combo.
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Post by StickyIcky on Aug 27, 2014 21:00:02 GMT -5
Thanks man! Much appreciated. I'll update on this thread here and there. We'll see how well I can do with the resources I have. Otherwise, I'll call for backup.
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