countdown to malipo disappointment

[streetmorrisart]

Hey, anyone care to place a bet on how long it takes for me to blast that?

I'm not having a good parvi year, so I'm tempted to douse it with some isopropyl right now to save myself the anticipation. Micranthum buds, armeniacum, Norito--the mealies won across the board, even with a fair amount of vigilance on my part, and I just cleaned some off of this bud. Overall, the plants won't appear infested, then, when I'm out-of-town for a few days, bam! I'm doing the systemic thing at present, but it's been less effectual for these guys than the rest so far...I guess because I like them more.

Back to watering. I'm only going to be gone Monday-Friday this week, so that shouldn't be enough to do it.

Yours truly,

Debbie Downer

 

[Rick]

It's the right time of year to set a spike on malipoense for a spring blooming.

Try a small top dress of bone meal now.

 

[smartie2000]

I hate how bugs love parvi buds!
I have just manually picked out the mealies in the past and the plant bloomed fine.

 

[likespaphs]

how long ago did you apply the systemic? which one did you use? it will often take up to a few weeks for it to work plus, depending on which one is used, one may have to be very careful watering so as not to flush it out...

 

[Candace]

My last malipoense blast took 6-7 months:< The bud formed and then the spike grew sloooowly and then it blasted. Grrrr. So, not to be a double Debbie Downer but you may have a long wait.

 

[cnycharles]

yeah, things that grow slowly, especially flower spikes/buds may never have enough systemic insecticide in them to kill the bugs. unless you use some of the spray systemic that if you spray on one side of a leaf it will go through to the other. I think candace knows the right type from earlier posts. other thing might be to repot it now, take the plant to where you can blast it with fine water out of small nozzle, then dip in orthene. I don't hate many things, but mealybugs are up there.. also having a malipo blast after forever, a few years in a row plus the last time also being drained by mealys. just keep blasting the outside with water and nuke the bugs with whatever looks nasty :fight:
** disclaimer - that isn't a professional suggestion for chemical application, just talking to myself (need to protect my spray permit)

you could stick the plant where it is really chilly - I think that's often why malip blasts from what I've read (too warm). maybe the cold would make the bugs ill as well

 

[Rick]

I also heard from a county extension pest expert that systemics aren't carried up through flower stems and flowers. Just leaves and roots, so you really relying on diligence and contact repeat applications to keep the mealies out of the spikes.

 

[streetmorrisart]

Interesting thoughts across the board--thanks.

I'll just say that I'm really pushing the limits of what I ought to be fooling around with indoors--I've been treating things for just under a month. I think bone meal in the bedroom might be the last straw, but it and others do get oyster shell--being awoken by a burst of tiny suns in the way of CFLs on a timer is already pushing it.

I remember that Candace and felt pretty bad for you. So disappointing. This won't be the first time this plant has blasted on me if it does. It's probably a big fluctuation in humidity that'll do it. I can't ask my neighbors to fill the tanks for me while I'm gone--they always ask what they can do for the plants, but have fear in their eyes that I'm going to suggest anything!

Diligence will in fact be what I try for, as per usual.

 

[Rick]

Interesting thoughts across the board--thanks.

I'll just say that I'm really pushing the limits of what I ought to be fooling around with indoors--I've been treating things for just under a month. I think bone meal in the bedroom might be the last straw, but it and others do get oyster shell

Blood meal is the stinky stuff. Bone meal doesn't smell and supplies a burst of phosphorus to support energetic needs, like blooming.

 

[streetmorrisart]

My bad! You're totally right--my mom uses this for bulbs...had morphed them into one in my mind.

 

[Ernie]

Robin, I'm with ya. I just noticed a bud on one of my armeniacums that I've never seen bloom. Was one of my first. Got it from Joe Kunich at Bloomfield circa 1998. It is several growths, two or three mature, with the bonus ones coming out the pot's drainage holes. It has tried to bloom a couple times, but never made it that far. I'll race you...

-Ernie

 

[NYEric]

As discussed [to death] at the Slipper Symposium, systemics require repeat treatment, and then a change to another method to get rid of pests that have survived and built up resistance. Good Luck.

 

[swamprad]

Robin, I'm with ya. I just noticed a bud on one of my armeniacums that I've never seen bloom. Was one of my first. Got it from Joe Kunich at Bloomfield circa 1998. It is several growths, two or three mature, with the bonus ones coming out the pot's drainage holes. It has tried to bloom a couple times, but never made it that far. I'll race you...

-Ernie

You weren't supposed to tell me if that armeniacum (which I almost bought from you) budded!! Grrrr.....

 

[Ernie]

You weren't supposed to tell me if that armeniacum (which I almost bought from you) budded!! Grrrr.....

No, that was 'Shirley', and someone else bought her. This is ('Golden Emperor' X sib).

-Ernie

 

[biothanasis]

Good luck...

 

[rdlsreno]

Have patience!!!

Ramon

 

[cnycharles]

Robin, I'm with ya. I just noticed a bud on one of my armeniacums that I've never seen bloom. Was one of my first. Got it from Joe Kunich at Bloomfield circa 1998. It is several growths, two or three mature, with the bonus ones coming out the pot's drainage holes. It has tried to bloom a couple times, but never made it that far. I'll race you...

-Ernie

Hello Ernie,
Put it someplace cold and bright, and I'll bet it will do better. I mean cold.

 

[cnycharles]

you know, stores sell a material called 'tanglefoot' to keep caterpillars and such from climbing up trees and chomping on them. I wonder if you segregated the plants in bud so that they weren't touching each other and used a water sprayer or can of compressed air that photographers use to clean things without touching them to remove all the bugs around the bud and upper stem, and then place a large ring of tanglefoot around the spike so that more bugs can't climb up. worth a try

 

[streetmorrisart]

Robin, I'm with ya. I just noticed a bud on one of my armeniacums that I've never seen bloom. Was one of my first. Got it from Joe Kunich at Bloomfield circa 1998. It is several growths, two or three mature, with the bonus ones coming out the pot's drainage holes. It has tried to bloom a couple times, but never made it that far. I'll race you...

-Ernie

I've been in beautiful Canada and only checking my email so I just saw this, but sure! I've got two armeniacum (same plant really)--I potted up five of the growths in a wooden slat basket this summer and now have two fans growing out the sides, but the growth that broke off in the process is now two in an air cone pot. They get very chilled in winter via a crack in the window and I throw two comforters on for us! I lost those buds for now though. Next year we'll try again as they're growing well--maybe if I'm gone less or explain to a friend how to water them and share a bottle of wine. If your armeniacum works out this year I think you know you'll beat my malipo! Too tall and slow. Best of luck!

 

[baodai]

If you don't care much about leaf (i'm one of them), increase temperature then you get your bloom faster.
BD