Fallen anther caps!

[Bluefirepegasus]

Oh good Lord in Heaven! I went to check on my intergenic orchid today and found aphids all over the new bloom spike! Eeeek! I am trying to get it ready for a possible show so I totally panicked.

Gently, I tried to scrape all the aphids off with my fingers but they were everywhere! So, I took a luke-warm bowl of water and submerged the blossoms.

I am hoping it worked....but a few of the anther caps fell off the blossoms. So now I am wondering......can I still show it or is it automatically disqualified!?

Bluefirepegasus

 

[likespaphs]

you can still show them but there's a chance the flowers will fade as the anther caps fell off.
another thing you can do for aphids is spray them off with warm water (cold water is bad for the plant...)

 

[Ron-NY]

I spray with room temp water with a little oil of peppermint in it. I had many new growths on Bulbos damaged this year by an outbreak of aphids

 

[goldenrose]

Essential oil cinnamon is also good for insects.
Not getting a fragrance from your orchids? - CHEAT and get the buggies at the same time!

 

[Bluefirepegasus]

Oooo...thanks you guys. That si a great idea! I hate aphids don't you?

Bluefirepegasus

 

[goldenrose]

I much rather prefer aphids over mealybugs!!!

 

[Bluefirepegasus]

I had mealy bugs on one of my other plants on my porch. Scale attacked my grandmother's gardenia. You name the pest and I have had it on my porch. Which makes me panick! I moved all infected plants out of the porch area and I think I saved my orchids. :sob:

I hate pests!

Bluefirepegasus

 

[Corbin]

Its WAR on those :evil:critters

 

[Bluefirepegasus]

I went through the trouble to rinse every part of the plant and then dried with a paper towel to sweep the little buggers off! The good news is, I found out I can still show with a few anther caps missing here and there.

Bluefirepegasus