paph leaf thingy.

[Rick]

Mites often acompany low humidity too.

 

[Stone]

Mites often acompany low humidity too.

Yes.

 

[Rick]

Given that the same plant can have effected and unaffected leaves I'd almost bet that the Ca tissue concentration in the effected leaves is lower than the unaffected leaves.

I've noticed that new growth in my plants since K-lite is either less palatable and/or more structurally resistant to sucking bugs like scale and mealies. The primary sites I see mealies these days is on spikes near buds/flowers (the sugar sequestering sites).

Ca is integral to cell wall integrity. So even if bugs manage to bite through, or there is a drop in humidity they leaf cells don't appear to collapse.

 

[Stone]

Given that the same plant can have effected and unaffected leaves I'd almost bet that the Ca tissue concentration in the effected leaves is lower than the unaffected leaves.

That may be. Assuming there is no interference by K or Mg or NH4 can/will plants take up luxury amounts of Ca?

 

[abax]

If you're not opposed to using chemicals, try a good drench
with Orthene 97% at 1 tsp. per gallon. If you think you have mites, for heaven's sake, kill 'em! Two drenches about seven to ten days apart will take the damn things down and a follow-up with Sevin or horticultural oil will get rid of the rest.

 

[Rick]

That may be. Assuming there is no interference by K or Mg or NH4 can/will plants take up luxury amounts of Ca?

From litterature it seems that it's a bit of a slow uphill battle for plants to uptake Ca. Only goes through roots, pH picky.....

Typically there's a lot more of it in the environment at any given time than K, but variable in bioavailability. Since it goes primarily into cell walls, I don't think plants store extra in solution or storage organs, like they do K.

For me this was part of the eco/physiology logic that went into K-lite. No need for mechanisms to store Ca when its just laying around for the picking in the environment. Although it seems apparent that special mechanisms went into epiphytic species to extract and hold impoverished amounts of K from the environment.

The correlation with seeing this pitting in newly purchased seedlings or recent flasklings may suggest that "traditional" flasking agars may also be lacking in Ca or overloaded in K. I would also think that flasking agars are put together with RO water, which would be short in soluble Ca compared to your normal irrigation water for your larger plants.

 

[Stone]

If you're not opposed to using chemicals, try a good drench
with Orthene 97% at 1 tsp. per gallon. If you think you have mites, for heaven's sake, kill 'em! Two drenches about seven to ten days apart will take the damn things down and a follow-up with Sevin or horticultural oil will get rid of the rest.

Thanks abax. I'm not opposed to most of the modern pesticides but the old ones are another story. I remember when I was a kid, my Dad used to keep a glass bottle with a skull and cross bones painted on the side which I later discovered was DDT. Also many years ago I sprayed some ant nests in the walls of an old shack with Deldrin (before it was banned) and 4 years later they were still dying!
I think first I'll try cinnamon infused alcohol/water 50/50 with a little soap. It seems to kill anything. and that way I can hold each pot in one hand and spray with the other getting under the leaves etc. without having an ambulance standing by.

 

[Stone]

Just got an email back from the seller, he says it's mites. He recommends Supracide http://www.herbiguide.com.au/Descriptions/hg_SUPRACIDE.htm
Looks pretty nasty.

 

[abax]

According to my nursery manager who is an expert on the
subject of using fungicides/pesticides, Orthene is far less
damaging to the individual and the environment than, say,
Sevin. With a systemic like Orthene, you don't have to broad spray. Just drench the medium throughly so that the roots take up the stuff and distribute it throughout the
plant...far safer for you than spraying everywhichway.

Also MUCH cheaper than the miticide and with longer residual action. Orthene 97% is $18.00 for a one pound
can.

 

[SlipperFan]

If Ray is still selling it, get SucraShield from him. It's a great product and not nearly as dangerous as these others. It took care of a spidermite infestation I had a couple years ago on my Paphs and Phals. I recommend it highly.

 

[Stone]

I went out today to buy some systemic miticide--not that I have a big problem-- from my local mega hardware store and they don't carry it anymore. Everything they sell now has really been ''dumbed down'' from 20 years ago. Lots of useless ''organic'' sprays etc. Even a lot of the ferts. don't even mention what's in them anymore.

 

[Ozpaph]

I went out today to buy some systemic miticide--not that I have a big problem-- from my local mega hardware store and they don't carry it anymore. Everything they sell now has really been ''dumbed down'' from 20 years ago. Lots of useless ''organic'' sprays etc. Even a lot of the ferts. don't even mention what's in them anymore.

All to protect the 'its not my fault' public.

 

[Erythrone]

I now use "organic" measures... and they are not useless for me.

Maybe you should introduce auxilaries.

 

[Stone]

I now use "organic" measures... and they are not useless for me.

Maybe you should introduce auxilaries.

Sure, when I know it will be effective I will always use organic/low toxicity remidies but if want to control webbing caterpillars or bud thrips on my stock trees I must use Maldison or if I want to control all the weeds on my property, I must use glyphosate now and then.