So I mixed up my own sulphur spray...

[Trithor]

I have used Neem oil to spray on my plants, I find that it works for both mites and a host of insects. I find the smell very unpleasant so don't use it too often anymore, and if I do, I try to use it in a more isolated application. Somebody recently recommended 'citrus' oil. I spray it with a few drops of regular dishwashing soap mixed in. Till now I have not seen any adverse effects on the plants. It definitely seems to work on mites, and an added benefit is that it has a very pleasing smell, with no ugly marks on the plants.

 

[Ray]

I've never used Sucrawshield; but, my understanding is that it's a sugar based spray. Once the solution dries, the sugar is so sticky that the bugs suffocate and die.

Sorry John. You're WAY off.

SucraShield is a blend of sucrose octanoate esters - no sugar in it anywhere - sucrose is just a starting raw material in the chemical manufacturing process, and it does not leave a sugary residue.

The esters break down the protective coatings on the insects' and mites' eggs, pupae, larvae and adults, and they desiccate to death.

 

[NYEric]

Neem w/ peppermint soap, alcohol, water and Merit 75, can't smell any worse than sulphur solution!

 

[John M]

Thanks Ray. 'Guess I should not have commented on what I think; but, just stick to what I know.

 

[cnycharles]

If I only commented on what I knew, probably wouldn't be too many posts!


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[Paph_LdyMacBeth]

If I only commented on what I knew, probably wouldn't be too many posts!


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ha ha ha I would have nothing to add...to anything...ever. lol

From personal experience though, I can attest that Sucrashield does not leave any kind of residue. I particularly love it for my "fine" leaved plants such as lycastes and catasetinae as I find it very gentile. It also dries very quickly, so I don't have to worry about saturating the plants. It truly has changed my pest-control regime. I have also been able to shorten my quarantine period (and I can use it on most blooms...though I dont advise this)
I'm actually going to have to order more soon, Ray!

 

[lepetitmartien]

(Really bad smelling neem oil is old oxydised oil…

 

[John M]

Other than mites, what do you all use Sucrashield for?

 

[Paph_LdyMacBeth]

It works great for mealies. I've not had an outbreak, but it controls the one's coming in.
I originally bought it to deal with soft scale...which it isn't marketed to do, but it came with a recommendation. It worked great! A scale problem I had been battling for almost a year cleared up within a couple of months! I only used sucrashield once weekly, and would wipe the scale off every now and again (which I was doing with the previous method also).
I am only growing indoors with a collection just shy of 125plants. I have recommended it to two friends with greenhouses who had success with it for general control.

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[John M]

Thanks! I should give this a try. Where can I get some?

 

[Jaljala]

I would think that it is the alcohol component in Windex which helps kill the mites. Spraying 70% isopropyl on the plants would most likely do the same without arm to the plants (I have done it), the alcohol evaporates quicky once sprayed.
I too dislike the smell of sucrashield (as well as the smell of sulfur!), but it is efficient...

 

[Jaljala]

I have Sucrashield - and there is a lot more to it than just sugar. I really don't like the smell, but if it works, I'll use it. I do remember getting a bad ant infestation a while back - I wonder if Sucrashield had anything to do with it?

I asked an fellow member of SOOS (our orchid society), and in her opinion, I have false mites - these are about 10x smaller than regular mites and are impossible to see without magnification. They feed on chlorophyll, and she said that she used Windex to get rid of them. Any thoughts on the 'My Big Fat Greek Wedding' remedy?

I think the mites you are talking about could be the twospotted mites. They are indeed extremely small ( you need x10 magnifying glass to see them) and you only notice them when they start to be in huge numbers.
I don't know how many plants you have, but for big infestation (if you don't want to use Sucrashield or other strong chemical , wipping the leaves with 70% alcohol is efficient, but you have to do it often...

 

[SlipperFan]

...and it won't kill the mites that are on the stems.

 

[Paph_LdyMacBeth]

...and it won't kill the mites that are on the stems.

Why not?



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[Paph_LdyMacBeth]

Thanks! I should give this a try. Where can I get some?

I got mine from Ray. Need more soon!


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[John M]

Thanks!

 

[ALToronto]

A suggestion for John and PLMcB: if you're going to be ordering SucraShield from Ray, have it go through John, since he is a registered agri business. For individuals importing pesticides from the US, the customs duty is brutal, and it's not obvious on the shipping documents - you need to go to the CRA website, enter a product code from the documents, and then you find out that the duty is over 50%.

 

[John M]

....have it go through John,...

John who?

 

[eggshells]

Is sucrashield effective on springtails?

 

[lepetitmartien]

Springtails are symptoms (decaying substrate), not issues.