Quarantine/Prophylaxis for new orchids

[The Peloric Orchid]

So far, I've been lucky not to have any pest outbreaks among my indoor orchids. I've experimented with prophylactic treatments where I sprayed new acquisitions with pesticides (I have tried various) and kept them in a clear storage bin or a 1020 nursery tray with a 7" tall vented humidity dome, but this has resulted in an extremely high mortality rate (probably rot, but haven't conclusively ruled out chemical sensitivities) for new orchids.

If you grow orchids indoors:

1) Do you quarantine your new plants? If so, how and for how long? Ex: separate room, stashing in a clear storage bin, etc..

2) Do you treat new plants with a pesticide? If so, which one(s)?

3) Do you do anything else to mitigate the spread of pests? Ex: repotting into fresh medium

[Ray]

Originally Posted by The Peloric Orchid

If you grow orchids indoors:

1) Do you quarantine your new plants? If so, how and for how long? Ex: separate room, stashing in a clear storage bin, etc..

Separate room for about a month. If infected or infested, it ought to show up by then

2) Do you treat new plants with a pesticide? If so, which one(s)?

Never do preventive pesticide treatments. It is a good way to breed resistance.

3) Do you do anything else to mitigate the spread of pests? Ex: repotting into fresh medium

I repot at the end of the quarantine period, but usually so that the medium is more compatible with my growing conditions.

[The Peloric Orchid]

Originally Posted by Ray

Never do preventive pesticide treatments. It is a good way to breed resistance.

Not even insecticidal soap? I was under the impression that insecticidal soap and horticultural oil were were to bugs as rubbing alcohol is to microorganisms.

[Dimples]

If you don’t see any signs of pests, then pesticides aren’t called for, and using them provides no benefits and comes with some risks (low risks, but still risks). That’s like taking antibiotics “just in case” without having any symptoms of a bacterial infection.

The likelihood of pest species developing resistance to oils and soaps is usually low, but it’s not zero.

[Roberta]

Originally Posted by The Peloric Orchid

Not even insecticidal soap? I was under the impression that insecticidal soap and horticultural oil were were to bugs as rubbing alcohol is to microorganisms.

In both cases, if there IS a pest or microorganism present, a treatment will kill some, not all. The hardiest survive. So repeat treatment is necessary. But if there isn't a pest present then the treatment will be of no use. Don't treat unless you know what you are treating, and select the appropriate treatment for the problem.

Instead, observe. If there's a problem, it will show up and then you deal with it. If nothing shows up, you're in the clear. Bill Thoms, Bulbophyllum grower extraordinare, calls it POO ... Power Of Observation. It's your superpower. So use your POO!

[estación seca]

I've first noticed newly-hatched boisduval scale on plants more than 6 months after arrival.

[nhbeek]

1) repot and wash roots. Too many encounters with orchid snails and they are horrific pest.

2) Imidacloprid drench, its cheap and easy, and if there are no pests present, it does nothing, if there are I want them dead.