# Merit 75



## papheteer (Apr 20, 2010)

I have been seeing some mealies on my paphs. I have some merit 75 that I used for my phals. The label says 1/4 tsp for a gallon. Is this a good dosage for paphs and how often do I use it thanks!


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## cnycharles (Apr 20, 2010)

whatever the label says, use that much for either plant. imidacloprid is fairly plant-friendly. it's systemic, lasts for a while. label will also recommend how often to apply to flowering plants. note that imidacloprid will not spread up into flowers if you apply to the plant via the leaves or the roots; that's one negative that they have. if you have a plant in spike or flower you will have to augment your application to the plant with something else to kill bugs on the flowers or find an imidacloprid spray that can be sprayed all over the flowers as well (could use neem, rubbing alcohol, hydrogen peroxide on the spikes or flowers, though any of them can potentially harm flowers, though so will the bugs)


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## papheteer (Apr 21, 2010)

thanks, cnycharles! The label doesn't say how often to apply it though. It just says apply as needed. Is it more effective to apply as a drench or spray for the whole plant? Also, do I need to add anything to it like a few drops of dishwashing soap? Thanks!


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## NYEric (Apr 21, 2010)

I use it double strength w/ Neem and a drop of detergent.


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## cnycharles (Apr 21, 2010)

I think commercial imidacloprid may have a lasting strength if drenched of 6 to 8 weeks, but I'll check at work today. If it's a drench formulation then you don't need spreader. If it's a spray formulation, it should have spreader in it, though like eric says a drop of soap won't hurt anything. 

there are formulations that are specifically for spraying, that work better that way. others that are pellets for putting in pots or drenching don't work as well, but if you were to mix up the chemical in a bucket and dunk the whole thing in for a minute, then that would pretty much cover everything!


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## Candace (Apr 21, 2010)

I've not used mine in a while, but from what I remember it was less than 1/4 teaspoon. More like an 1/8 teaspoon. Are you sure you've read the directions properly and looked under "orchids"....quite different than other plants. I'd NOT recommend using more than the dosage stated. Not only could it show toxicity in the plant (especially for systemics) but it goes against Federal law.


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## NYEric (Apr 21, 2010)

Candace said:


> I'd NOT recommend using more than the dosage stated. Not only could it show toxicity in the plant (especially for systemics) but it goes against Federal law.


Party pooper! oke:


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## Candace (Apr 21, 2010)

NYEric said:


> Party pooper! oke:



Sigh, I know...


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## papheteer (Apr 21, 2010)

I have read the label that came with it and it doesn't say anything about how to use it on orchids. It just says ornamentals and flowers and the dosage is .25 tsp to 2.5 gallon of water, not a gallon. My mistake


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## Candace (Apr 21, 2010)

We're storming right now, otherwise I'd run out to check the label. I'm almost certain mine says something about dosage for orchids. And my poor memory says 1/8 tsp. but maybe someone can tell you for sure. Or google to see if there's an on-line, more comprehensive label?

But, yes, stick to that dosage if all else fails. I know I've used the 1/8 tsp. as a drench with great success. And no toxicity effects.


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## papheteer (Apr 21, 2010)

Candace said:


> We're storming right now, otherwise I'd run out to check the label. I'm almost certain mine says something about dosage for orchids. And my poor memory says 1/8 tsp. but maybe someone can tell you for sure. Or google to see if there's an on-line, more comprehensive label?
> 
> But, yes, stick to that dosage if all else fails. I know I've used the 1/8 tsp. as a drench with great success. And no toxicity effects.




Candace, I stand corrected I did use 1/4 tsp. mixed with 2.5 gallons of water on my phals as a drench. I also used it as a spray once. The mealy problem did improve. But I did use neem as well so i dont know which killed the nasties. Thanks for the input though!


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## lienluu (Apr 21, 2010)

Is Merit a systemic? I forget which one is a systemic, but I have used a cocktail of Tetrasan, Merit and Enstar. I was told that the one that is systemic (I forget which one it is now) can have a temporary effect on flower quality which i found to be very true. 

While it doesn't affect most plants, it does affect a few plants in which the flowering after the treatment (be it soon after or months away) bloom out deformed. All of the flowers that bloomed out deformed following treatment bloomed normally the next season except one, which has bloomed with deformed flowers for 2 years in a row now following treatment.


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## Candace (Apr 21, 2010)

Enstar is not systemic. Merit is. What I mean by drench is I literally sprayed the whole plant and let it drip through the roots. But, since Merit is absorbed through the leaves too, spraying the plants however many days apart the label suggests is the easiest and best way to kill the buggers. Then I do a rotation with Enstar. Both are very pricey, but it's much cheaper in the long run to kill the critters for good and not have to battle them continuously.


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## cnycharles (Apr 21, 2010)

thanks candace for pointing out the 'use as directed' part as I didn't bother to point that out this morning. it is better to use the systemic and then rotate something else (or at about the same time) so you can get them two different ways. there are bugs that are getting resistant to marathon/merit, so just using it all the time can give you resistant bugs. ..that isn't just 'somewhere', we have resistant thrip and few chemicals we can use to kill them. also if you are going to use imidacloprid and you see that you have mites, make sure you kill the mites with something else before you use merit/marathon or else you will have a population explosion of mites (they thrive on it instead of dying...)

... just say 'no' to mealybugs!


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## bullsie (Apr 23, 2010)

I use Merit 75. 1/8 tsp to a gallon of water as a drench. I do it once a week for three weeks in a row and for mealies I do one more week - I think because the little monsters are crawling and not feeding and miss their full dosage. After that, all clean. But yes, just keep an eye out for mites, but I think they are easier to be rid of than the mealies.


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## likespaphs (Apr 23, 2010)

Candace said:


> ...I'd NOT recommend using more than the dosage stated. Not only could it show toxicity in the plant (especially for systemics) but it goes against Federal law.



exactly. a pesticide label is federal law and needs to be followed. 
not only for the legal aspect, but as Candace mentioned, if used incorrectly it can cause damage to the plant. 
using other than label recommendations can also lead to insect resistance issues.....


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## luvsorchids (Apr 23, 2010)

```
if used incorrectly it can cause damage to the plant.
```


And yourself-please stay safe.

Susan


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## NYEric (Apr 23, 2010)

likespaphs said:


> exactly. a pesticide label is federal law and needs to be followed.
> ....


Oh puleease!


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## likespaphs (Apr 24, 2010)

NYEric said:


> Oh puleease!




we all know you play by your own rules....oke:




luvsorchids said:


> ```
> if used incorrectly it can cause damage to the plant.
> ```
> And yourself-please stay safe.
> ...





many modern pesticides have very low mammalian toxicity. then again, if they get into waterways or the immediate environment, they have the potential to pollute waterways (killing lots of fish and other wildlife) and many are extremely toxic to bees and other beneficial insects....


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## luvsorchids (Apr 24, 2010)

```
many modern pesticides have very low mammalian toxicity.
```

Yes, when used according to labled directions . Though relativlely low toxicity, these chemicals still should be treated carefully because they are still poisons. And yes, they can cause environmental contamination.

Susan


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## cnycharles (Apr 24, 2010)

another point many don't realize is that more of the chemicals around that don't poison you, can cause higher allergic skin reactions if you are exposed to low grades over time (more skin rashes, though you're still alive...)
daconil is one that is very effective, but handling plants for many days after use can heighten skin sensitivity (ny state label says don't handle without gloves for 6.5 days after application)


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