Phrag. La Hougette 'Kelly Creek' AM/AOS

[MaxC]

I have two plants in bloom currently, one I have already shared.

Phrag. La Hougette 'Kelly Creek' AM/AOS- EYOF breeding, 3 growth division was sent in spike so I cannot take too much credit, this is the 3rd bloom.

Part of the reason I wanted to share is that ns is well short of the awarded size by almost 2cm. Since we were talking about not being too harsh on first blooms. Same goes for divisions. Cannot wait to get this plant bigger to see it's full potential.

Some spikes being put out on some of my other species (my large sargentianum with good breeding) and should have some nice blooms to share in a month or so if all goes well. In the middle of a little cultural crisis with part of my collection...

 

[NYEric]

Yay besseae hybrids. Yeah, they need to be big for best blooming. Like Don Wimbers!

 

[KateL]

Max, It’s a nice flower and you‘re right about getting divisions established - it takes a bit.
Is your cultural crisis heat-related or something else?
I hope it resolves soon!
Best, Kate

 

[MaxC]

Unfortunately, something else. A type of false spider mites; no webbing, super small, damage is all in the crown. Hard to find if you aren't looking for them until they have already done damage.

I got three plants back in March (they had been treated previously for unknown malady). These three plants never seemed to thrive like my others plants have. One I thought had sun damage, since it was smaller and my quarantine area has Eastern exposure.

About a month ago, I noticed a few plants had damage on the leaves in a symmetrical pattern radiating from the crown. Turns out this was all after the fact. Reached out the vendor and we both noted damage was "old" and could not see anything alive. I had also received more plants from the same vendor after my original purchase, all were mite free.

Did not think anything of it until my one plant that was from the original purchase looked like it was having a problem on one leaf. Got a stronger magnification device and sure enough they are alive and going to town on part of my collection. I have three seperate areas: "young" plants, "new" plants and "good" plants, which my daughter says "goodnight" to every night right before bed. They got the "new" and a part of the "good".

I am treating with Azamax having endured a few sleepless nights in the past week.

 

[abax]

Is the Azamax working? I like the color intensity of this bloom.

 

[MaxC]

It is my understanding it takes 5-7 days to see the results of Azamax working. I did notice they started vacating the crown, which would likely be from the presence of moisture and not the Azamax.

Treated another 2 plants and a compot yesterday. I have another round to spray on Tuesday, which is when I hope to see only dead mites.

I opted 1 oz. per gallon treatment. There is a dispenser attached to bottle that is in mLs but the instructions only have tbsp and oz. quantities listed.

 

[richgarrison]

can you, and if so, would you please post some photos of what the damage looks like?

always good to extend ones' knowledge of possible cultural issues in our collections.

 

[MaxC]

1. Here's one of them at 25x magnification, they are really small.
2. Bad "new" infestation.
3. Seedling with "older" damage.
4. Another single growth plant with "older" damage
5. One of the original plants with "oldest" damage

 

[abax]

Are your plants in your living area? If they are, I'll shut up.

 

[abax]

Kate, I use Orthene 97% wettable powder when I have an insect problem in
the greenhouse. I would not suggest anyone with an orchid collection
in a living area use Orthene. It's dangerous and it stinks to high heaven.
However, it's effective and is systemic when used according to directions.

 

[MaxC]

Are your plants in your living area? If they are, I'll shut up.

At least until I win the lottery...

 

[shariea]

At least until I win the lottery...

Ditto!

 

[richgarrison]

awesome post.. thanx for the photos and discussion!...

 

[MaxC]

Happy to help. I will update when I treat again this week. I have been trying to get them as I see them, they seem to be hanging out outside of the crown. Other than the worst infestations which were two multi-growth plants I hardly saw any today.

 

[cpmaniac]

Very nice flower, Max. I, too, have been having some mite issues. The plants affected are recent purchases from one vendor. They had been treated for mites by the vendor, but they came back. I hit them with Avid. I just ordered some Azamax, and will use that in rotation.

 

[MaxC]

I feel your pain. The downside is that you have to soak the crowns so you will need to have that in mind when treating to prevent crown rot and it is not an instant kill so there will be a few days of more damage.

 

[southernbelle]

Kate, I use Orthene 97% wettable powder when I have an insect problem in
the greenhouse. I would not suggest anyone with an orchid collection
in a living area use Orthene. It's dangerous and it stinks to high heaven.
However, it's effective and is systemic when used according to directions.

Abax, Orthene is a great systemic insecticide but it’s not an acaricide. If these are false spider mites it won’t work. I’m going to go out in a limb and say I suspect two things. Mites and thrips. The streaky damage near the crowns and the critter at 25x mag look like thrips in their larval stage. It looks too elongated to be a mite to me. The damage (more widespread stippling) on the leaf of one plant looks to me like possibly spider mites. But the false spider mites I get are so tiny, they are hard to see with 60x mag unless they are moving!!! One source says they are 228 microns long!!!
I think, Max, you are using something for mites (make sure it treats mites) as they are spider family and a different creature than other insects, so take a different chemical to eradicate. I’ve only used Avid and Vendex for mites. I know Avid is systemic, can’t remember about Vendex. I’ve taken care of thrips with alcohol, spray every 3 days 3 times. If a spike was forming and you had thrips it would turn black and dry up. And streaks would radiate out from spike on leaf in my experience. If they are on flowers, it’s spotting and drying. If someone disagrees, please say so as I just discovered I am fighting this again, too, after having a problem last year at this time. I really want to get a handle on it before winter when I can’t take the plants outside to spray.

 

[southernbelle]

Happy to help. I will update when I treat again this week. I have been trying to get them as I see them, they seem to be hanging out outside of the crown. Other than the worst infestations which were two multi-growth plants I hardly saw any today.

You have to spray regularly, not as you see them. False spider mites at summer temps every 7 days. Thrips every 3. Always spray 3 times. Missouri Botanical Garden has some great info and photos. Also just found an article by Sue Bottom
Www.staugorchidsociety.org/PDF/ThripsonOrchidsbySueBottom.pdf

 

[MaxC]

Ugh, @southernbelle not again!

Not thrips, thankfully. That's a close-up on a Paph. Dollgoldi. I had a small issue with a thrips earlier this year... Ebay. Have not lost any blooms/spikes in the mite infested area.

Azamax is every 7 days spray and is a systemic. My understanding is Azamax works in 3 ways, neem extract to coat the mites so they cannot expel liquid they suck up, an antifeedant and insect growth regulator. Specially for mites but evidently does work on other pests. Tomorrow is next treatment.

Another option if avoiding chemicals is the introduction predatory pests like green lace wings.

 

[southernbelle]

Ugh, @southernbelle not again!

Not thrips, thankfully. That's a close-up on a Paph. Dollgoldi. I had a small issue with a thrips earlier this year... Ebay. Have not lost any blooms/spikes in the mite infested area.

Azamax is every 7 days spray and is a systemic. My understanding is Azamax works in 3 ways, neem extract to coat the mites so they cannot expel liquid they suck up, an antifeedant and insect growth regulator. Specially for mites but evidently does work on other pests. Tomorrow is next treatment.

Another option if avoiding chemicals is the introduction predatory pests like green lace wings.

Yes, unfortunately again, albeit mostly limited so far. Thankful then, you are only dealing with one pest. Sounds like you have a good plan. I do better with chemicals Than natural, as I know them well. I grew hybrid tea roses for 25 years and dealt with many of the same pests them. However, I will say, two spotted spider mites on roses are visible to the naked eye, even though tiny. Flat/false spider mites on orchids are challenging to see even with significant magnification. Same with thrips. On roses, they are easily visible with at most 10x. On orchids, they take far more significant magnification. Different types of these critters attack different plants and orchids seem to attract the tiniest buggers. A whole new education in progress for me. Keep us posted on your progress.