Hi,
First post here.
I repotted my orchids two weeks ago with orchid compost which had been outside. A few days later I noticed flies - lots of flies and killed as many as I could. One of my orchids that I couldn't salvage was dying at the time.
I could only put this down to flies laying eggs in the compost outside. What I'm worried about is that my plants will be damaged.
I have just purchased some new compost and not sure if I should repot them again so soon - but obviously don't want the flies to do any more damage.
Should I soak them in water in a bucket and repot them tomorrow? Do you think they could handle more handling? Do you think they will be permanently damaged?

Very grateful for any advice

"Roots" wrote in message
...

Hi,
First post here.
I repotted my orchids two weeks ago with orchid compost which had been
outside. A few days later I noticed flies - lots of flies and killed as
many as I could. One of my orchids that I couldn't salvage was dying at
the time.
I could only put this down to flies laying eggs in the compost outside.
What I'm worried about is that my plants will be damaged.
I have just purchased some new compost and not sure if I should repot
them again so soon - but obviously don't want the flies to do any more
damage.
Should I soak them in water in a bucket and repot them tomorrow? Do you
think they could handle more handling? Do you think they will be
permanently damaged?

Very grateful for any advice




--
Roots

This link may be of help
http://www.firstrays.com/fungus_gnats.htm

is also a good source for all orchid culture.

I would just give them a good soaking in water. You could add a little dish
soap to the water or even an insecticidal soap ( I'm not into synthetic
insecticides). My first fall bringing in my plants in I was shocked at the
insects that had moved into my orchid pots especially the roaches and ants.
I flushed all the pots with the soapy water and didn't see a sign of the
pest all winter - I keep mine inside under lights. Of course most will say
not to reuse the water so as not to spread disease to the other plants but
soapy water is pretty cheap.

Mark

"Roots" wrote in message
...

Hi,
First post here.
I repotted my orchids two weeks ago with orchid compost which had been
outside. A few days later I noticed flies - lots of flies and killed as
many as I could. One of my orchids that I couldn't salvage was dying at
the time.
I could only put this down to flies laying eggs in the compost outside.
What I'm worried about is that my plants will be damaged.
I have just purchased some new compost and not sure if I should repot
them again so soon - but obviously don't want the flies to do any more
damage.
Should I soak them in water in a bucket and repot them tomorrow? Do you
think they could handle more handling? Do you think they will be
permanently damaged?

Very grateful for any advice




--
Roots

Hi and thanks for the above.
All orchids have been soaked and flushed and the area they sit has been given a good clean.

No sign of flies for now... Thanks again.

If you repotted them just 2 weeks ago, they're not re-established in the new
pots yet, so re-doing them should do no harm. But if the soap has solved
the problem, then it will save you some work. Kenni

"Roots" wrote in message
...

Hi,
First post here.
I repotted my orchids two weeks ago with orchid compost which had been
outside. A few days later I noticed flies - lots of flies and killed as
many as I could. One of my orchids that I couldn't salvage was dying at
the time.
I could only put this down to flies laying eggs in the compost outside.
What I'm worried about is that my plants will be damaged.
I have just purchased some new compost and not sure if I should repot
them again so soon - but obviously don't want the flies to do any more
damage.
Should I soak them in water in a bucket and repot them tomorrow? Do you
think they could handle more handling? Do you think they will be
permanently damaged?

Very grateful for any advice




--
Roots

On Feb 2, 7:32 pm, Roots wrote:
Hi,
First post here.
I repotted my orchids two weeks ago with orchid compost which had been
outside. A few days later I noticed flies - lots of flies and killed as
many as I could. One of my orchids that I couldn't salvage was dying at
get some tobacco (like from a package of cigarretes), put some boiling
water to it in a jug, one-two drops of liquid regular dishwasher soap,
dilute it to a bucket, and start soaking plants and pots... it s a
very effecti ve way to kill the beasts.

the time.
I could only put this down to flies laying eggs in the compost outside.
What I'm worried about is that my plants will be damaged.
I have just purchased some new compost and not sure if I should repot
them again so soon - but obviously don't want the flies to do any more
damage.
Should I soak them in water in a bucket and repot them tomorrow? Do you
think they could handle more handling? Do you think they will be
permanently damaged?

Very grateful for any advice

--
Roots

Tobacco and Orchids make a bad combination. Tobacco is a source of mosaic
virus which readily infects orchids.

You don't even want smokers in your growing areas.

Bob
"Marios Giannakoulias" wrote in message
...
On Feb 2, 7:32 pm, Roots wrote:
Hi,
First post here.
I repotted my orchids two weeks ago with orchid compost which had been
outside. A few days later I noticed flies - lots of flies and killed as
many as I could. One of my orchids that I couldn't salvage was dying at
get some tobacco (like from a package of cigarretes), put some boiling
water to it in a jug, one-two drops of liquid regular dishwasher soap,
dilute it to a bucket, and start soaking plants and pots... it s a
very effecti ve way to kill the beasts.

the time.
I could only put this down to flies laying eggs in the compost outside.
What I'm worried about is that my plants will be damaged.
I have just purchased some new compost and not sure if I should repot
them again so soon - but obviously don't want the flies to do any more
damage.
Should I soak them in water in a bucket and repot them tomorrow? Do you
think they could handle more handling? Do you think they will be
permanently damaged?

Very grateful for any advice

--
Roots

Thats true, hense ''put some boiling water'' which deactivates TMV
which is actually the tobacco strain of ORV. I don t allow smokers
handling my plants also...

it's the nicotine that kills the bugs--so you can make tobacco tea?
hmm, learn something new every day.... but aren't cigarettes really
expensive these days?

--j_a

"Marios Giannakoulias" wrote in message
...
Thats true, hense ''put some boiling water'' which deactivates TMV
which is actually the tobacco strain of ORV. I don t allow smokers
handling my plants also...

How about boiling the water gently for a minute? That would surely kill the
virus.

You know, guys, aside from asking whether boiling destroys TMV (after all,
you burn it when you smoke it and yet you won't let a smoker touch your
orchids) nicotine concentrate is not really healthy for *you*.

Diana

"Manelli Family" wrote in message
...

"Marios Giannakoulias" wrote in message
...
Thats true, hense ''put some boiling water'' which deactivates TMV
which is actually the tobacco strain of ORV. I don t allow smokers
handling my plants also...

How about boiling the water gently for a minute? That would surely kill
the virus.

"Diana Kulaga" wrote in message
. ..
You know, guys, aside from asking whether boiling destroys TMV (after all,
you burn it when you smoke it and yet you won't let a smoker touch your
orchids) nicotine concentrate is not really healthy for *you*.

I don't think any of the insecticides are healthy for us, including the
organic ones.


Diana

"Manelli Family" wrote in message
...

"Marios Giannakoulias" wrote in message
...
Thats true, hense ''put some boiling water'' which deactivates TMV
which is actually the tobacco strain of ORV. I don t allow smokers
handling my plants also...

How about boiling the water gently for a minute? That would surely kill
the virus.

actually whatever kills isn t healthy, but again it has to do with use
and missuse and abuse and other philosophical issues. When u smoke, u
touch with your fingers unburned tobacco and that usually carries TMV.
And TMV is infecting through wounds of the plant tissue. Ok, it smells
funny a bit... b ut you don t inhale the smoke of it.

Nicotine sulfate canisters used to be readily available as greenhouse
fumigants. You poked a hole in the can, stuck in something in between a
sparkler and a punk, and the smoke would start rolling out.

If you look at the relative toxicity (LD50 Rat - dosage that will kill 50%
of the tested population), nicotine is pretty nasty - 50-60 mg/kg, versus
malathion at 800, Orthene (acephate) around 1000, Merit (imidicloprid)
around 2000.

--

Ray Barkalow - First Rays Orchids - www.firstrays.com
Plants, Supplies. Books, Artwork, and lots of Free Info!


"Diana Kulaga" wrote in message
. ..
You know, guys, aside from asking whether boiling destroys TMV (after all,
you burn it when you smoke it and yet you won't let a smoker touch your
orchids) nicotine concentrate is not really healthy for *you*.

Diana

"Manelli Family" wrote in message
...

"Marios Giannakoulias" wrote in message
...
Thats true, hense ''put some boiling water'' which deactivates TMV
which is actually the tobacco strain of ORV. I don t allow smokers
handling my plants also...

How about boiling the water gently for a minute? That would surely kill
the virus.

wrote:
it's the nicotine that kills the bugs--so you can make tobacco tea?
hmm, learn something new every day.... but aren't cigarettes really
expensive these days?

--j_a
I,m responding several days later but in case it has not already been
mentioned: Cigarette soup IS a powerful insecticide.
However it is also a way to transmit tobacco mosaic virus.
If you are dealing with plants that are not susceptible
then that is not an issue.
I believe orchid people are very sensitive to concerns
about blemishing their plants.