Neem oil question

Hi Kelly,

AzaMax is actually derived from Neem, although I think the main action from raw Neem Oil is suffocation like other horticultural oils. I was using for a while...worked ok for me for limited spraying. Tell me...what works best for you on flower thrips?

 

I found a safe and powerful arsenal is the gold brand Listerine. Works great on everything from snails, slugs, thrips and more. I only encountered a few snails and scale so far. But I know a few growers who say its a miracle worker.

 

Hmmmm...

 

Imidacloprid is the only ingredient that I have used that controlled thrips. They're very annoying!

 

I do have a couple Cattleya blooms that I can photograph that have symptoms

 

Interesting...how do you use it?

 

Put in a spray bottle and go to town. Cover the whole orchid roots and all(not blooms of course remove them if infected). Then let dry. It may take a few applications. But with all arsenal use every so often so that the pests do not build a immunity to it.

 

I have used Neem Oil in the past, but it's just too expensive for large areas.

It's my understanding that in addition to suffocation, it makes the leaves taste bad so insects won't chomp on them. The smell while applying it subsides after the oil drys.

An effective oil is Suffoil-X. It can be applied in the sun or shade and seems to really work well.

 

I am generally against the use of oils on orchids, as they can burn plants if they are warm or in sunlight. The best thing to do, if using them, is spray very early in the morning, while the plants are cool.

 

Neem oil can spoil, too. It smells like rotting onions when it's fresh....

 

Here is a mini cat showing damage from flower thrips

 

KellyW here are a few YouTube videos that can help understand thrips.

 

You mentioned the "Gold Brand." Is that just the color? Is that the only kind of Listerine that works?

 

guys I found ,if you take a cig. and blow smoke front & back on the blooms the Thrip will leave

 

Its the color. Its the original or antiseptic yellowish\ gold colored one. I am not sure if others work. Just this one has for me and some others.

 

I believe it's because of the alcohol in it, some of the newer versions don't. I don't usually spray mine with it, I use a cotton bud on the smaller plants which seems to help