They'll Get In Your Ear
Miracle Gro Orchid Potting Mix ruined my orchids. I have to say the mix is incredibly rich and made the orchids look great after potting. But a day later, we noticed a tiny black fly, then another one, and another one; soon we had an infestation. We picked up two kinds of insecticide. They helped, but the flies persisted. Putting the orchids outside during the day also helped but did not eliminate the flies. When Purple Orchid's leaves (the prize of my collection) started turning yellow, I broke out the big guns: William Cullina's "Understanding Orchids." Turns out the little flies are fungus gnats. The larvae live off of the organic matter in the potting mix and can also feed off the roots of the plant. A single female can lay 300 eggs. *swoon*
The book recommends parasitic nematodes as a solution. These are microscopic worms that enter through the mouth, nostrils, and anus of the insect. They secrete a bacteria that eats the insect's insides. The worm eats the bacteria, multiplies, explodes out of the insect, then finds the next host. Gross and creepy, but they are non-hazardous to the plant, humans, and animals. True organic gardening. I spent today calling numerous garden centers and found only one that carried nematodes.
My parents called before I went to the garden center. While chit-chatting, I mention what I am up to. Afterward, Brandon and I head to the nursery and pick up the nematodes along with Schultz's Orchid Mix which is significantly more coarse than Miracle Gro. This evening when I was outside re-potting, I get a call from my mom.
"Pop just explained to me what you are doing. I thought you were going to buy something to kill the worms. I didn't know you were going to BUY THE WORMS! My skin is crawling. You can't buy worms. They'll get in your ear."
There was a long conversation of calming her down. It was similar to the one that I had with Brandon earlier. Here are some pics of the nematode solution and the expanded Garden of the Now Seven Orchids. I got four baby phalaenopsis orchids. My "Summer Beach" strain just bloomed.
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The book recommends parasitic nematodes as a solution. These are microscopic worms that enter through the mouth, nostrils, and anus of the insect. They secrete a bacteria that eats the insect's insides. The worm eats the bacteria, multiplies, explodes out of the insect, then finds the next host. Gross and creepy, but they are non-hazardous to the plant, humans, and animals. True organic gardening. I spent today calling numerous garden centers and found only one that carried nematodes.
My parents called before I went to the garden center. While chit-chatting, I mention what I am up to. Afterward, Brandon and I head to the nursery and pick up the nematodes along with Schultz's Orchid Mix which is significantly more coarse than Miracle Gro. This evening when I was outside re-potting, I get a call from my mom.
"Pop just explained to me what you are doing. I thought you were going to buy something to kill the worms. I didn't know you were going to BUY THE WORMS! My skin is crawling. You can't buy worms. They'll get in your ear."
There was a long conversation of calming her down. It was similar to the one that I had with Brandon earlier. Here are some pics of the nematode solution and the expanded Garden of the Now Seven Orchids. I got four baby phalaenopsis orchids. My "Summer Beach" strain just bloomed.