Hi Brad
It sucks when we lose hoya plants that we have cared for.I have lost a couple this fall/winter from over watering.
Brad you must get neem oil and use it weekly on your plants this way you will keep most pests at bay.
If you have any east Indian type of stores near you you can pick up neem for very cheap.East Indian/southeast Asian use neem as a supplement so its all lot cheaper than getting it at a plant store.
I have started to spray all my plants every 10 days to stop the mealies and other bugs from breding.

Cindy

Hi Paul,

Unfortunately, there's no stores like that around here plus I haven't found a carrier for neem oil locally yet.

Brad AKA Moonwolf

Hi Brad
Maybe you could check ebay.I took a quick look and found this listing.
http://cgi.ebay.com/4-OZ-NEEM-OIL-ORGANIC-PURE_W0QQitemZ150446450302QQcategoryZ48094QQcmdZViewItem#ht_884wt_900
You really need something to help keep mealies under control or you will be throwing away your hoyas.
Just trying to help.

Cindy

Here is a link that might be useful: ebay

Brad,

I'm with Cindy - you'd be smart to get the critters whipped before getting more plants. OMG, it can become such a nightmare if you bring new ones in before the buggers are gone. I've heard Neem is a good natural solution, so I'd sure give it a try with a small collection.

Sorry you've lost a few, but it happens to the best of us. Live and learn, kiddo!

Denise in Omaha

I agree that once mealies show up your Hoyas are toast unless you fight back. I never see mealies on my orchids but Hoyas are apparently a mealies favorite food and even though I am constantly on the lookout for pests staying ahead of mealies is difficult.
Maybe rubbing alcohol, dish soap and water would be an easy place to start because those ingredients are easy to find in any pharmacy.

Mike

Cindy, thanks for your suggestion, but we don't use EBay. I think I saw Logee's had it for sale though.

Denise, I couldn't agree more! They say experience is the best way to learn! Compacta is a mealie-magnet as it was infested with them!

Mike, they are one of (if not THE) worst insects on the face of the earth! I have used the alcohol, dish soap and water mix on my hoyas before and it worked.

It seems as if the lacunosa wasn't enough for them, now they're back for more!

Brad AKA Moonwolf

Brad What about Amazon.They have a ton of different ones.
I would be lost with out Ebay or Amazon:))There are so many things one can not get in Canada.

Cindy

Here is a link that might be useful: Amazon

Cindy, we don't use Amazon either. I'll still look around for it though.

Brad AKA Moonwolf

Brad,

Do you have coconut soap in your location? If you do you can mix one bar with one litter of water (warm water to dissolve) and when the soap turns a liquid (smelt) you can use this mixture in the foliage, only foliage, the only thing I do not know is if the coconut soap has the same ingredients (formulation) as ours! I think you guys have many problems with melieas because the plants are growing in different climate as it use to be in their natural habitat and the plagues found the perfect conditions to develop, does it happen all the time or in a specific time of the year, winter for instance?

Brad, sorry to hear of your problems. Please keep in mind that these problems will continue. You MUST buy a bottle of BATS....do not buy anymore plants until you have the BATS!! The spraying helps, but one must be VERY consistent...and the bugs reappear quickly afterwards. It's a huge disappointment that you tossed your H. compacta....totally unnecessary if you had BATS on hand. With compacta, I treat with BATS once a year and it never has been infested with mealies...not a single one. BATS costs around $20 at Lowe's or HD...and it's very simple to treat the plants...all of them! Then you're set to go for a good 6 months...and no more lost plants. Do yourself a huge favor and buy the stuff....I'm so glad I quit messing with the spraying of alcohol, soap and neem oil....it only helped for a short period and was VERY time-consuming and a lot of work...BATS is simple and is no more difficult than watering. A $20 bottle of BATS will serve you for a good couple of years. Go for it!! Fondly, Patrick

I'd be hesitant to get more plants, too, until you are sure you've gotten rid of mealies. When it comes to anything in the Asclepiad family, they spread like wildfire. BATS is a good solution, because it seems all other methods are only going to minimize them, not get rid of them. But you have to be very careful to keep treated plants out of the reach of children and pets.

Denise in Omaha

Mitizcos the reason mealies are so bad is because indoors there are no good insects to fight against the mealies. Often if we put our plants outside the pest populations fall and are easier to deal with. Aphids can be a pain in the spring or summer and at times mites are a problem.

Mike

Mike,

I was reading that mealies likes warm and humid enviroment as you have to keep the hoyas indoor during winter this most be the reason for those attacks! By the way what is Bats????

I know this is the uncorrect topic to ask but I will anyway, does anyone cultivates platycerium here????

I forgot to show the link

Here is a link that might be useful: http://www.google.com.br/images?um=1&hl=pt-br&biw=1024&bih=499&tbs=isch:1&sa=1&q=Platycerium&btnG=Pesquisar&aq=f&aqi=g10&aql=&oq=&gs_rfai=

BATS is an insecticide that causes the plant to become toxic to insects that feed on it. Bauer Advance Tree and Shrub is the name of the product and it works very well. Using indoors is pretty safe if you are careful but outdoors these products can easily poison bees and other good insects if you are not careful.
I grow staghorn ferns but only have one right now because my Platycerium grande died because it dried out too much while I was on vacation last year.

Mike

Brad, I am so sorry to hear of this. It stinks when one looses very special plants.

If I mine do well. I will try and send you a few cuttings come spring. We shall talk.:-)

Mike

Well, I got a golden barrel cactus for my sister and I found a pot of KQ on bamboo hoops for myself! I didn't see any BATS in the garden section at Lowe's but it could have been in another area. I'll post pictures tomorrow.

Brad AKA Moonwolf

OOF

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I think this is the stuff.

Oh no!! So sorry to hear about your mealies!! So far, I've not had them or any other pest (knock on wood), so I don't have any advice for you. But in the spring, I can send you a few cuttings, if interested.

In spite of losing a few plants, I hope you are enjoying the holidays ,,, happy new year!!

Jennifer