Don't Let Cockroaches Damage Your Orchids

Cockroaches are among the greatest pests with which you will have to deal in growing orchids. They can do major damage in a few nights if not caught and killed.

Why are roaches the problem they are, and how can you deal with them?  The answer is that one of their favorite sources of food is a potted plant's tender young roots and flower stems. It is not unheard of for the roots of a plant to be entirely chewed off in one night by these pests.

How to effectively control roaches is a perennial topic. People have been fighting with them in their homes and kitchens for centuries, and we will probably be fighting them for centuries to come. They have evolved to be incredibly successful in living amongst us and in resisting extermination.

A wide array of poisons have been invented in an attempt to control cockroaches. If you go the poison route, you must of course only use the ones that will not do damage to your plants. Visit the garden supplies section of your local hardware store.

For a less potentially risky solution, many growers have had success using boric acid, sugar and flour mixed with water to make a paste. The paste needs to be spread in every crevice and corner you can reach to be most effective. To be completely safe, though, don't get any of this paste on the plants themselves.

You might also set out a few those "roach hotels."  These will trap many roaches and prevent a few at least from getting to your plants in the first place.

But really, the only way you can hope to keep roaches reasonably controlled is to hunt for them by both day and night. You should especially search for them on and around your plants in the evening, using a flashlight. They leave their hiding places in the evening to seek food and it is then that they are most easily caught and killed. Don't forget to move your pots and baskets around to uncover ones that may have run into hiding from you.

A decent guide to orchid growing will have many more tips and suggestions for making sure that pests such as roaches don't put an end to your plants. The most up-to-date guide to modern orchid cultivation, I have found, is Orchid Care Expert by Nigel Howard, which may be downloaded online. Howard's well-written guide is a thorough education all to itself. And, it is appropriate for beginners as well as more seasoned orchid growers. Also, visit the Orchid Secrets web site, which has a growing library of postings on all topics of orchid cultivation.