When you choose to grow orchids, you know you must care for them so that they stay free of diseases. Some orchid diseases are annoying but not very serious. However, other diseases are very serious and can harm your plant. Yet, you can take preventive measures that will keep your orchids looking healthy and beautiful.

Pests That Don’t Harm Your Orchids

There are many kinds of insects that annoy avid orchid growers but these insects won’t bring any harm to your beloved plant. What insects will “bug” you? They include:

- Ants

- Aphis

- Fruit flies

- Mealy bugs

- Plant lice

- Sow flies

- Thousand-leg bugs

These insects are often seen in decomposing potting material. While they are unattractive on your plant, they don’t cause any harm and shouldn’t raise any concerns.

Keep in mind that there are some garden pests that will eat other garden pests, which means these bugs should be encouraged. While they are unpleasant to find in a garden or greenhouse, they do help it. These creatures include:

- Frogs

- Salamanders

- Snakes

- Toads

With these pests, you can be rid of other pests that are causing problems for your orchids.

Pests Devastating To Your Plant

Many pests will appear during the spring months. In fact, one of the first pests you’ll see is the thrips. Thrips will disfigure your orchid leaves and while they may not kill the plant, it does take away some of its beauty.

Red spiders are also annoying pests that do significant damage to your orchid. These bugs will create nasty rust colored spots on them. Red spiders will cause great harm to the cymbidium orchid species and will kill the miltonia (pansy) orchid species.

The worst types of pests are the ones that you are unable to see until the damage is already done, with the plant dying or already dead. These pests are generally contagious and quite difficult to be rid of. Plants with this type problem will need to be isolated so as not to spread the disease. However, it’s possible the disease will wipe out the entire orchid garden before you get the chance to take preventive measures.

That’s why it’s up to you to be vigilant about the health of your orchids. Be sure you keep the environment clean and pay close attention to their growth. Above all else, these are your best lines of defense against unwanted pests in your orchid garden.

Here are 10 things you should do if you wish to keep your orchid garden healthy.

First, be sure the plant area is totally clean. Anything unnecessary that’s around your plant should be picked up including dead plants, flowers, old leaves, unused potting soil and wood material. Be sure any utensils you use on your plant are sterilized after each use and between potting of your plants.

Second, don’t put too many orchids together. Your plants need air and space to grow. Allowing enough air to pass through will ensure good health.

Third, remove infected plants or any plants you suspect are unhealthy away from the batch of healthy orchids to stop the spread of the disease.

Fourth, control the humidity levels for the type of orchid species you are trying to grow.

Fifth, don’t freeze your home when it’s wet outside.

Sixth, spray your garden with an insecticide that you’ve purchased from a garden store.

Seventh, alternate the insecticide with fumigation tactics but make sure you use products that are safe for your orchids.

Eighth, use a fine spray with some pressure and/or soft brush to remove armored scale.

Ninth, sponge off fungus-infected spots with copper sprays or corrosive sublimate.

Tenth, dust off injured plant parts with sulphur so that you can check that rot is or is not spreading.