You're Not Getting My Buds Thrips!
If you grow violets, you will eventually run into every kind of bug there is that likes to destroy them. You will run into thrips. I have a theory that most violet lovers quit growing them because they either can't figure out how to protect them from bugs and eventually give up - OR - they get tired of waiting for them to bloom again and neglect them to death.
But if you have grown them long enough, you will see thrips. Thrips look like little tiny pieces of skinny rice and they move fast, usually on the insides of your flowers. You will notice them right away, as soon as your bloom opens up if you have them.
The first time I saw them, I was horrified and I panicked with the bug spray, which was too strong for my tender flowers and killed the buds anyway. Most growers say to pick off all the flower buds and stems and spray the plant and treat the soil with a good systemic. But I don't think it's necessary to dis-bud every plant you buy as a precaution, but hey! if that's what you want, it's your violet. I have dis-budded in the past only once but not anymore.
In my experience, you can treat without dis-budding. But then again, I'm horrified when I see a grower tear a plant apart - yeah, some of them do that routinely! I do understand dis-budding for disease or to make a show plant.
Imidacloprid is a systemic insect killer. It's also used in dog and cat flea products. You can get it in a spray form or in the granular form to mix into the soil. In violets, it gets taken up by the roots and goes into the leaves to kill them usually for 30 - 60 days. So you need to treat your plants regularly anyway to just protect them. But it won't immediately kill thrips. You might want to use something with permethrin or pyrethrin in it besides the 3 in 1 neem oil spray.
I do all that and I dust the whole plant lightly with diatomaceous earth, including the soil. You just need to puff it on "lightly" all over the plant even the flowers, especially the underside of leaves. It works wet or dry to kill bugs. You can mix it into your soil when you re-pot. It will kill thrips and make it unnecessary to dis-bud. You will read everywhere that it doesn't work wet (not true!)- if that were true it would not kill internal parasites in humans and animals! You will also read that the only way to get rid of thrips is to dis-bud. Some will even tell you to disbud for 3 to 6 months. Also not true! You don't need to dis-bud at all. There are a lot of so called "experts" out there but do yourself a favor and try DE yourself.
Thrips can come in to your home by jumping on your clothing if you have an outdoor garden. Thrips also are so tiny they can come in through your window screens so there is no way to keep them out. You just have to pre-treat all your indoor plants. They can be deadly if you get them because they can spread fungus that kills plants and they will distort your flowers and buds if left untreated. Although not deadly to your plants in themselves, they are more of a nuisance that can spread disease. So they must die.
Personally, if I've waited for several weeks to see a violet bloom, thrips are not enough to make me dis-bud a plant any more. I'm going to get that picture for my database of that plant in full bloom. Some growers say you will never get rid of them if you don't dis-bud but I prefer to isolate and let the plant bloom, spray the bugs off topically with a neem spray, and then treat it with Imidacloprid or spinosad as a systemic preventative. You might want to dis-bud if all the flowers are distorted as they won't make a good picture anyway. Imidacloprid or any systemic will not travel up the flower stem (they say).
It is getting harder and harder to find Imidacloprid in gardening sprays but you can get it in smaller doses commercially. Marathon is 21.4% Imidacloprid and much strong than the houseplant sprays widely available.
By the time it gets done blooming and you have picked off all the spent flowers, the thrips will be dead anyway (if you keep treating) and you will have enjoyed your long awaited blooms... but that's just me. I'm not gonna give up the blooms easily.
And... I don't panic over thrips anymore.
But if you have grown them long enough, you will see thrips. Thrips look like little tiny pieces of skinny rice and they move fast, usually on the insides of your flowers. You will notice them right away, as soon as your bloom opens up if you have them.
The first time I saw them, I was horrified and I panicked with the bug spray, which was too strong for my tender flowers and killed the buds anyway. Most growers say to pick off all the flower buds and stems and spray the plant and treat the soil with a good systemic. But I don't think it's necessary to dis-bud every plant you buy as a precaution, but hey! if that's what you want, it's your violet. I have dis-budded in the past only once but not anymore.
In my experience, you can treat without dis-budding. But then again, I'm horrified when I see a grower tear a plant apart - yeah, some of them do that routinely! I do understand dis-budding for disease or to make a show plant.
Imidacloprid is a systemic insect killer. It's also used in dog and cat flea products. You can get it in a spray form or in the granular form to mix into the soil. In violets, it gets taken up by the roots and goes into the leaves to kill them usually for 30 - 60 days. So you need to treat your plants regularly anyway to just protect them. But it won't immediately kill thrips. You might want to use something with permethrin or pyrethrin in it besides the 3 in 1 neem oil spray.
I do all that and I dust the whole plant lightly with diatomaceous earth, including the soil. You just need to puff it on "lightly" all over the plant even the flowers, especially the underside of leaves. It works wet or dry to kill bugs. You can mix it into your soil when you re-pot. It will kill thrips and make it unnecessary to dis-bud. You will read everywhere that it doesn't work wet (not true!)- if that were true it would not kill internal parasites in humans and animals! You will also read that the only way to get rid of thrips is to dis-bud. Some will even tell you to disbud for 3 to 6 months. Also not true! You don't need to dis-bud at all. There are a lot of so called "experts" out there but do yourself a favor and try DE yourself.
Thrips can come in to your home by jumping on your clothing if you have an outdoor garden. Thrips also are so tiny they can come in through your window screens so there is no way to keep them out. You just have to pre-treat all your indoor plants. They can be deadly if you get them because they can spread fungus that kills plants and they will distort your flowers and buds if left untreated. Although not deadly to your plants in themselves, they are more of a nuisance that can spread disease. So they must die.
Personally, if I've waited for several weeks to see a violet bloom, thrips are not enough to make me dis-bud a plant any more. I'm going to get that picture for my database of that plant in full bloom. Some growers say you will never get rid of them if you don't dis-bud but I prefer to isolate and let the plant bloom, spray the bugs off topically with a neem spray, and then treat it with Imidacloprid or spinosad as a systemic preventative. You might want to dis-bud if all the flowers are distorted as they won't make a good picture anyway. Imidacloprid or any systemic will not travel up the flower stem (they say).
It is getting harder and harder to find Imidacloprid in gardening sprays but you can get it in smaller doses commercially. Marathon is 21.4% Imidacloprid and much strong than the houseplant sprays widely available.
By the time it gets done blooming and you have picked off all the spent flowers, the thrips will be dead anyway (if you keep treating) and you will have enjoyed your long awaited blooms... but that's just me. I'm not gonna give up the blooms easily.
And... I don't panic over thrips anymore.
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