Warm weather means

[keith]

Spider mite aren't they cute ? Last week I thought maybe I saw evidence so sprayed them with insecticide soap which did nothing as usual. So I had to get out the real stuff and hopefully this does the trick for the whole year. I was taking pictures which is how I spotted them. I get them almost every year. These were on Turbinicarpus pseudopectinatus which usually gets them first and worst.

[keith]

The insecticide soap is useful for rinsing out my sprayer.

[keith]

Looks Ok now. Wish I had another so I could pollinate but my other 2 died from rot. All 3 were in same pot so I got this survivor out in time.
I have seedlings in a few years they will have flowers just have to wait. I find these harder to grow than some other turb's. In my case that means they probably need a acid soil since my soil is mixed with diatomaceous earth which I think is alkaline. probably mix in some oak leaf mold or something or maybe I did and thats why they get pests easier than the rest of my collection? Can't remember because it was a emergency re potting so I just did it quick.

My pedio simpsonii which are a compost based mix always get pests mealy bugs and spider mite. PITA

[keith]

Somewhat easier to grow than pseudopectinatus. They also can get spider mite. They do well in a part Diatomaceous earth mix , keeps the insect pests down.

[Daniel]

Looking good! what do you use as the proper spider mite killer? I've had a bit of an outbreak here and need to find something that actually kills them.

[keith]

Hi I use Kelthane also called Dicofol and is most often sold as Dienochlor (Pentac Aquaflow, Pentac WP).

I've had my bottle of Kelthane forever I can't find it at any store in California. years ago no problem .

I think its still sold I found this. There might be better Miticides available now.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Kelthane-Mitici ... 1592937968" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[keith]

by Forbid™ 4F Miticide
4.5 out of 5 stars 28 customer reviews
| 7 answered questions
Price: $206.50 + $5.49 shipping

whoa that's expensive must be the pot growers ??

[keith]

A better picture. I ordered some other miticide TETRASAN from flytrapcare.com

See how that works out. Supposed to kill mite eggs .

[keith]

The Kelthane will kill the adults and a couple weeks later I can spray TetraSan to kill any eggs and nymphal mites. Hard to find small qty's. of miticide everything is geared to big pot farms. A One Gallon mixture is enough for my entire collection. Never used anything for mites but Kelthane but I think after reading on CactiGuide I should switch miticides around once and awhile.

Have to check for mealy bugs later I have found Imidacloprid works very well for root mealy bugs not as well for spine mealy bugs.

This post should have gone to the pest section my bad.

[Steve Johnson]

Hey Keith, I've been using TetraSan ever since Dean Stock recommended it to me a few years ago. I've found that it's highly effective, although I do see some wisdom with regard to rotating miticides. I haven't tried Kelthane before -- do you happen to know if it's a translaminar? Reason I ask is that they're more effective than contact miticides, and TetraSan is translaminar.

[keith]

Kelthane is unavailable anymore in CA and I don't think its being made anywhere? A web search failed to find any outside of Australia on Ebay.

I received the TetraSan its small brown pellets that I guess dissolve in water ? Mites are gone for now so I'll probably try this maybe late spring or Summer or if I see mites again.

[keith]

Warm weather also means flowers. Time to pollinate and attempt to get seeds. I use sable paint brushes.

[RichR]

Keith, your plants look great. I especially like the turbs. I just noticed spider mite webs on one of my echinopsis hybrids. I sprayed it with diluted alcohol but will probably have to treat with Avid eventually.

[keith]

A reliable bloomer so far. I bought it on Ebay from a Texas seller many years ago.

[keith]

Early spring Flowers over now just waiting for the Escobaria minima to bloom. Epi Bokeii seem to be doing well in the diatomaceous earth mix. I suspect some other cactus don't like it at all ? I'm guessing they don't like it if they get stunted and quit flowering ? Mammillaria theresae might not like it? Maybe wants a more acidic soil ? I read it lives in rock cracks in the mountains of Mexico. Decomposed granite might work better ? have to try it. Or maybe its just hard to grow.

Down at the lower right you can see one lone small Echinomastus erectrocentrus , it doesn't like anything and soon will lose its roots like its siblings did. And they did so well in AZ must be the heat ?