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Author Topic: Is it thrips?  (Read 3794 times)
Maria

Posts: 2


« on: July 03, 2014, 08:29:57 AM »

I have two baby Prosperity plants I've had since the end of last year.  They get watered every day and fertilized 2-3 times per week.  They usually have one or two yellow leaves but otherwise are growing well.

A couple weeks ago they began to bud and bloom all over, but some of the buds are turning rotten and falling off.  Some get big and brown in a way that suggests thrips; a couple stay yellow and small and just fall off by themselves.  I tried the white paper test for thrips and did not see anything.  These plants have always lived in Southern California.


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Charlie
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Posts: 3646



« Reply #1 on: July 03, 2014, 07:31:53 PM »

Yes, this is most likely thrips. The best way to test for them is to treat for them. If the treatment works and the bud drop slows or stops then this proves that thrips were the cause. In southern CA you can count on thrips showing up at least once per summer, and sometimes 2-3 times. If you do not treat for them they will become established and cause most hibiscus buds to fail to open.

See our thrips page for suggestions on how to control them. http://www.hiddenvalleyhibiscus.com/care/thrips.htm

Charlie
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Ernest

Posts: 1704


« Reply #2 on: July 03, 2014, 10:59:44 PM »

Maria, I've gone through the same thing a number of times and, like you, I've never seen the thrips but they have always responded well to spraying with Spinosad. I put 4-6 ounces of the concentrate in a nine gallon sprayer and spray all the tops of the plants and then repeat the process a week later. This has always worked well thus far. It seems that the plants that are most affected are those along my west property line that are quite close to various plants my neighbor has there. So be sure to spray any plants close by as they can be sources of reinfection.
I am also in Southern California. I sprayed several weeks ago when I was getting a lot of bud drop and that cleared it up quite well. Now I've just noticed a significant increase in bud drop the past two days so I started the spray cycle again today and will repeat in a week. Interestingly, my Prosperity plant was blooming prolifically for the past two weeks and now has been dropping buds the same way you describe for yours.

Erny
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Maria

Posts: 2


« Reply #3 on: July 07, 2014, 03:03:47 PM »

Thanks guys!  After the first treatment of Spinosad the plants seem a lot better.  I will repeat in a week.

best,
Maria
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