lesson learned!

After thorough reading of all the suggested chemicals to help keep our streps safe, I sailed off in my car to buy some Bayer's Advanced. The rose care product seemed to have it all. The bug kill list was complete, there was a fungacide, and a fertilizer. Best of all, it was systemic! no spraying, just mix & pour.
I put on my gloves, carefully measured & mixed according to the label, & gleefully doused all my plants!
Didnt think to try it on a few first.
Didnt think to check with other members about the concentration for streps.
Turns out the manufacturer's recommended strength was about 8 times the dose that streps will tolerate!
CORRECT MIX = 2 tablespoons/gallon
The good news is that everything died. The gnats came spiraling out of the air. the mealies crawled up the stems & died. all kinds of things crawled out and perished on the floor.
unfortuneately, even my streps died.
Perhaps this will help some one else avoid the same mistake.

Make a list,im sure we can help you get them back,look at it this way,it was good learning experiance,and now you can get new plants ,couple of summers ago,i went to a show and it got hot and I lost,almost all my streps upstairs,ive had collections die off and i get sad,but come back even more determined to do better with them,even this summer was hard,we moved I didnt get to water like i do,my lights werent hooked up,well we moved and and got new stands up and regular water again and air condisioning
and presto babies and nubs woke up and now I have a huge collection again and the best part all my freinds sent me good packages to help me rebuild,I couldnt do this with out my friends who trade with me,your freinds will get you started again
i spent the better part of my vacation working on boxes and plants,and I couldnt wait to hear how people liked them,it was fun,ill make you a new box when your ready for it,
talk to you real soon

JIM

Oh that is awful. I hope someone has some you need.

Kivit, I don't have alot, but I will send you some of my strep plants, if you want them. Send me a dmail if you are interested, and I'll let you know what I've got!

I am so sorry!
But you have such a fun outlook about it. That is exactly something I would have done,and thank you for sharing and warning the rest of us!

Awwww...what a shame, and you were trying to be such a good strep mommy!
The folks on this forum sound like they'll help you replace tho...and next time you'll know what to do.
Hang in there and you'll soon be strep-full again!
Sharon

don't fret, we will get you back instreps in no timeI know thats a terrible shame but we all make mistakes, you are definately not alone.look for a box from me probably thurs.i will mail it out on monday.hang in there ^_^
mrsbonnie

OOOH I hate to hear that-- I think we have all been there at some point in time in some fashion---(mine was a GH heater failure on the coldest night of the year...)it does make you a little sick at heart--but you will replace the ones you really loved and go on to get others you may not have otherwise had a chance to get to know. This is a great community and they will have you up to speed in no time-- I have no streps to offer--but if you need an episcia to tide you over--lmk!!
Tommie

How heartbreaking! Wish there was a website we could all add our experiences with insecticide disasters to a list of things to avoid.

I have about 30 different leaves putting up mouse ear babies right now, in the spring I can send you a huge box to help rebuild your collection.
Rox

av_ocd_girl I think your idea about a insecticide disaster thread is a great idea

LOL kivit, I love that you can still keep the humor in the story about the loss of your plants. Your photo shows exactly how streps look after a couple of days of arriving at my house, and that's without the help of chemicals, fertilizer or anything else! I just cannot keep the things alive.

So sorry to hear about your ordeal with BATS. I don't like using chemicals at all but I use BATS for two huge Gardenia bushes in the yard, to keep Thrips in check and this summer I used it on a hoya that had a heavy infestation of mealies. I never, ever go by the label directions for fertilizer or bug killers. I always dilute it much more than what the label suggests, just to be on the safe side.

I have a feeling with the generosity of the wonderful friends on this forum, that you will have some new strep babies to care for in the very near future!

Has anyone used the bonide systemic granules?? They contain the imidicloprid and are affordable-- would like to know if anyone has tried them before I buy. I understand they are stinky-- but I am wanting them for the GH.

I usually use neem oil, but in the past, I've had a stubborn spider mite problem that was cured by bonide. It does smell a little for awhile--the odor eventually fades. It has always been dependable, never harm a plant of mine, and I keep it on hand...just in case.