For general disease prevention, maintain all your work area clean and disinfected. Chlorine bleach is a powerful disinfectant – add 1 ounce of household bleach per gallon of water. Mix well and spray the solution directly onto work tables, benches, cutting tools, walkways, and even onto the plants. Bleach will control fungus, bacteria, and algae.

A paste made of common household glue, such as Elmer’s, and ground cinnamon is effective to cover and protect wounds on orchids. The cinnamon protects against fungus and the glue forms a waterpoof barrier. This remedy is a “last resort” for heavily damaged plants that you really want to rescue.

For preventative maintenance to your orchids’ potting media, add a 5% solution of hydrogen peroxide to your fertilizing mix. The hydrogen peroxide attacks root pests and bacteria while providing oxygen to the roots. Your orchids’ roots should easily tolerate this low concentration of hydrogen peroxide.

Some readers have reported that Listerine is very effective for treatment of crown rot. Pour it directly onto the infected area and let stand for 5 minutes, then drain the excess liquid. Repeat three times, three days apart, then evaluate the infection before additional treatments.

To sterilize used pots, soak in a 10-15% bleach solution and let stand overnight. Of course, you should clean out all media first, and especially remove white root residue (and other organic material) with a scouring pad, as they may contain viruses.

The best possible “natural” remedy is prevention rather than cure. The optimum way to deal with pest problems is to avoid them entirely or catch them early by regular inspection of the plants. Practice proper hygiene – keep the area around your plants clean and dry. Keep plants up off of the ground where possible. Use sterile tools for plant trimming. Inspect all plants regularly for symptoms of insect or disease, such as leaf holes or yellowing or mushy leaves. Take action immediately to stop the spread of the pest, quarantine the infested plant. If you don’t recognize the pest or disease, consult a good orchid book, or take a sample or photo to your garden center. The same book or garden expert will suggest a treatment.

To treat soft bodied insects, such as mealy bugs, aphids, and thrips, use 70% isopropyl rubbing alcohol direct from the bottle. A typical sprayer top will fit right on the alcohol bottle. Touch insects with a soaked cotton swab or spray the entire affected area of the orchid. Apply in the early morning or late afternoon, when it’s cool, and repeat every two to three days.

To treat hard-shell insects such as scale, mix 1 to 3 teaspoons of cooking oil and 1 teaspoon of liquid dishwashing soap per quart of water. Shake well and spray the plant thoroughly, wetting all affected surfaces. The soap will penetrate the waterproof coating of the insects’ shell and the oil will cut-off their air supply. Apply only when cool, repeat every 2 to 3 days. This remedy is also effective for spider mites.

Here’s another homemade remedy for red spider mites – add a couple of drops of liquid soap to a blend of equal parts of water and buttermilk. Spray the plants thoroughly to the point of runoff to reach and kill the infestations.

For mealybugs, use 3 percent hydrogen peroxide as a heavy spray. It will kill both the live bugs and the eggs, and will disinfect the exposed portion of the potting medium at the same time. Use a cotton swab to open leaf axils to allow the spray into the smallest crevices of the orchid.