Cattleya, Wild Willie Bingo - holes & cut leaves

[raisinbrann]

Roberta
First, Welcome!

Thank you!

Where do you live?

Charlotte, NC

Is the plant growing outside?

Plant is indoors, in an east facing window.

The damage shoot (leaf) is new since I purchased plant in March of this year. Plant is sending up new pseudo-bulb, so it's very healthy and appears happy. Just don't know what the issue is with the new leaves emerging from the plant - they appear with lesions and holes.

I can provide additional photos if necessary.

---------- Post added at 09:50 PM ---------- Previous post was at 09:43 PM ----------

[QUOTE=estación seca;966806] Starts light green and translucent, progresses to brown, then the brown part falls away leaving the hole as the last part of the damage.

Yes, correct assessment.

Could you have set the plant on something hot while you were transplanting it, and the leaf was burned where it touched the surface?

No

Or could it have been put into a spot with more sun than usual?

No

I also noticed the leaf is wrinkled, like the plant hasn't been getting enough water for quite some time.

[I]Plant is adequately hydrated.[/I]

Are your other plants wrinkled like that?

No

Probably not; I see good looking roots out of focus in the background.

Those roots are a different plant, a Phal, which is healthy.

New shoots in Cattleyas are famous for dying if the plant doesn't get enough water, or if they lack calcium. Was the plant actively making new roots when you put it into S/H?

Yes, roots are healthy. Problem appears only on the new leaf growth. Old leaves are unaffected.

[Shadeflower]

I like your answers, straight to the point
I would have tipped on the same as the others but what about the whole leaf tip being cut off? I don't think any insect could be responsible for such a stright even cut, that is very mysterious.

So I will add one last tedious question. Was it dropped at some point?

I'd start by soaking the whole pot in some water with a drop of washing up liquid added. Let it soak for 5 mins and this will drown any pest living in the pot. If you have some insecticidal spray designed for houseplants, roses etc it would be wise to use that too.

That might solve the problem and no need to worry about the cut leaf although it is a bit of mystery how straight it is. Like someone was sleep walking with some scissors in their hands. Just one possible explanation without suspecting aliens being involved.

[raisinbrann]

Shadeflower

I like your answers, straight to the point
I would have tipped on the same as the others but what about the whole leaf tip being cut off?


One older leaf (not pictured) had a few small black spots, possibly bacterial brown spot (Acidovorax), but I cut that tip off as a precaution. This not the primary purpose of my original post, just informative.


I don't think any insect could be responsible for such a straight even cut, that is very mysterious.

Yes, the leaf with the square or straight cut on top (pictured) is due to the lesion-hole issue... I didn't cut that leaf, the tip just fell off. ?

So I will add one last tedious question. Was it dropped at some point?

No Sir, not dropped

I'd start by soaking the whole pot in some water with a drop of washing up liquid added. Let it soak for 5 mins and this will drown any pest living in the pot. If you have some insecticidal spray designed for houseplants, roses etc. it would be wise to use that too.

Plant was in all sphagnum moss. I moved to S/H with 1" of the old sphagnum moss on top of leca pebbles. Plant has been sprayed with Neem oil.

That might solve the problem and no need to worry about the cut leaf although it is a bit of mystery how straight it is.

I'm trying to figure it out....

Like someone was sleep walking with some scissors in their hands. Just one possible explanation without suspecting aliens being involved.


---------- Post added at 11:08 PM ---------- Previous post was at 11:01 PM ----------

I think aliens could still be a factor. Little alien spaceships shooting holes into this one but I think that is my queue to go to sleep as I am starting to talk rubbish. Sry no answers here either.



---------- Post added at 11:16 PM ---------- Previous post was at 11:08 PM ----------

estación seca

Because of the symmetric nature of the damage I think it was a mechanical problem of some sort that isn't likely to be repeated.

Sounds logical and I wish you where correct....but the issue has been getting worse the past two weeks. More lesions and holes. Hence why I posted.

I would continue to care for the plant and watch it. Think about calcium. If the plant had adequate water when the newest shoot died calcium deficiency is a possibility.

I'll need to investigate calcium - haven't heard that response before.

I'm on well water, with a neutral pH (7.0). I have a 75 GPD RO system that I use to water my orchids with and haven't had issues in the past. I do add Miracle Grow fertilizer to the RO water when I water the orchids every 7-10 days (an 8 minute soak).