sick Phal

[VickiC]

I have a very sick Phal that I need your help with, please. It was sunburned during the summer and has also developed what seems to be spider mites, from info that I have read. I sprayed the leaves with a combination of water and dishwashing liquid, in hopes this would be a good 1st step to irradicate the spider mites. I understand with this method, I am to follow up with more applications. Part of the sunburn had became mushy, so after the liquid dried, I treated those areas with cinnamon powder. While looking the plant over better, I noticed that there might be a problem with crown rot, so I poured a small amount of peroxide down into the crown and let it sit for about 5 min. before dumping the liquid.

I honestly do not know if I treated anything correctly, but from what I have learned from different people (in my short period of orchid growing-less than 3 yrs.) these were some of the treatments that were sometimes used. Good? Not good?

I also understood that the fungus areas should be kept dry, but that spider mites thrive in a dry environment. If this is the case, how would you treat one problem without making the other worse?

Unless you think it's necessary for me to take a different route, I would like to stick to treatments on the "home-remedy" side, if poss.. On the other hand, I'll try whatever you think best, insecticide-wise.

I would appreciate your help,
Vicki

[nenella]

Hi Vicki,
IMHO, your roots look fine & in very good condition. Yes you have a leaf with sunburn ..apart from the fact you may not like the look of it, it looks OK...
The only thing I see wrong is that you have cinnamon powder spread a bit on the leaves. Cinnamon dries the parts of the plant you put it on. and as far as I know should only be put on 'cut' edges, so as to help withthe 'scaring' of the plant tissue. So, I would wipe it off ASAP!
the actual 'crown' looks ok to me (middle of the top 2 newest leaves) apart that one is sunburnt and the other as you say has a problem... (can't say what exactly?) I think if you keep on dousing it with your homemade remedy should be OK, as long as does not get worse-(from what I have read, as I 've never tried the mixture myself). Your oldest leaves (bottom ones) are starting to go 'yellow' but that is normal for a phal to lose it's older leaves....
I would watch very carefully that the roots keep on looking like they do & that it starts growing a new leaf in the crown.. this may take months..but quite honestly to me does not look 'that bad'.
You will no doubt have other opinions
Good luck! and keep us posted.

[Eyebabe]

Try neem oil for the spider mites...not only does it choke the little suckers but the oil is absorbed by the plant to some extent and will poison the little suckers when they feed.

[VickiC]

Thank you very much for your help! Also, I did not know the cinnamon tip, so I appreciate you telling me! I'm on my way practically "as we speak" to clean up my cinnamon job.
Vicki

Originally Posted by nenella

Hi Vicki,
IMHO, your roots look fine & in very good condition. Yes you have a leaf with sunburn ..apart from the fact you may not like the look of it, it looks OK...
The only thing I see wrong is that you have cinnamon powder spread a bit on the leaves. Cinnamon dries the parts of the plant you put it on. and as far as I know should only be put on 'cut' edges, so as to help withthe 'scaring' of the plant tissue. So, I would wipe it off ASAP!
the actual 'crown' looks ok to me (middle of the top 2 newest leaves) apart that one is sunburnt and the other as you say has a problem... (can't say what exactly?) I think if you keep on dousing it with your homemade remedy should be OK, as long as does not get worse-(from what I have read, as I 've never tried the mixture myself). Your oldest leaves (bottom ones) are starting to go 'yellow' but that is normal for a phal to lose it's older leaves....
I would watch very carefully that the roots keep on looking like they do & that it starts growing a new leaf in the crown.. this may take months..but quite honestly to me does not look 'that bad'.
You will no doubt have other opinions
Good luck! and keep us posted.

[CTB]

I believe it's First Rays Orchids Website that has several home remedies. There are a lot of different things out there but it's good you are trying the home remedies first.
You can use alcohol, hydrogen perioxide, neosporin,
potatoes, beer, and vodka. Do a search for the keywords and some posts ought to come up. Your Plant looks pretty good to me.

[VickiC]

Thank you!

I'm with you on choking the little varmits! Poisioning em sounds good to me, too!

Thanks again,
Vicki

Originally Posted by Eyebabe

Try neem oil for the spider mites...not only does it choke the little suckers but the oil is absorbed by the plant to some extent and will poison the little suckers when they feed.

[johnblagg]

well now that you mention spider mites ...I need to go get my supply of no pest strips for this winter.They do a awesome job on spider mites and I need a few for the room chids are going into this week

[VickiC]

Thank you, Carol!
I found the home remedies on Ray's site and printed the pages. I'll put them somewhere in the greenhouse so they'll be handy to refer to next time....and, of course, there WILL no doubt be many "next times", unfortunately. It didn't take me long to learn that. Actually, that may be the first thing I learned (sadly, firsthand) It's a never ending battle.
Thanks again.....
Til "next time",
Vicki

Originally Posted by CTB

I believe it's First Rays Orchids Website that has several home remedies. There are a lot of different things out there but it's good you are trying the home remedies first.
You can use alcohol, hydrogen perioxide, neosporin,
potatoes, beer, and vodka. Do a search for the keywords and some posts ought to come up. Your Plant looks pretty good to me.

[VickiC]

Hi John,
No pest strips? Sounds good. So, where do you buy them then where do you put them? Do they hang or what....I've never used them before?
Thanks for your input,
Vicki

Originally Posted by johnblagg

well now that you mention spider mites ...I need to go get my supply of no pest strips for this winter.They do a awesome job on spider mites and I need a few for the room chids are going into this week

[johnblagg]

I get them at home depo or orschelns ....they hang or have a little base to stand on.I just hang one on my shelving one coveres a good size area.And they last 3 or 4 moths each.
They knock spider mites right out for me.