dissolved cuticle due to soap application?
 

Hey all-

Was spot treating some catasetums as I prep them to bring them in for the season. Used a fresh batch of insecticidal soap . Sprayed the plants on the porch and come back within the hour to find widespread dark green spotting on the undersides of some of their leaves.

From a quick google and search and my basic biology background- I think I may have dissolved the cuticle at spots? Will the plant replace it? Are the leaves doomed (doesn't really matter with these plants but just curious)?

Thanks

The leaves are going to drop anyway... that's what Catasetenae do when they go dormant. I am guessing that the soap just washed off some accumulated dust or other "crud" leaving clean spots. I doubt very much that the leaf cuticle was affected.

You might have had spider mite and the cleaning has affected the holes they leave.

There is almost always much more leaf damage from spider mites than you see. Spraying with soap or alcohol permits the chemical to enter the leaf and kill more of it. What you describe happens quite often.