The Orchid Garden

Phrag Problem

Question:

Excerpts from netnews.rec.gardens.orchids: 19-May-98 Re: Phrag Problem   Barring any other more obvious problem, it is almost certainly an accumulation of salts in the medium.  Some are more sensitive than others. Some species in particular are extraordinarily sensitive.  You can limit the problem to some extent by using very pure water.  Flush your pots completely on a regular basis, and repot frequently.  Every six months is not out of the question.  Few people can grow perfect phrags, it is a common ailment to have brown leaf tips, so don’t feel too bad.  I have plenty myself.

I realize this is salt accumulation sounds like the problem, and I had my share of this with phrags before I switched to using RO water (with trace elements).  With growing now well over 100 phrags, most doing fine (even one Awarded), I don’t think my new problem is with salts.  I think I must have picked up something on a new plant and it has spread.  It’s not the typical leaf tip dieback.  The problem starts as small irregularly shaped brown spots that go through the leaf, the spots enlarge, and eventually combine. Almost looks like a dehydration problem.   Charles VanDyke

Response:

This can sometimes be caused by an accumulation of salts in the media, or possibly over fertilization, if you do not do so already, flood the pots with clean pure water often, between fertilizing to make sure this is not the cause of the tips turning black. I am not knowledgable in phrags yet, but I have noticed stories akin to yours, and the cause was salt build up, or over fertilization. Hopefully this will eliminate one possible cause, if it is not the cause. I hope this helps, David JLY – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I have noted a problem on several of my phragmipediums (seedling as well as established plants) that I hope someone can help me with.  The last half inch  or inch of the new growths get what start out as small brown spots at the tips, and these spots get larger, eventually combine and I see the whole tip turn brown and die back.  It has happened on older growths as well, not necessarily at the tip, but near the ends of the leaves.   The plants get watered almost every day so I know they are not drying out (the brown dieback is dehydrated).  I wonder if it is some kind of insect, or disease that can be treated, or what.  Any help would be appreciated. Thanks Charles VanDyke

Response:

        Barring any other more obvious problem, it is almost certainly an accumulation of salts in the medium.  Some are more sensitive than others. Some species in particular are extraordinarily sensitive.  You can limit the problem to some extent by using very pure water.  Flush your pots completely on a regular basis, and repot frequently.  Every six months is not out of the question.  Few people can grow perfect phrags, it is a common ailment to have brown leaf tips, so don’t feel too bad.  I have plenty myself. Rob I have noted a problem on several of my phragmipediums (seedling as well as established plants) that I hope someone can help me with.  The last half inch  or inch of the new growths get what start out as small brown spots at the tips, and these spots get larger, eventually combine and I see the whole tip turn brown and die back.  It has happened on older growths as well, not necessarily at the tip, but near the ends of the leaves.   The plants get watered almost every day so I know they are not drying out (the brown dieback is dehydrated).  I wonder if it is some kind of insect, or disease that can be treated, or what.  Any help would be appreciated.

 Rob’s rules to live by:                        |     (1) There is always room for one more orchid. |   (2) There is no rule 2.                       | Future starving PhD.    (2a) When one has insufficient credit to buy |  

Response:

I have noted a problem on several of my phragmipediums (seedling as well as established plants) that I hope someone can help me with.  The last half inch  or inch of the new growths get what start out as small brown spots at the tips, and these spots get larger, eventually combine and I see the whole tip turn brown and die back.  It has happened on older growths as well, not necessarily at the tip, but near the ends of the leaves.   The plants get watered almost every day so I know they are not drying out (the brown dieback is dehydrated).  I wonder if it is some kind of insect, or disease that can be treated, or what.  Any help would be appreciated. Thanks Charles VanDyke

Response:

- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I have a problem with relatively mature phrags in the fall. It happened last year and is now doing it again.  A browinsh rot (light brown and soft) appears at the base of the outer leaves (just where they attach to the plant) and spreads upward through the leaf.  If left unchecked the rot spreads to other leaves and eventually the entire growth is consumed. The medium is wet, as it is in all my phrags, but I keep the leaves dry when I water.  Later in the fall, or early winter, the problem seems to be not as bad, but will return and even spread up and kill the orchid flower.  Certain kinds of the phrags seem to be susceptible, but I will have to check the names if this would be of any help in solving the problem.  Most of the phrags in my collection seem to be OK, but enough show the problem (usually the expensive ones) for me to seek advice. Any suggestions? Thank you Charles VanDyke

Charles, If keeping wet all the time, make sure you’re repotting on a regular basis. I’d suggest every summer under your circumstances. An alternative is to keep the plants less wet. This will work sometimes, sometimes not. The danger, obviously, is allowing the plants to become overly dry. Immediate rot problems can probably be dried up with Physan but you’ll still need to address the problem causing the rot. -Rod- Venger’s Orchids Website http://www.vengers.com/

Response:

I have a problem with relatively mature phrags in the fall. It happened last year and is now doing it again.  A browinsh rot (light brown and soft) appears at the base of the outer leaves (just where they attach to the plant) and spreads upward through the leaf.  If left unchecked the rot spreads to other leaves and eventually the entire growth is consumed. The medium is wet, as it is in all my phrags, but I keep the leaves dry when I water.  Later in the fall, or early winter, the problem seems to be not as bad, but will return and even spread up and kill the orchid flower.  Certain kinds of the phrags seem to be susceptible, but I will have to check the names if this would be of any help in solving the problem.  Most of the phrags in my collection seem to be OK, but enough show the problem (usually the expensive ones) for me to seek advice. Any suggestions? Thank you Charles VanDyke

Response:

        Not all phrags like to be kept wet.  Especially some of the more expensive ones like besseae.  They still like to be a little wetter than your typical paph, but standing in water is probably not an optimal condition.  Experiment a little bit.  I’ll spill my technique… I grow all of my phrags sitting in water for the first month or so after I repot them. Then I water them like my paphs (maybe a little more).  The sitting in water for a month softens up the mix and allows it to hold more water.         However, your problem doesn’t sound like a root problem.  Otherwise the entire plant would be affected, not just a few growths.  It is probably a fungal infection.  I usually don’t recommend prophylactic fungicide treatment, so I won’t.  However, I would treat any brown spots with an appropriate fungicide (Kocide, sulfer dust, or cinnamon – in increasing order of preference).  Then figure out why you are getting rot.  Increase your air movement, clean up around the plants (cleanliness is next to phragliness…), and most importantly, space the plants adequately.  I know it is hard (believe me, I know) but a little space between plants will more than pay for itself.         Some phrags are harder to grow than others.  And of course it is usually the expensive ones (probably why they are expensive). Rob I have a problem with relatively mature phrags in the fall. It happened last year and is now doing it again.  A browinsh rot (light brown and soft) appears at the base of the outer leaves (just where they attach to the plant) and spreads upward through the leaf.  If left unchecked the rot spreads to other leaves and eventually the entire growth is consumed. The medium is wet, as it is in all my phrags, but I keep the leaves dry when I water.  Later in the fall, or early winter, the problem seems to be not as bad, but will return and even spread up and kill the orchid flower.  Certain kinds of the phrags seem to be susceptible, but I will have to check the names if this would be of any help in solving the problem.  Most of the phrags in my collection seem to be OK, but enough show the problem (usually the expensive ones) for me to seek advice.

 Rob’s rules to live by:                        | Send me seeds!   (1) There is always room for one more orchid. |   (2) There is no rule 2.                       | Future starving PhD.    (2a) When one has insufficient credit to buy |  

Response:

Filed under: Orchid Flower

Related Posts