The very word "orchid" is fraught with some charm and mystery. Growing this amazing plant at home is a real pleasure, especially when the pet begins to delight you with its truly royal flowers of the most unthinkable colors. But all this is possible only with the right care. The plant is quite unpretentious, but at the same time has its own "character". Very often you can encounter all sorts of troubles, so it is so important to know orchid diseases and their treatment.
First of all, it is worth saying a few words about the proper care of these plants. After all, this is the main factor in the prevention of various diseases and the key to good flowering.
7 Biggest Orchid Care Mistakes
- Excessive and frequent watering is one of the main reasons an orchid dies. Strictly follow the recommendations regarding the water regime.
- Cold drafts in the room. Remember that they in no way replace ventilation and are not an equivalent concept.
- Too dry air in the apartment. Orchids are inhabitants of tropical forests, where humidityclose to 100%.
- Direct sunlight in summer. From the midday heat, the plant must be shaded.
- Wet leaves. Spray and water the plants should be in the morning. If you systematically do this in the evening, then you will surely provoke diseases of orchid leaves.
- Heat source nearby, namely radiators. Most often, this leads to damage to the leaves.
- Fueling too much. It is impossible, firstly, to make them during the dormant period, and secondly, in an arbitrary concentration, strictly follow the instructions on the package.
To avoid the question of how to save orchids, adhere to these basic postulates. Otherwise, you may experience some difficulties.
Problems related to poor grooming
First of all, we learn from the leaves that something is wrong with the plant. This is the most important indicator, or at least the most visible one for us.
The first signal that not everything is in order is a change in the color of the leaves. If they have become yellow or reddened, then perhaps the reason is too bright sun. If the emerging new leaves have become too dark, then most likely they do not have enough light. A sign of malnutrition can be a change in color intensity, when all the greens become uniformly pale. These changes are not fatal. And if there is no question about how to save orchids, then helping the plant is simply necessary.
A more serious sign is wilting or dropping of leaves. The first thing to do is to carefully inspect the plant for pests. If his appearance is he althy enough, then the cause may lie in dehydration. Surprisingly, it is a fact: the same symptoms can indicate both an excess of moisture and a lack of it. When the substrate dries out, the roots of the orchid lose their source of water and, accordingly, cannot supply the leaves with it. And with an excess of moisture, they simply rot and also do not cope with their function. As a result, you get wilted or falling leaves.
Well, another most common situation is the appearance of black spots. They appear either on the entire surface of the leaf, or only at the tips. In the first case, the reason lies, most likely, in an excess of sun, and the plant simply burned, and in the second, waterlogging, drafts are to blame.
Bacterial diseases of orchids and their treatment
This is perhaps the most difficult category of disease, because by the time the signs are noticed, it is usually too late to do anything. Brown leaf spot is specific to orchids, especially Phalaenopsis. A leaf affected by this disease first turns yellow and then turns brown. Infected tissue becomes soft and covered with ulcers, from which cell sap comes out. The question arises, how to save orchids with such a disease. First of all, a diseased plant must be isolated from the rest. Sections of leaves affected by brown spotting are carefully cut out, while capturinghe althy tissue. Slices are best sprinkled with chopped charcoal. This measure is effective at the initial stage. After all the sections have dried, the plant should be treated with special preparations (fungicides). For example, "Strobi", "Vectra", "Fitosporin", etc. If the flower is damaged too much, including the bulb, then it will not be possible to help it, you will have to throw it away.
How to save orchids from fungal diseases? The answer is the same - follow the rules of care. Most often, orchids are affected by gray and black rot. Both diseases are fungal in nature, which leads to the transience of their course and the difficulty in eliminating them.
Grey Rot
Signs of its appearance are spots of brown or black color with pink edges. Most often they occur on flowers (petals and sepals). The reason for the appearance is a combination of high humidity with low air temperature, as well as insufficient ventilation. At the first sign of the disease, the affected flowers must be removed, and care errors should be eliminated. For prevention, it is worth treating with a fungicidal preparation.
Black Rot
This is a more serious disease. Phalaenopsis and cattleya are most susceptible to it. The first sign is the appearance of dark spots on the leaves, along the edges of which a light strip forms. Further, black rot passes to the bulb and roots. The reason lies in the same - low air temperature and at the same timehigh humidity, waterlogging of the substrate. In this case, it is important to know how to save the orchid. Are the roots rotted or just slightly damaged? In any case, the plant should be destroyed. It will not be possible to save him, but you can easily infect others. If only the leaves are affected, then urgently cut off the affected areas to he althy tissue. Further, the procedure is the same as with gray rot.
This category of diseases is quite common. And, as already mentioned, rot develops extremely quickly, affecting all parts of the plant. Very often the question arises of how to save an orchid without leaves. This can be done only if the growth point is not damaged, or there are dormant buds.
In addition to bacterial and fungal diseases, orchids are often attacked by pests. Let's consider each option in more detail.
Aphid
These are small (from 1 to 4 mm) insects, which, depending on the species, may be green, yellow or black. They suck the juice from the plant, so buds, flowers, young leaves and sprouts are a favorite location. In places of their greatest accumulation, a copper coating is formed, on which dark mold subsequently develops. At the initial stage, the plant should be washed with soapy water, and the buds and flowers affected by insects should be cut off. If the colonies are too large, then insecticides are used, for example, Fitoverm, Inta-Vir. Keep in mind that most often they all require re-treatment after a certain period, so read the instructions carefully andstay safe.
Thrips
These are very small flying insects with a yellow or black body. Most often they can be seen with the naked eye. In addition, signs of the appearance of thrips are spots and stripes on leaves and flowers of silver color. Buds affected by insects begin to deform. Their appearance and active reproduction is facilitated by prolonged drought. Therefore, it is so important to know what kind of soil for an orchid is needed and how to maintain constant moisture in it.
Spider mite
A small insect most commonly found on soft-leaved orchids such as the cymbidium. Its active development and rapid reproduction is facilitated by dry indoor air and elevated temperatures. A characteristic feature is the appearance of first pale, and then darkening spots, sometimes a cobweb is noticeable. Control and prevention measures are the same. Once a week, treat the plant with an insecticide. They do the same when a false flare appears.
Shields
This is a very insidious pest. Often his abilities are underestimated, as a result, it is simply impossible to save the plant. The appearance of pests resembles brown or gray plaques. They suck the juice from the plant, so they can be found most of all on the leathery leaves. The female adult spends her entire life immobile, protected by a wax shield. It is with this feature that it is difficult to get rid of them. The appearance of scale insects may be the answer to the question of why the orchid dries. Insects draw the juice from the leaves, causing them to wither, then turn yellow and eventually fall off.
The main object of these pests are, first of all, weakened plants with impaired metabolism, “overfed” with nitrogen fertilizers. You can get rid of the scale insect, but it will take some effort. Initially, isolate the affected orchid from other plants. Next, you should wash it with water or ordinary soapy water - this will help get rid of young and mobile individuals. There are many folk ways, but is it worth the risk and start the disease even more? Therefore, we advise you to immediately use insecticides. Handle the plant carefully, scale insects like to hide in the axils of the leaves, especially in orchids with sympodial branching.
Mealybug
These are very small insects that seem to be covered with fluff resembling cotton wool. They, as a rule, settle in the axils of the leaves or on their underside, on the pseudobulbs. With the formation of large colonies, the plant stops growing. Wilted leaves can also be a sign of their appearance. Very often, a mealybug can be brought home with a freshly purchased plant. Therefore, it is so important for the first few weeks to keep a new orchid, and any other flower, in isolation from others and observe. In this case, the advice especially applies to phalaenopsis. Ways to deal with mealybugs are similar to those with the appearance of scale insects.
Slugs andsnails
Of course, they are unlikely to appear at room conditions. Slugs and snails are a scourge for those who breed and keep orchids in greenhouses and conservatories. These mollusks primarily damage buds and flower stalks, as well as the tips of rhizomes in orchids. Prevention of their appearance is the timely removal of garbage and plant residues from greenhouses. These pests are nocturnal, so at nightfall, you can try to collect them by the light of a flashlight. But it is best to decompose special anti-mucus granules.
The whole secret of a he althy plant is proper care of it. By observing the right temperature and humidity, choosing the right soil and location of the plant in the house, setting a competent watering regime, you will save yourself from many problems.
