What to do when Phalaenopsis orchid has sticky leaves?

Step-by-step instructions for treatment: what to do to restore tissue turgor?

Consider how exactly to return turgor to plant tissues, heal the leaf plates and save the flower.

If there is solid plaque and bubbles

Bubbles and a solid white loose coating are a signal of improper care. In most cases, phalaenopsis reacts in this way to a decrease in temperature or an excess of moisture. Continuous plaque and stickiness on the leaf plate indicates a lesion with a scutellum. This pest affects the lower part of the leaf.

You can save the plant if you take the following actions:

1. Treat the affected leaf plate with a swab to eliminate pests.
2. Wash the flower with soapy water.
3. When cleaning is carried out, then in the room to increase the humidity of the air.

In addition to the scale insect, spider mites can affect phalaenopsis.

To combat it, you must:

1. Remove all insects from the surface of the leaf plate.
2. Wipe the windowsill thoroughly and rinse the pot.
3. Spray the plant with Fitoverm.
4. Increase the humidity in the room for the entire rehabilitation period.

Got sticky

Stickiness on the leaf plate occurs after the activity of the scabbard. Some individuals reach 2-3 mm in length. It is a sucking parasite that feeds on plant sap while releasing waste products that block normal photosynthesis. As a result, the orchid is quickly depleted and dies. For treatment, you must manually collect all the scabbards using a cotton swab. Adults are easy to remove with a soft toothbrush.

Began to turn yellow and wither

A similar process occurs when there is not enough moisture. In addition, it is recommended to check if there are drafts near the phalaenopsis. It is from them that the roots and leaves are frostbitten, and the flower dies. It is much worse if a rot has occurred (we talked about how to save phalaenopsis if the roots and other parts of the plant rot, we talked about in a separate article). In this case, the trunk will darken, and the leaves will wither and turn yellow. You can save a flower if:

1. Remove it from the soil and inspect the root system.
2. Remove from it all roots that have dark spots or do not absorb moisture when immersed in water (read about how to save phalinopsis and grow new roots here).
3. Remove affected leaves.
4. Treat all cut sites with activated carbon.
5. Quarantine the plant in a greenhouse.

Spots formed

Brown or yellow, white or black spots appear on the orchid due to improper care or disease. Leaf spot and anthracnose are fungal diseases. Their symptoms are presented in the form of numerous local lesions of a dark-colored leaf plate. They look more like dents. Anthracnose affects phalaenopsis due to high humidity. The next reason for the development of pathology is stagnation of water in the bowls of young leaves and the growth point.

If the plant has been severely affected, then it must be eliminated. If there are not so many affected areas, then cut them off, and treat the cuts with ash. The soil in the pot must be changed, and the container itself must be sterilized. During the entire rehabilitation period, the plant is to be quarantined.

When is it worth worrying?

• Of course, there is no reason to panic if the process of the appearance of sugar drops is physiological. It happens that domestic plants, just like wild relatives, try to attract insects to themselves for pollination.In this case, sweet nectar serves as a kind of bait. At the same time, the orchid grows well, develops fruitfully, and there are no other reasons for worry. Sweet baits, into which insects fall, can further negatively affect the health of the exotic. The risk of contracting infectious diseases is possible.
• If the reason lies in the excess of nutrients - this is already serious. Through sweet drops, phalaenopsis brings out the surplus of nutrients. What is dangerous, because an oversupply of fertilizing entails the formation of rot, the death of the peduncle and the socket.
• In the presence of harmful insects and powdery mildew, it is worth worrying. Immediately after confirming the likely assumptions, take action. The more neglected the state of the orchid, the more difficult it will be to cure it.

Brown (bacterial) rot

The most susceptible to this disease are phalaenopsis, cattleya, cymbidium and pafiopedilum.

If light brown and watery spots appear on the shoots and young leaves of the orchid, it is most likely that the plant is sick with brown rot. Over time, the spots can begin to darken, grow in size and merge with each other. Most often, this disease affects young leaves.

The process of damage is especially accelerated by abundant watering and low air temperature in the place where the orchid is kept.

If the damage is minimal, the orchid can still be helped. To do this, using a sharp tool, you need to cut out the affected areas to healthy tissue. Further, the places of the cuts should be sprinkled with crushed coal and treated with a copper-containing preparation, for example, Bordeaux liquid. The orchid after the "operation" should be kept under conditions that are shown to a particular species.

If the damage is too severe, then it is almost impossible to cure an orchid diseased with brown rot. No matter how sorry the plant is, it is best to destroy it before the diseased flower infects healthy ones.

To prevent brown rot, you can spray the orchid with copper sulfate once a month.

Other fungal diseases

• Brown spots with a border indicate that the orchid is damaged by anthracnose. Depressions appear on the branches and shoots, which impede the full nutrition of the plant. Gradually, these cavities increase and darken, become almost purple, their number grows, which can lead to the death of the plant.
• Powdery mildew, known to many gardeners from cucumber beds and rose bushes, is not alien to orchids. White bloom, brown and yellow spots are its main signs. Damaged tissues are deformed and twisted.
• Rarely, but it still happens that orchids are affected by rust. You can notice it from the back of the sheet. The disease manifests itself as light spots with a characteristic red bloom.

• Young weakened plants are often infested with black fungi. A rich black bloom appears in the stomata of the leaves, which does not allow the plant to carry out photosynthesis normally.
• The orchid can even grow mold. Fortunately, literally everyone is familiar with this type of fungal, so it can be quickly detected and prevented from spreading. As a rule, the process of mold formation begins with the appearance of fungus on the surface of the substrate.

If you find any signs of diseases on an orchid, you must first wash the plant with soapy water, dry it properly, and then cut out the damaged areas of the leaves or roots and treat with a 0.2% solution of any fungicide: Fitoverm, Skor, copper sulfate or Topaz.

Attention! There are a number of viral diseases of orchids, which are characterized by rounded spots on all parts of the plant. Unfortunately, they cannot be treated, it is customary to get rid of such specimens, as they can infect and destroy the entire collection.

How to deal with it?

The choice of methods for dealing with white bloom on an orchid should be based on the root cause of its appearance.If the plant is affected by powdery mildew, careful treatment with antibacterial and antifungal drugs is necessary. The same agents (fungicides) are also used to destroy the sooty fungus.

If the orchid has been attacked by pests, it is required to use appropriate preparations (insecticides) to get rid of the parasites. For the duration of the treatment, the orchidaffected by powdery mildew or pest infestation must be isolated from healthy plants. Even under the condition of full and high-quality treatment, the infected exotic will remain a source of danger for other flowers.

Next, with an isolated plant, you need to do the following:

carefully examine all parts of the orchid, including buds, arrows and roots;
carefully remove all affected parts of the plant;
process the cuts with crushed charcoal.

It is impossible to start treating an orchid affected by powdery mildew or parasites without first removing the affected parts. Infected or damaged leaves, buds, roots or peduncles, even with very good treatment, will remain a source of danger. All removed parts of the plant after cutting must be destroyed.

By chemical means

The destruction of white plaque by chemical means involves the use of drugs such as:

• 96% ethyl alcohol;
• hydrogen peroxide;
• potassium permanganate (slightly pink solution);
• ammonia.

These drugs have a powerful antibacterial effect, which makes it possible to effectively use them in the fight against fungus and white bloom on the leaves. To do this, in any of the presented means, moisten a cotton swab or disk, after which the affected plant is thoroughly treated. This procedure should be done regularly to prevent a relapse of the disease or re-invasion of parasites. After processing, the orchid is left for half an hour, and then washed with water at room temperature.

In the course of plant treatment, it is important not to forget about the soil substrate, which must be replaced with a new one. Make sure that the new substrate does not show signs of pest infestation

For prevention purposes, it should be treated with a pale pink solution of potassium permanganate.

To combat the fungus that is the causative agent of powdery mildew, special fungicidal preparations should be used, such as:

• Fitosporin;
• "Quadris";
• bordeaux mixture.

It is necessary to use these drugs in strict accordance with the instructions.

When processing plants, you should follow all precautions and work with protective gloves.

To destroy the pests that caused the formation of white bloom on the orchid, it is required to use special insecticidal preparations. The most effective are the following:

• Aktara;
• Fitoverm;
• "Confidor";
• "Decis".

Folk methods

You can also fight white bloom on orchids using folk methods that will help to eliminate the problem more quickly. One of them involves the treatment of infected plants with alkaline and acidic solutions - for example, solutions of soda or citric acid. To prepare the solution, it is necessary to dilute 10 g of any of the presented means in one liter of water.

The resulting solution must be treated with all parts of the plant that have traces of damage. After processing, the orchid should be left in a warm room, protected from drafts and temperature changes.

Good results in the fight against white bloom are obtained by treating the plant with ordinary beer. This procedure allows you to neutralize parasites, slow down the development of the fungus, and at the same time - give the leaves an attractive glossy shine.

Step-by-step instructions for treating disease-related inclusions

Bacillus Cypriped

It is necessary to start the fight against such an ailment urgently, since its negative impact spreads at a rapid speed and leads to the death of the flower.

How to recognize? Spots begin to appear at the edge of the leaf plate and literally in a day or two reach its base. In addition, the leaves lose their turgor and give off a characteristic unpleasant odor.

The best way to control Bacillus Cypriped is to remove the affected leaves and spray them with insecticides once.

Hives

Characteristic features are miniature specks, the diameter of which does not exceed three millimeters, of a brown hue. Urticaria usually spreads only on the leaves (you can find out more about what other diseases there are in the leaves of the phalaenopsis orchid and how to treat them here).

To eliminate this disease, the florist must:

• increase the air temperature in the room to the optimum (in summer it is 22-26, and in winter - 18-23);
• increase the air humidity level to about 70%.

Late blight

You can recognize this ailment by the following sign - black rot at the base of the leaf, which gradually spreads over its entire area. The danger of late blight lies in the fact that its pathogenic spores can persist in the soil for a long time.

It is almost impossible to save a plant after infection with this disease. Therefore, it is necessary to adhere to the following rules to help avoid damage by late blight:

• keep air humidity at 70-75%;
• do not overcool phalaenopsis;
• make sure that no drops of water remain on the surface of the plant after watering.

Dry points

This pigmentation can be either dark or light. However, it is impossible to cure a flower of dry spots. Because usually such inclusions are signs of burns. You can get rid of them by removing the burnt area or completely part of the plant. It is best to avoid dry spots. This can be done by adhering to simple recommendations:

• in cold weather, make sure that the plant does not have direct contact with heat sources (these can be heating or lighting devices);
• starting in spring, make sure that the direct rays of the sun do not fall on the phalaenopsis (it is better to move the flower altogether to the east or west side of the room, or shade it).

Reference! In rare cases, dry spots appear due to the attack of fungal infections. In a similar situation, the plant is treated with a fungicide agent, and in the future the grower must control the air circulation in the room.

Mesophyll collapse

A characteristic feature of this disease is uneven spots of a yellow hue, which, moreover, are depressed on the leaves (for details on why the leaves of the phalaenopsis orchid turn yellow and what to do to save them, read here).

Botanists say that Mesophyll collapse appears due to watering or spraying Phalaenopsis with low temperatures.

Damage by microorganisms

The loss of resistance to fungi by an orchid is most often associated with non-compliance with the watering regime and the wrong temperature of the content.

The most common fungal diseases in the Phalaenopsis orchid are:

• anthracnose,
• powdery mildew,
• gray rot.

Less commonly, it is attacked by other types of rot and rust. Of the bacterial diseases, the orchid is more susceptible to brown spot.

Anthracosis

Most often appears when the water stagnates in the pot and the accumulation of moisture between the leaves. The disease begins with the appearance of small spots, which eventually turn black and grow, covering an ever larger surface of the plant. The spots are not superficial, the lesion eats away at the leaf, going into its deeper layers. Later, a yellow or pink bloom appears in place of the spots.

In the event of an attack by this fungus, it is necessary to remove the diseased areas of the orchid, cutting them to intact tissues. Lubricate the cut sites with iodine or sprinkle with ash.For the duration of the treatment, the plant must be kept at a lower air humidity than usual.

If the lesion is large, the plant is treated with fungicides, for example, "Skor" or "Ridomil". From biological fungicides, you can use the drug "Mikosan". Such products contain microorganisms that feed on fungi, and are safe for plants, unlike chemicals. They need to be processed often - 3-4 approaches with an interval of 10 days. Best of all, the drug shows itself as a warning agent.

For prevention purposes, you should ventilate the room with the orchid, regularly drain the water from the pallet and blot the leaves, especially at the junctions with the stem.

Powdery mildew

The disease manifests itself as a white bloom covering the leaves and buds. First of all, plaque covers the lower parts, gradually spreading throughout the plant. Significant fungal infection can lead to the death of the plant.

To combat it, spraying with colloidal sulfur or the fungicide "Skor" helps. Before processing, the plant needs to be watered, and after 2-3 hours you can start treatment. Of the bacterial type agents also used for the prevention of powdery mildew, you can use the drug "Fitoftorin".

Gray rot

It is manifested by the appearance of a fleecy bloom of gray, brown dots and spots. The whole orchid needs to be treated with the "Immunocytofit" preparation, this safe remedy copes well with gray rot. For prophylaxis, bioimmunostimulants are used, for example, "Kendal".

Attention! If signs of gray rot reappear on the orchid, another drug must be used for treatment. Spores of this fungus quickly develop immunity to the agent used.

Other types of rot

In addition to gray rot, the flower can also be attacked by:

• Fusarion rot. This is a leaf disease of Phalaenopsis orchids, other parts of the plant are not affected. Gradually, the leaves acquire a grayish tint, become flabby, a pink bloom appears. For treatment, a pot with an orchid is immersed in a 3% solution of the drug "Fundazol" so that the liquid completely covers the substrate. This procedure is carried out three times a day for 10-14 days in a row.
• Brown rot. Its appearance is indicated by bright brown spots, which grow very quickly, gradually acquiring a dark shade. Usually affects young leaves of the plant. Treatment involves treatment with colloidal sulfur and fungicides. An effective preventive measure against brown rot will be spraying with a solution of copper sulfate. It is possible to carry out vitriol spraying no more than 1 time per month.
• Black rot. Usually appears due to pest infestation. The diseased parts of the plant must be cut off by soaking the sections with colloidal sulfur.

Rust

Phalaenopsis rarely affects the orchid, but it can appear on weakened plants. Rust disease can be identified by the appearance of lighter areas on the underside of the leaves. Over time, the leaf is completely covered with a coating that resembles rust.

Diseased leaves need to be removed, and sprinkle with activated charcoal. In case of minor rust damage, you can spray the flower with a 20% alcohol solution. If the disease has spread to the entire plant, fungicide treatment is necessary.

Brown spot

This disease is caused by bacteria, it is manifested by darkening or yellowing of the leaves in the form of round spots, stripes, streaks. Later, a sticky white bloom appears on the leaves, they become lethargic and wrinkled, turn black at the edges.

Sick areas should be cut off by smearing the "wounds" with iodine.

Prevention measures

Preventive measures are a must for any grower who wants his orchids to delight with health and abundant flowering. So, follow these guidelines:

Watering should be done exclusively at the roots. Try to keep moisture out of the sinuses and flowers.
If you are worried that rot may appear on the plant, then you can lay orange peels on top of the substrate. This is an excellent remedy for disease prevention.
Provide the flower with the right food. To do this, you should purchase exclusively specialized liquid fertilizers for orchids.

Pay particular attention to the nitrogen content. This substance is useful for orchids only if its percentage in the dressing does not exceed 14% -16%.
Set up an irrigation system

It should be moderate. It is enough to water the flower once a week. In summer, you can increase the number of irrigations up to twice a week, and in winter, reduce it to once every 10-14 days. Avoid getting moisture droplets into the sinuses and flowers. You can spray the plant (as needed).
The room where the orchid stands should be regularly ventilated. At the same time, exclude the ingress of drafts on the plant.
Inspect the flower regularly for damage or disease.
The orchid should be replanted every two to three years to maintain the freshness and quality of the substrate. When it oxidizes, there is a high likelihood of problems with the flower.
Take care of enough light for the plant - at least 8-10 hours of soft diffused lighting.
Wipe the vegetative mass of the orchid monthly with a mild antiseptic solution.

Now you know what to do if rot is found on the orchid. Choose correctly how to fight, how to process, in order to save the plant. Remember that almost always any kind of orchid (phalaenopsis, cattleya, ascocenda, wanda, cymbidium, dendrobium, etc.) can be saved if you act quickly. Take care of your plants so that they delight with beauty, abundant flowering and health.

What are the reasons?

Phalaenopsis infection occurs for various reasons. It can be direct sunlight on the flower, which burns the foliage of delicate orchids. An excessive amount of moisture, as a result of their frequent watering, necessarily leads to rotting, death of roots or other sad consequences. Cold is also not good for the plant.

Hypothermia or freezing of leaves leads to their yellowness and subsequent death (for details on why the leaves of the phalaenopsis orchid turn yellow and what to do to save them, read here). Low light can also cause some plant problems. Too hot air can also negatively affect the overall well-being of the plant. This can be worse than direct exposure to the rays of the sun, as the process of wilting of inflorescences and leaves occurs.

Description of the types of disease and photos with them

Orchids are susceptible to various types of diseases. Among them are fungal, viral and bacterial. In the photo you can see what the diseased plants look like.

Fungal

They appear with improper care, namely, too humid air, stagnant water during irrigation, too high room temperature. Fungal infections include:

Sometimes such unpleasant fungus as mold can appear on orchids.

Viral

Such diseases most often manifest themselves in unfavorable conditions - a violation of the watering regime, temperature or drying of the plant.

Unfortunately, there is practically no cure for such diseases. At a minimum, the plant must be isolated, as a maximum, it must be destroyed. The virus may not manifest itself for a long time, but, once it finds itself, it is sometimes misleading.

Therefore, before starting to treat an orchid, it still needs to be relocated to a separate room in order to avoid cases of infection. Viruses manifest themselves both on flowers and leaves. The most famous viral disease is when mosaic spots appear on orchid leaves.

Bacterial

With bacterial diseases, cure is possible. Before you start fighting them, you need to choose the right remedies.Bacterial diseases are manifested either by spotting on the leaves, or by rot. If brown or black depressed spots with a yellow rim appear on the leaves or pseudobulbs, it is most likely bacteria. Rot is a more insidious disease.

It is sometimes confused with frostbite or edema because wet yellow-brown or transparent spots form on the leaves. But if they have grown and turned black, began to dry out, deforming the leaves, then this is most likely bacterial rot. Such plants must be isolated and treated according to the identified disease.

Root

These include:

• Rotting roots due to over-watering.
• Bacterial spotting.
• Viral diseases. With them, the leaves and roots cover spots with barely visible stripes.
• Fungal infection (manifested by a yellowish bloom on the roots).
• Sometimes mealybugs and scale insects get to the roots.

In some cases, the orchid loses its roots, and then it may be necessary to grow them.

Leaves

• Mechanical damage due to improper transportation (cracked leaves).
• Puffiness (bulging bumps, growths with a wet rim).
• Fungal infections (black bumps, sometimes with mucus; ring-shaped spots).
• Black spot or phyllostictosis (ring-shaped growths and spores).
• Spider mites or flat mites (can be identified by the silvery color of the leaves).
• Moss and algae (if the plaque on the leaves can be erased, but there is a green mark on the fingers).
• Viral infection (manifested by ring-shaped spots on the leaves, double diamonds or ovals, light rings, strokes and lines).
• Cercosporosis (large circles covering the entire leaf over time).
• Burns (sun or heat, manifested by darkening of the leaves).
• Fusarium wilting (if the leaf turns yellow and falls off).
• Bacteriosis, bacterial rot.
• stangosporosis (dark spots, depressed circles and ovals)

More information on orchid leaf diseases can be found here.

Peduncle

• Improper watering and lack of phosphorus (the peduncle is short and does not grow).
• Powdery mildew (white bloom and development of brown spots).
• Mealybug (cotton wool lumps on peduncles).
• Fusarium (sunken dry areas).
• Soft mite (peduncle curls, shortens, light spots form on it).

Orchid flower dropping can be another problem.

Stem

• Gray rot (stem rot).
• Root rot (the stem turns black, gives off an unpleasant odor).
• Fusarium (yellow to brown spots).
• Fungus (manifestation of rot on the stem).
• Rotting of the core (most often due to improper watering, increased moisture, metabolic disorders).
• Scabbard (growths on the stem).