Sticky drops on orchid leaves: what to do if a sticky white bloom appears on the flower? How to treat an orchid? Causes of the disease

How to revive a wilting plant

Very often, inexperienced growers are faced with such a problem as sluggish leaves. Resuscitation of an orchid in this case begins with a thorough diagnosis, because it is necessary to treat not only the symptoms of the disorder, but also the cause of the problem. Initially, you need to carefully inspect the sheet, if it has a green color that smoothly passes from light to dark, then this is considered the norm.

If brown and yellow spots are present, then this means that the plant is gradually withering. The spots can be located on the sides or in the center of the leaf. If the leaf has completely changed its color, then it will no longer recover.

However, leaf color is not the only sign of irregularities. The structure of its surface also changes if it lacks moisture or the plant is sick. These are the main reasons why orchids have sluggish leaves. What to do with this must be decided individually, based on the complexity of the problem.

Most often, housewives grow the Phalaenopsis orchid at home. A very common problem in caring for this flower is leaf wilting. There are many reasons for the wilting of orchid foliage. The main ones include:

improper or unsystematic watering;
violation of the temperature regime;
excess or insufficient moisture;
incorrectly selected fertilizer;
violation of the feeding regime;
selection of unenriched soil for planting;
violation of the root system.

Phalaenopsis orchid leaves wither: what to do?

Under natural conditions, the root system of the orchid, including Phalaenopsis, is outside. It is with the help of the roots that the orchid is attached to the sheer rocks. At home, keeping the roots bare is not recommended, since they will constantly dry out. This can lead to the development of diseases and the death of the plant.

It is very important to maintain a constant level of moisture in the soil and choose a pot that is suitable for growing orchids. Despite the fact that the Phalaenopsis orchid, like other plants from this family, is considered thermophilic, it is better to hide it from direct sunlight

Often, during the cultivation of orchids, housewives struggle with the problem of leaf shrinkage. If you notice that the leaves of an orchid have shriveled, this may be the first sign of the development of a disease, which will lead to the fall of the foliage and the death of the plant. At this stage, you need to take all the necessary measures to revive the flower.

Remember that the lower leaves fall off periodically. Withering of the lower 2-3 leaves is considered the norm. As a rule, this occurs during the growing season or after the complete cessation of flowering.

Prevention methods

Preventive measures against phalaenopsis pests are as follows:

New copies should only be purchased from specialized stores. Be sure to inspect the shoots so as not to acquire an infected specimen.
The flowerpot should be quarantined to make sure it is healthy.
The collection of indoor plants should be inspected periodically.
You should familiarize yourself with the rules for caring for phalaenopsis. To grow a flower at home requires: a warm, bright room, high humidity (60%), watering and fertilizing.

Additional Information! Parasitic insects do not land on healthy specimens of indoor flowers; they attack weakened varieties. Orchid leaves should be wiped with a damp cloth every 10 days, and rinsed once a month under running water.

A wonderful gift - an orchid

In order for a flower to please with its flowering for a long time, you need to follow the rules of care. If suddenly sticky drops have formed on the leaves of a tropical beauty, you need to immediately find the reason. Untimely assistance can lead to the death of the plant.

Treatment depending on the cause

Before moving on to action, it is worth understanding the causes and effects. Sticky drops are not always a negative indicator.

When attracting insects

If the plant is healthy, blooms and develops regularly, then there is no reason to worry. Sugar droplets in this case are a natural process of the orchid's life, to lure pollinators. This is not scary for the plant, there is no need to carry out treatment to eliminate nectar.

When protecting against pests

The flower produces nectar to protect against pests

Therefore, it is important to carry out regular inspections. If the plant is clean, juicy, then everything is in order.

But insects happen to stick in a sweet substance, thereby harming the phalaenopsis. Or they start on the underside of the foliage and feed on its juice. The sticky layer is then a symptom of insect infestation of the orchid.

What to do if insects appear:

isolate a diseased plant;
remove insects with a cotton swab;
trim the affected areas if necessary;
wash the leaves with warm soapy water;
treat the plant with an intoxicide solution;
reduce watering during the cold season.

Prevention:

Once every 2 weeks, a pot with an orchid should be immersed in water, after adding two Alirin-B tablets there;
regular washing of leaves and pot;
optimal temperature and humidity;
You can temporarily hang up sticky tape for flies.

With improper care

The sticky layer on the leaves also indicates unfavorable content parameters. A similar problem is observed if there is low humidity in the room, the presence of drafts, hypothermia of the orchid, overfeeding with fertilizers.

Help:

optimization of temperature and humidity conditions;
moving the flower pot to the sunny side, without the penetration of direct rays;
minimize watering in winter;
reduce the frequency and dosage of mineral fertilizers.

ADVICE! For the purpose of prevention, create comfortable conditions for an indoor flower, as close as possible to natural parameters.

If it's powdery mildew

The cause for excitement is the presence of signs of powdery mildew disease. Harbingers:

sticky layer on foliage;
a white coating that spreads quickly.

It is necessary to take emergency measures:

isolate a diseased plant;
rinse the orchid with warm water;
give time to dry;
treat the flower with the preparations "Aktara" and "Actellik".

Prevention:

maintaining the humidity and temperature at an optimal level;
avoid sharp temperatures and drafts;
use boiled or filtered water for irrigation.

Red leaves

Reddening of the leaves always scares florists. This phenomenon has various reasons:

excess copper;
phosphorus deficiency;
leaf spot;
mealybug lesion.

For preventive purposes, to eliminate the possible cause of an overabundance of copper, you should change the soil in the pot and apply organophosphate fertilizer.

Leaf spot can be suspected if, in addition to the discoloration, there are other symptoms - a weeping surface, softening of the leaves.

Spots and dots on plants can indicate both simple violations in the care and maintenance, and serious diseases.

In any case, at the first changes in the appearance of the orchid, it is necessary to conduct a thorough examination and identify the cause. The effectiveness of the measures taken will depend on this.

If the diagnosis is correct, then it will not be difficult to cure the orchid, and it will again delight with its flowering.

Insecticides for sticky drops on phalaenopsis

If preventive measures do not help, turn to more serious weapons - insecticides. Florists note the effectiveness of the preparations Zircon, Alirin-B, Aktellik, Aktara. Ways to deal with ailments that provoke the formation of drops:

Alirin-B neutralizes both fungus and pests well. Dissolve 2 tablets of the drug in a basin of warm water and soak the flowers in it for 20 minutes. The procedure can be carried out not only for treatment, but also for prevention, no more than 2 times a month.
In case of damage with a scab, after washing with soap, spray the leaves with any of the biochemical preparations.
You can irrigate the plant with zircon without preliminary washing. For 0.5 l of water, 3-4 drops of the drug are enough.

You will learn more about the use of insecticides from the video. If drops appear on your orchid, don't panic. This sign indicates only the beginning of the process of attack on the plant by infection or insects. Follow the technology, and you can easily get rid of ailments with folk or purchased remedies.

What to do and how to treat?

The first thing to do when stains are found is to remove the pot from the windowsill. It is necessary to dry the top layer of the soil and provide the plant with high-quality drainage. It is necessary to find out the root cause of the formation of stains on the foliage:

Improper watering. You need to find out the moisture level of the soil. If the earth has crumpled or has lost its aeration properties, white mold and an unpleasant odor have appeared on it, be sure to transplant the orchid and leave it in quarantine for 2 weeks.
Temperature and lighting problem. The pot should be removed from direct sunlight, a hygrometer should be installed next to it to control temperature changes. If the humidity is low, a systematic warm shower is shown, why is it needed, it helps to remove white plaque and stickiness (for more information on why white plaque and sticky drops appear, read here).
Pest infestation. Quarantine is mandatory (separation of the affected plant from healthy ones). Treating the leaves with laundry soap, a bactericidal or fungicidal preparation, which must be applied 2-3 times to sticky areas, will help to destroy the parasites. To get rid of pests, you can take Calypso, Aktar, Mospilan.

REFERENCE! In the cold season, the number of waterings should be reduced if the lower leaves of the plant become sticky. To prevent the problem, you need to regularly spray the leaves with a solution of water and 2-3 drops of an antifungal agent (Ferazim, Derozal, Akarin).

Sticky droplets on an orchid can be a sign of self-defense or a dangerous parasite infestation. To find out the exact reason, you need to normalize the care of the flower and carefully examine the surface of the leaf. If you find darker areas or small holes, you need to immediately save the orchid.

A video on why sticky drops can appear on orchid leaves and how to solve this problem.

Diseases

When a sticky bloom has settled on the leaves of the orchid due to the defeat of powdery mildew, you can save a plant that is sick as follows:

Inspect the flower, check the soil for overflow and remove the pot from the rays of the bright sun.
Prepare purchased drugs: fungicides containing copper and antifungal drugs (Fitosporin).
Process the flower several times until complete recovery.
In order for the orchid to recover as quickly as possible, it should be quarantined for 2 weeks.
In the future, monitor the level of soil moisture.

Pests

You can get rid of pests in the following ways:

Once every 2 weeks, instead of watering the orchid, soak it in a basin. Fill it with water and add 2 tablets of Alirin-B.
If the stickiness has arisen due to the fault of the scale insects, then first wipe the above-ground elements of the flower with soapy water, and then spray the plant with an intoxicide solution using a spray bottle.
In case of a mealybug lesion, you need to moisten the orchid with water, the temperature of which is not lower than 40 degrees. You can use a warm shower. Further treat with preparations containing oil.
You can fight the worm and mite if you remove the weight of the affected leaves, tops, and also transplant the plant into another soil and pot.
From home methods, adhesive tape against flies is effective, spraying with soapy water (20 g of crushed soap per 1 liter of water).

If the lesion is not massive, then the following drugs are suitable for treatment:

Spruzit-AF Schädlingsfrei and Fosalon. This agent belongs to contact poisons. It is enough to carry out one treatment, after which sunlight should not fall on the plant, otherwise the leaves will turn yellow.
Aktellik, Aktara, Nurell-D. These drugs are referred to as intestinal poisons and they are similar in action to contact ones.
Bi 58 and Phosphamide. These are systemic poisons. They are absorbed by orchids and penetrate into the sap stream. Since insects feed on this juice, after a while they are poisoned.
Promanal AF Neu. This drug is based on oils, so it effectively fights against chervens, eliminating them in a day. An orchid treated with this product should not be exposed to direct sunlight.

Prevention of reappearance

In order to prevent the reappearance of sticky drops, one must not forget why they can appear on the plant.

It is necessary to find the best conditions for the growth and development of the flower.

It is worth checking regularly for the presence of infection and parasites, which can cause stickiness.

If droplets appear immediately after watering, this is a natural reaction of the plant - do not sound the alarm about this. It is also recommended to use means to strengthen the immune system during rehabilitation.

After withdrawal from quarantine, various baits should be added to watering. The more often and more thoroughly you inspect your orchid, the more likely you are to notice abnormalities in the early stages and eliminate them before they become a serious problem.

Observing these simple steps, maintaining care and conditions at the proper level, healthy development, growth and lush flowering are achieved.

How to treat and how to treat a flower affected by pests, diseases?

If you find a sticky surface of a leaf plate, then you need to carefully examine the plant for the presence of pests and diseases. Be sure to check the condition of the soil. It is not recommended to fill the flower with water, this can lead to the appearance of parasites and various kinds of diseases.

Subject to all the rules for care, the problem should disappear, if this did not happen, then the reason is the infection of the flower with pests or disease. To eliminate this ailment, it is recommended to use specialized means to cure the orchid, destroy the tick or scale insect.

First, you should use folk methods:

Reduce the number of water procedures in the cold season.
It is recommended to monitor the level of humidity, spray around the pot once a day.
Rubbing the leaves with soapy water.

These methods help to get rid of stickiness and eliminate unwanted symptoms.

If the folk method did not have the desired effect, you should resort to stronger measures, that is, use chemical preparations:

Change the irrigation method to soaking in a basin with the addition of no more than two tablets to the water "Alerina-B".
In cases where a scale insect is found, it is necessary to wash the ground parts of the flower with soapy water, then spray it with an inosicide solution.
If a mealybug was seen on a flower, it is recommended to pour it with warm water, then treat it with a preparation that contains oils.
In case of damage by a tick and a worm, removing diseased leaves, transplanting, cutting off the top will help.
Spraying with horsetail tincture, soap solution with a small amount of medical alcohol, garlic infusion with oil will also help for treatment with pests.
For spraying and treating plants from pests, such drugs as Fozalon, Phosphamide, Nurell-D are suitable.

To prevent orchid disease, you must:

closely monitor the temperature regime;
pay more attention to air humidification, watering;
do not put the pot on a lighted windowsill in the summer, neglect the rules of care and feeding.

Signs of illness

Any houseplant can get sick. A florist should take care of returning the flower to its previous appearance.

If black spots are visible among the transparent drops, it is worth sounding the alarm: powdery mildew develops. The causative agent of powdery mildew is present in any soil, but activation of activity occurs only under the conditions:

if the soil has a high nitrogen content;
violation of watering - the flower is watered often;
the flowerpots are too crowded - the orchid does not have enough air;
the causative agent is the host itself.

Additional Information! First of all, all damaged leaves on the diseased plant must be removed.

Comprehensive measures against leaf stains:

isolation of the flower from other species, the choice of a permanent sunny place;
refusal during the period of treatment from fertilizers, after an illness, to restore the orchid, phosphorus-potassium compounds will be required, but not nitrogen;
a sick plant does not require a large amount of moisture;
it is necessary to replace the soil, since the colonies of fungi spread in the upper layer;
during transplantation, the stem should be sprayed with medications and healthy pouring, the roots should be kept in a solution of the medicinal product;
processing the flowerpot and pallet will not hurt.

When Phalaenopsis Needs Help

What to do when rotting?

If the roots rot, the cause may be fungi (most often they appear due to poor lighting), too moist content of the plant, excessive use of the substrate, pests.

If the roots are brown, empty to the touch, water may flow out of them, or the top layer is easily removed, all this indicates rotting.

How to treat? If the root is not completely damaged, then the "diseased" part is removed and the incision site is disinfected. If damaged at the base, it is removed completely. They are cut with a strictly disinfected instrument. If a lot of roots are removed, then the plant must be placed in a weak solution of furacilin or manganese for a couple of minutes, then dried.

If at least one healthy root remains, then the plant is transplanted, placed in a warm place with good lighting and looked after as healthy. For the growth of an orchid, a root of 5-6 centimeters is enough.

If the core of an orchid rots, then first you need to exclude fungal infections or bacterial infections. The plant is isolated from other flowers, damaged areas are removed, treated with brilliant green, then a fungicide (for fungal diseases) or bactericide (for bacterial) is used.

If the rot has occurred from moisture, it is necessary to completely cut out the rotting area, as well as the leaves (the fewer there are, the more chances the plant has to survive), disinfect the cut sites with brilliant green or activated charcoal and constantly check the plant - if rot is found again, you will have to re-cut the flower ...

Prophylaxis

In order to protect an exotic flower from serious problems associated with the appearance of a sticky layer, it is necessary to create optimal growth conditions for it and, in order to prevent it, regularly examine the exotic:

the optimal temperature in the room in summer is + 22 + 25 degrees, in winter - + 16 + 18;
lighting should be diffused;
water the flower once a week, between waterings, the soil must dry completely;
fertilize 2 times a month with dressings with a high content of potassium and iron;
spray the flower with water daily.

Of course, it is easier to prevent the problem than to treat a sick orchid later.

Now the appearance of sugar drops will not cause you to panic, since you know how to care for your favorite flower in order to avoid trouble, what you should pay attention to in order to notice the disease in time, and also what to do to cure your pet

What to do if stickiness appears?

Having understood the reasons for the appearance of sweet drops, you should proceed to decisive actions to save the plant. The complex of rehabilitation measures depends on the cause.

Due to a sudden change in care

Orchid is a demanding and capricious plant, therefore, when the conditions of care change, it experiences stress, and tries to draw attention to itself with the help of sweet dew. We check whether the optimal conditions for keeping phalaenopsis are met:

We check whether the optimal conditions for keeping phalaenopsis are met:

comfortable temperature and humidity in the room;
no drafts and sudden temperature changes;
the flower should be on the sunny side, but in no case in direct sunlight;
minimal watering in winter.

If the storage conditions are violated, the flower will not be able to develop fruitfully and will signal this with a sticky layer on the leaves.

To protect against insects

To protect against insects, the orchid produces sweet nectar that attracts them. Pests stick to it and die.

But sometimes sticky drops can be traces of pests that have settled on the back of the leaf and feed on exotic juice.

To solve the problem, follow the steps:

remove an infected plant from healthy ones;
remove insects with a cotton pad;
trim the affected areas as needed;
wipe the leaves with soapy water;
if this does not help, spray with an insecticide solution, for example, Fozalon or Phosphamide.

When the threat has passed, the plant can be returned to its place.

To attract insects

Another natural physiological reason for the appearance of sweet drops on an orchid is the attraction of pollinating insects.

If the plant looks healthy, there is nothing dangerous in the appearance of sugar syrup on the leaves and no treatment is required for the plant.

Due to illness: plant treatment

If phalaenopsis is infected with powdery mildew, there is no time to waste.

Infection actions:

isolate a diseased plant;
rinse phalaenopsis with warm water;
give it time to dry;
treat with drugs "Aktara" and "Aktellik".

When the plant recovers, it can be put back in place.

Disease prevention

It is much easier to prevent the negative influence of the environment and the action of parasites on the flower than to further treat it. Therefore, it is necessary to adhere to the rules of prevention:

in summer, the ambient temperature should be no more than 23 ° С, and in winter up to 18 ° С;
in the summer, the flower must be watered in a larger volume (compared to winter), but in reasonable quantities so as not to provoke root rot;
watering should be carried out once a week in winter and 2 times a week in summer;
water for irrigation must be settled, it is not recommended to use various additives for other purposes, for example, salt, impurities;
the humidity in the room should not be low or excessively high, 60% is considered optimal;
if you need to transplant phalaenopsis or propagate it, you should first check all its parts for parasites, darkening, changes in pigmentation, the presence of sticky spots;
ventilate the room daily so that the flower receives a sufficient amount of oxygen;
it is not allowed to find the pot on a windowsill or in any other place where direct sunlight falls on it;
fertilizers can be applied to the soil no more than 2 times a month, be sure to do this during the flowering period;
plant food should contain minerals, especially iron and potassium, thanks to which phalaenopsis can constantly bloom and be healthy;
daily spraying of all parts of the flower with water to eliminate the possibility of dust accumulation and the appearance of pests.

If all the conditions are met correctly, this will prevent the lethargy of flowers, damage, dryness, rotting of rhizomes and leaves.

For your information! Irrigation schedules must be strictly observed, since phalaenopsis is negatively affected by both overflow and drying out of the soil.

Insecticides are not used as a preventive measure. Their misuse can lead to poisoning of the orchid and its subsequent death. Therefore, the product can only be used in the presence of parasitic insects.

What to do to solve the problem, depending on its cause?

Diseases

When a sticky bloom has settled on the leaves of the orchid due to the defeat of powdery mildew, you can save a plant that is sick as follows:

Inspect the flower, check the soil for overflow and remove the pot from the rays of the bright sun.
Prepare purchased drugs: fungicides containing copper and antifungal drugs (Fitosporin).
Process the flower several times until complete recovery.
In order for the orchid to recover as quickly as possible, it should be quarantined for 2 weeks.
In the future, monitor the level of soil moisture.

Pests

You can get rid of pests in the following ways:

Once every 2 weeks, instead of watering the orchid, soak it in a basin. Fill it with water and add 2 tablets of Alirin-B.
If the stickiness has arisen due to the fault of the scale insects, then first wipe the above-ground elements of the flower with soapy water, and then spray the plant with an intoxicide solution using a spray bottle.
In case of a mealybug lesion, you need to moisten the orchid with water, the temperature of which is not lower than 40 degrees. You can use a warm shower. Further treat with preparations containing oil.
You can fight the worm and mite if you remove the weight of the affected leaves, tops, and also transplant the plant into another soil and pot.
From home methods, adhesive tape against flies is effective, spraying with soapy water (20 g of crushed soap per 1 liter of water).

If the lesion is not massive, then the following drugs are suitable for treatment:

Spruzit-AF Schädlingsfrei and Fosalon. This agent belongs to contact poisons. It is enough to carry out one treatment, after which sunlight should not fall on the plant, otherwise the leaves will turn yellow.
Aktellik, Aktara, Nurell-D. These drugs are referred to as intestinal poisons and they are similar in action to contact ones.
Bi 58 and Phosphamide. These are systemic poisons. They are absorbed by orchids and penetrate into the sap stream. Since insects feed on this juice, after a while they are poisoned.
Promanal AF Neu. This drug is based on oils, so it effectively fights against chervens, eliminating them in a day. An orchid treated with this product should not be exposed to direct sunlight.

Watch a video about treating orchids from pests with a solution from Aktara and Fitoverm preparations:

Read about what to do if sticky spots on the leaves appear on orchids.

Root system problems

If an orchid has sluggish leaves, what should I do? Floriculture identifies several reasons why wilting occurs. Among them, problems with roots should be highlighted. This is a fairly thermophilic plant, but the grower needs to know when to stop. Do not allow the flower to be in direct sunlight all the time. If the room where the orchid is located is too light and warm, then the leaves, trunk and roots will be very hot. As a result, moisture begins to actively evaporate.

The high temperature results in constant heating of the soil and evaporation of water. Therefore, the root system of the indoor flower is greatly supercooled, it ceases to consume moisture in the required amount. The leaves will not be getting all the nutrients they need. They become lethargic, turn yellow and begin to fade. The whole process of wilting occurs very quickly, literally in a few hours.

The root system can begin to dry out and rot. Having determined why the orchid has sluggish leaves, you can choose the most appropriate flower treatment option to eliminate the existing problem.

How to treat if the leaves turn yellow?

The main reasons for this:

lack of sufficient lighting;
burns;
lack or excess nutrition.

If the leaf turns yellow at the tip and not at the base, then you need to move the plant towards the light. If spots appear, then you need to exclude a burn: on the contrary, move it away from the light source. If ovals, yellow spots and stripes appear, then this is most likely a virus. The plant is incurable.

Wet-dark brown spots are bacterial infections. They are treated with peroxide treatment (the flower is isolated at the same time). With a fungus, damaged areas are removed, cuts are treated and a fungicide is used.

Not only leaves, but also the whole plant can turn yellow. You can find out why this is happening and how to save the plant here.