Phalaenopsis Orchid Problems

Every living thing has bad times and Phalaenopsis orchids are no exception

. It seems that it would be a good idea for a new grower to know something about problems that can crop up with your new orchid. Different orchids have some problems that are specific to them and then, of course, there are some that lots of different types of orchids might face.

One of the problems is called bacterial leaf rot. The first sign of bacterial leaf rot is a bit of a discoloration on the leaf. It can be confused with the discoloration caused by too much light, which is a lighter shade of green over all of the exposed areas of the leaves. Bacterial leaf rot is just one spot that will grow in size if left to its own devices. It will have irregular edges, turn grayish and feel soft and mushy.

If a phalaenopsis orchid exhibits the signs of bacterial leaf rot you should immediately cut the leaf right back to where all of what's left is healthy. Put some good bacteria killer on the edge of the leaf. Cinnamon is good. Put the plant somewhere where it will get good air circulation to keep the plant nice and dry to help heal the "wound."

A second problem is crown rot. It's very similar to bacterial leaf rot but it has descended into the crown of the orchid.

To get rid of crown rot, first remove the highest leaf or leaves that have rotted down. Dig into the crown of the plant with a sterile tool and remove all of the diseased plant that you can see. Again, sprinkle some cinnamon on the areas that you worked on and keep the plant in an area with good air circulation.

Then there is bacterial root rot. There are quite a few causes of this malady, overwatering being one of them. At first you might notice a little bit of shriveling of the lower leaves. You will need to take the orchid out of its pot. A lot of the roots will probably look dark and mushy. Remove all of the potting medium and every bit of the rotted roots. Make sure to repot the plant in a smaller pot than the one it was in. Don't water for a few days so that the roots can seal up. To keep it from happening again it would be wise to water a little less.

There are other less dangerous problems that beset phalaenopsis orchids. If the leaves look limp and the orchids appear to be rotting you may be watering too much. If roots appear shriveled you are probably not watering enough. If there are roots all over the place you probably need a bigger pot. The pot should just about fit the roots. If there are yellow or brown spots on the leaves your orchid may be sunburned. Move it somewhere where it will get some indirect light. If the leaves are very dark and you don't have blooms, your orchid probably isn't getting enough light. Brown tips on the leaves? Too much fertilizer. Holey leaves? Funny silvery trails? You've got slugs!

So keep all of the above in mind when you get your first Phalaenopsis. You can head off some big problems if you're proactive when something looks like it might be going wrong.

by: David E. Carlson

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