Ah, the dreaded Black-rot! I have lost my fair share of Orchids to that! You need that sunshine to dry things up between watering/rain. Prolonged wet weather coupled with warmth can be bad enough, wet and chilly can be murder!
I have on occasion managed to cut away the black growth and ( when possible of course) was able to let sunshine take care of it, after dusting the clean cut with cinnamon. Sometimes a good dose of sun can halt a nasty case of rot. But - rows and rows of wet weather days are tough!
Elaine, looking at the B Little Stars - I can certainly feel your pain!!

I hired my pool cleaning guy to power wash the entire pool cage in September, then sprayed it entirely with Physan solution. So I'm hoping that will also help prevent a lot of the fungal woes. I only lost two or three plants and that's counting the B Little Stars which I do think is a goner, but am still trying to save. I lost portions of a few more, but they seem to be surviving and no signs of any more black leaves.

I had some snails invade the orchid area in the summer, and not only do they eat flowers and buds, the nasty molluscs, but they most likely spread around fungal stuff like black rot very efficiently. Took care of the snails with copper door sills, I'm glad to say.

My big Blc. Chia Lin which had a dreadful infestation of scale last year also had black rot and surprisingly is still alive, although I don't expect to see flowers any time soon. It's all a learning experience.

I think I'll invest in a big jar of cinnamon powder next spring, and treat everybody generously with that to begin with.

Ken said something that is worth repeating: "Physan is a great preventative but not much for treatment itself". Physan, or any fungicide, acts as a preventative, not a cure. The best cure is to cut away the fungus and get it away from your plant. Then use cinnamon or a fungicide to prevent new growth from getting the fungus. I also recommend you vary the fungicide, changing the active ingredient every couple of weeks. If you don't, the fungus will become resistant to the product you are using.

Ursula, you have been posting some beauties. I especially like the Gongora and the little guy with the Angraecum distichum hat.

Ken, that big white Catt is a beauty. Nice growing.

Elaine, I really like the yellow bird. Right up my alley.

I'm trying to get the house back in order so I can tear it up again to get ready for the next room. I think we will like the hardwood when it is all finished but it is sure a mess now. I went to the orchid club Christmas party today and took 9 nice bloomers for the bloom table. No ribbons but lots of compliments.

Jim

Please, everyone who grows their orchids in a GH or Conservatory/Florida Room or similar "inside".

I have consistently said that I thought my great air movement prevented almost all of the problems I continue to see posted, whether it be fungus, virus, or insects. I have absolutely no clue whether my premise is correct. I don't use pesticides, fungicides, cinnamon or anything else I have read that "cures" the problem. I know many if you have far more experience in growing tropical plants, and in particular orchids, who can tell me whether I am even on the right tract about my theory. I would be more than happy to have a discussion with those of you that have constant or even intermittant problems with their plants. Surely, being in NE Mississippi with temperate climate (that seems to be getting colder, not warmer), my growing conditions have to suck (sorry for the word, but it seemed to fit). Oddly enough, well perhaps not so odd, I have become the "expert" orchid grower in my area. Not many opt to grow orchids and most who have have failed (big-box store purchases). I grow them and do so successfully, thus I am who people contact when they want tropical plant and orchid information. Anything, and I mean anything that you "real" experts can tell me just furthers my knowlege about growing orchids. I know sub-tropical growing can be night-and-day different than my growing conditions, but we all grow the same plants. There has got to be a common ground somewhere.

So right, Jim. Once a plant is infected by a fungal pathogen, the only cure is to remove all the infected parts. Fungicides do kill fungal spores that are just sitting on things, and even some that are floating around in the air. That's why they have the "cide" part in the word. IF you can kill off enough of the spores, it's gotta help prevent them from infecting the plants. Here in FL we have every fungus in the world floating around in the air, especially in the warm, humid weather so growing orchids outside is a real crap shoot. Just need to sanitize as best we can, keep air moving and hope for the best.

Late addition, Ken you are absolutely right about the air movement. It helps the plants dry out between waterings or rain, and prevents a multitude of woes.

Another preventative is baking soda/water solution, but of course it's not good for orchids, being as it is a soluble salt. It changes the pH on the surface of leaves making them unsuitable hosts for fungal spores. Works great on tomatoes and other plants that get things like powdery mildew.

Some good advice here, folks. I have three kinds of fungicide that I've been rotating with the Physan 20. The main reason I cleaned the orchid house was to get everyone out so I could cut away the black rot on the plants that needed it. I have a big bottle of cinnamon, as well. But like Elaine says, when you live in this climate, you take your chances. I can't keep it from raining buckets every day for three months straight so I do what I can.

I do agree, Melanie.

Ken, do you take any preventative measures BEFORE moving plants back inside?
I spray the whole Orchid cage with Bayer's Rose and Flower care ( fungicide, Insecticide and fertilizer in one) about a week before I start moving things. This year I am fine with Scale, but I do see here and there Mealies, which I take care of with some spot treatment. It's manageable…..

We are actually talking about two completely different GH's here. My "Orchid" GH always holds 300-400 small plants, so it is always "full". In the spring all my medium and large orchids go outside, under oak trees and will remain outside until October. I do an overspray of Physan 20 in this GH in the spring and again in the fall. Everything gets sprayed, wire shelves, plants, and flooring. I drinch everything pretty well. Also in the spring I use an (indoor) insect fogger in the enclosed Orchid GH. I don't have clue whether any of this works, but I have never seen any harm to my orchids.

My "Everything Else" GH is emptied of plants in the spring. When empty, I drinch everything (no plants of course) with a solution of Outdoor bleach, one part bleach-five parts water. I then use this GH for re-potting, mounting epiphytes, curing my garlic (pulled in May/June), and starting seedlings. I will have tropical plant seedlings (bromeliad, fiddle leaf ficus, staghorn fern) in the GH as well, though many of them will be outside to harden up. Just depends on the species and where I have space for them. I'm talking about 200-300 seelings at a time.

From April until October all my GH vents are open and I leave the doors open as well. Fans constantly move air from 8:00 AM until 6:00 PM in both GH's.

As far as I know I have never had scale, mealy bug, or white fly infestations. I do have gnats and mosquitos though. I use slug bait in both GH's.

Hello to all on this beautiful day,

Ken thx for the email info, I will put you on my day trip possibilities. Btw, I belong to Heart of Dixie orchid society in Huntsville, my retirement home is in Corinth, Ms which is half way between Memphis and Huntsville. But I also try to go to the group in Birmingham, especially show time. I have many dear friend in both societies, but they are aging fast and I am worried about the future of both groups. A good day trip that you may enjoy is to FarmVille, La just a few miles past West Monroe, La. I forgot her name but on eBay she is Rose..Deb and has wonderful large fluffy Catts. Enjoy!

Ursula, I am reminded of how our taste change over time and you started it! WOW, about a year ago I saw your Fire Dance 'Patricia' on one of these forums. I traced down the plant is three days and it has bloomed every time a new PBS matures. So a big Catt girl for more than thirty years now appreciates the finer things in life, I just want to say thanks for your posting that beautiful plant. Btw I am still trying to figure out posting w/IPad but I am determined.

Bert

Thanks for the info, Bert. As you know, I am in Starkville, perhaps 125 miles south of you.

When living in Pascagoula (1971-1995) I attended the Mobile, AL annual show several times. I don't even know if they still have their club. Back in those days, when our weather was much warmer along the Gulf Coast, there were several nurseries that dealt in tropical plants and some had a nice array of orchids as well. That is where all my love for tropical plants really started. In 1981, I had a huge, 34x14' glass over marine aluminum greenhouse built. The bottom 3' was brick. Quite a greenhouse. I could grow plants up to 10' tall! Hurricane Elaina (1985 I think) destroyed part of it and I had it rebuilt. I had already moved long before Katrina, but Katrina completely destroyed it, brick-work and all. It was never to be rebuilt.

I have now built three more GH's, the first one "free-lance" when we first moved to Starkville, and that one stood up well for 12 years, though it was pretty ugly. We moved again almost four years ago (still in the same neighborhood), and now I have built two "kit" GH's, one dedicatd to orchids and the other to "everything else tropical". At least that was its name until this fall. I have perhaps 3 dozen orchids in the everything else GH. Just ran out of room in my orchid GH. Counting all my "baby" orchids, I have approximately 400 orchids in that one, 10x12' GH. It is loaded!

I have really gotten addicted to growing my orchids from flask/plugs now. It is so much more a challenge to grow them from when they are as large as a fingernail. In my experience, the mature BS orchids, with their multiple, large leaves and extensive roots, are child's play compared to the tiny plants. At my age, and this is prehaps common, it does not take much to excite me. To see an orchid plant, grown from a seedling to its blooming size, perhaps 3-5 years, just light's me up! My wife says that perhaps, just perhaps, I enjoy my tropical plants too much. Is that possible?

Ken, thanks for your reply. I think your insect fogger takes care of a lot trouble before it starts brewing. And I read on a different forum, that you also take care of any Ants, so they don't start trouble carrying in any scale/aphids, whatever. That - coupled with good ventilation and most importantly surely great care is the secret to your success. Sounds like you know what you are doing!

Well, did I mention Mealies? You admiringly pick up that pretty plant in spike, and guess who grins back at you! An Elephant size Mealie. I swear I hear them trumpeting in the greenhouse…. But All Season horticultural oil - one zap with that and good bye Mealie elephantipes!

Bert, I am truly happy you like the Lc Fire Dance 'Patricia'! It was one of my earlier Orchids, I got it from Waldor Orchids in the middle nineties. It is a very fast grower! What I like about this plant that it puts out new growth in all directions and so fills out a pot relatively fast and - the blooms are displayed above the leaves, which gives it the illusion of dancing fire.

Ursula

Ursula that is exactly the best traits Fire Dance shows, the ease of culture is another. I usually knick the PBS at the 3rd or 4th growth to get it to branch, but Fire Dance is branching naturally. Also, I grow dry in the indoors during winter months but it is spiking now. Have to tell my passion, I grow the First Ladies! I have killed Barbara Bush, but I have Eleanor, Lady Bird, and Laura Bush. It's been hard to find them, and when I found Barbara Bush replacement from Chadwick's it was way to expensive. So here's a callout to your readers, if you have a source please let me know? I am hoping to post Eleanor when she open, getting fat now.
Do you still have any of those pictures of Fire Dance to post here? I can't remember where or how long ago I saw them and it will knock the socks off of everyone that has never seen your plant?
Ken you have a lot of patience, I don't order from anyone who sends me a nbs listing that takes more than 18 months to bloom. Are your eyes still that good? I see that you sold the mother plant of your big white, it was beautiful. I used to live in Beaumont, Tx and visited many of the same Gulf Coast growers you know, this last Memphis show we only had one left and her husband had died recently. Miss them all.

Just dropped in to say hi. This is a busy time for us at the shop as we have many retail customers and a couple of large malls we count as clients. BUT, i love the shows and info.
Outstanding length of bloom, Ken. Someone will be happy
Ursula. When I have a few moments I am going to take a closer look at those little guys. Just love 'em
And Jim, hang in there. About a year or so ago we redid the entire house. New carpet in the bedrooms, new tile in all the bathrooms and hardwood everywhere else. All at the same time. Every time I came home I had to find where my chair was hiding, always a different room
But the end result was worth it.

Bert, yes, those pictures of my Fire Dance 'Patricia' are plenty around, I would have to dig them out of every March thread for sure, and also some Febr. thread.
But, both plants ( even the division I kept after letting Silva Orchids divide one of my 2 plants) are showing fat spikes. Look out for my Febr and March posts…..

Thanks Ted. Surely this season is a busy time for you, that's a good thing!

Ursula, good morning all. I found them at orchidweb I believe, and now here. I am expecting shipment today from Waldor and Kawamoto, I just smile remembering the first time I saw the anticipation thread you had a while back. Well I do know that nervous excitement, I can't think about anything else. Every time I get a plant from Waldor I am more than pleased, most have been in bud. This time of year what is everyone's favorite anticipation orchid? Mine are my many Coelogyne species and crosses! Let me know what else is late fall and early winter blooming that I just have to have in your opinion?

Thx. Bert

I'm here at the Extension Service manning the phones. I gave my new orchid presentation to a collection of agents and MGers this morning to good reviews. It ran a little long due to gobs of questions.

Jim

I have the same problem, Jim - with every presentation I give. I have lots to say and answer questions until I am shut down!

Bert, you really must start posting your pictures!

I love the Cattleyas coming into bloom one by one now in the greenhouse. Here is another white, beautifully scented Cattleya -

Cattleya Nancy Off 'Linwood' - this plant was a division from Silva Orchids a couple of years ago.