There were two new roots forming but then they shriveled; was it from being too dry? I let them sit in water once a week for 5 minutes like the tag says.

Roots inside pot

There's something on underside of leaf:

And this sticky looking stuff:


I've had it since last year, and it had a very pretty bloom so I would love to keep it alive, thanks.

Betsy, those are scale insects on the edge of the leaf. They suck the juices out of the leaf, but I don't know if they could be responsible for the roots shriveling up. Treat the plant with a dormant oil spray (and keep it out of the sun after you do this) to suffocate those little beggars. Then wash the plant off with a mild soapy water spray followed by a rinse of clean water. Make sure the oil spray gets into all the nooks and crannies, and then keep your eyes open for any new crawlies in the next few weeks.

On the watering, those aerial roots really need either a higher humidity situation or you should try spraying the plant with a mist of water at least once a day. (keep it where you'll just spritz it when you walk by with a spray bottle) Orchids are epiphytes that feed/water themselves through their leaves and stems as much as from the roots, so just dunking the pot in water may not be enough as the air is dry in the springtime, and getting warmer. You can fertilize it with the spray bottle, too.

Phals like a cool-ish situation - temps not much over 85 will keep them happy, so where you are, if it gets up there in the summer, you may need to keep that little fellow indoors - but outside might be better for it, humidity-wise until the high temperatures arrive. They don't like it much below 55deg. at night either, though so keep an eye out for cold nights if you do put it outside. Or maybe near an open window?

We get into the low 90's here in FL in summer but I keep my Phals near a patio door, so that does "leak" some cooler air around them and keeps the temps tolerable for them (I think). They love the weather at this time of year, high's near 80 and lows about 60, c/w nice humidity.

Your Phalaenopsis appears to be planted in sphagnum moss so watering once a week is way too much. I think I see one live root down in the bottom of the pot and it is alive because it appears to be surrounded by styrofoam popcorn. It is in desperate need of a transplant. I suggest a mixture of 2/3 bark, 1/3 perlite or something commercial formulated for Phalaenopsis. If you do have one live root down there, chances are you can save the plant. To re-pot, hold the plant in the empty pot and fill around it. Pack the bark down as you go with your fingers. If you can pick the plant up by its leaves and the pot stays attached, you are done. If you can't, pack it down more. Then soak the pot and bark in a bowl of water for about 20 minutes to get the bark good and wet. After that, the once a week watering will probably be okay. But if you put your finger up into the bottom of the pot and feel moisture, don't water. Phalaenopsis do better dry than wet.

You also have bugs. BUGS!! They look like mealybugs - incredibly hard to get rid of because they hide in every nook and cranny, including pots, potting medium and table tops. Get rid of every piece of the current potting medium and spray the entire plant, roots and all, with an insecticide like insecticidal soap or Beyers 3 in 1, or rubbing alcohol. Wash and sterilize (with bleach) your pots and, if the plant is sitting on a porous surface, like a wood table, spray it with the insecticide also. Peel the old dead leaf stubs back and spray.

After you treat for the bugs and re-pot, watch your plant carefully. The bugs will be back. You can kill stragglers with a q-tip dipped in alcohol.

Good luck and keep us posted.

Daisy

I couldn't tell if they were scale or mealybugs. If they are scale, use a q-tip and alcohol to rub off the ones you can see. Then use oil or insecticides.

Daisy

Jmho, I don't like to use rubbing alcohol, even diluted. Full strength, spraying the whole plant? Really??

Oil spray works better on scales because it smothers them, even the ones with the protective coverings.

Thanks, Elaine and Daisy.

Elaine, I use a lot of rubbing alcohol on my orchids, cactus and to sterilze my pruners. I've never had a problem, in fact, it works when other rememdies don't.

http://www.aos.org/Default.asp...

Anyone have any idea what happened to this plant? It was fine and all green until a few days after I sprayed it with some fungicide...

Brassocattleya [Bc.] Hippodamia is a lovely nodosa hybrid that is worth saving. It looks like it had a bad reaction to your fungicide. Rinse it off the best you can and put it in the shade to see if it recovers.

Jim

Thanks Jim, that's exactly what I've done so far! Just didn't know if I should do anything else!

And I just sent Fred a t-mail...thanks for that info as well!

When Patty was here checking out my orchids today, we found a Catt with some odd lesions and yellowing leaves which I already cut off. Anybody got an idea about what this affliction might be?

So far the rest of the plant is looking pretty good, has fat pb's and a couple of new growths as well as a sheath that looks promising. I've treated everybody with dormant oil spray in January for bugs, and fungicide a month ago as well.

The lesions are raised, sort of feel 'warty' and dark brown but in most cases they don't go through to the 'up' side of the leaf. They're only on the backs.

Have you ever heard of orchid Edema?

Yes, I know about orchid Edema which is caused by improper watering causing little blisters on the leaf. I don't think that is what this is however. It looks like Cercospora ssp. probably odontoglossi. It can affect Cattleya type orchids and starts as slightly raised dark brown spots on the underside of the leaves.

Jim

Right, not Edema. I've had a little of that going on elsewhere, - you've heard how it rains like crazy here in the summer, right? - but these are not that. The top sides of the leaves on this plant look smooth and glossy and just dandy. They are not squishy like when they get Edema.

I will read up on Cercospora tonight - gee, that orchid book is getting pretty dog-eared and I sure fall asleep quickly over it . . .

Please say hi to Jean and Tara for us tomorrow, Jim. I hate to miss this chance to meet them (I've met Jean already).