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How the heck do you prevent rot??? What am I doing wrong?

Discussion in 'Issues, Disease and Pests' started by Shyfox, Jan 11, 2020.

  1. Jan 11, 2020 #1
    Shyfox

    Shyfox New Member

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    Hey guys, me again... I'm hoping people can help me out with their best tips and ideas for preventing and treating phal rot. I never had any trouble with it until I moved to where I live now... Now I can't seem to keep a single plant in good health!! Auuurgh! One of my plants is very sick with crown rot and only a couple healthy leaves left. The other one had some root issues that seemed to be improving (it had absolutely no drainage in it's former groccery store home) but abruptly dropped a whole leave with some dark splotching today... I fear it's going to follow...

    So far I am:

    1) carefully wiping off leaves after watering so no moisture sits
    2) Ensuring proper drainage always
    3) Boiling the potting bark and sterizing cutting implements any time I re-pot (which is just the once, when I got them, so far)

    I also just got myself a thing of Physan 20, and I'm following the directions that came with it and spraying down the sickly plant with a dilution. I've seperated the plants so they don't pass disease between each other, and repotted them both into sterile bark after washing their containers. For the plant that doesn't seem very sick... Yet... I just sprayed the area where she lost a leaf, and plant flesh was exposed.

    I'm thinking of also keeping them indoors rather than out. Would that make a difference? Our apartment and the general area does have a general mold problem.

    One of the instructions for the Physan says "soak compost" for sick plants. I don't have compost, should I be applying this directly to their bark with their water? It makes sense, so the fungicide can get into the plant where the rot actually is? But apparently it's also strong stuff, and I wouldn't want to overwhelm them.

    They also want you to spray monthly as maintenance, to defend against illness. I'll do anything at this point to keep my plants in gold health, but is this really good for them?

    Please help me, O wise orchid masters.

    Pics in order: plant with advanced crown rot, close up of leaf lost by healthier orchid today, both plants

    15787305455028357958317551825642.jpg 15787308430096784634027160224246.jpg 15787310245221894033531014071870.jpg
     
  2. Jan 11, 2020 #2
    Ray

    Ray Orchid Iconoclast Supporting Member

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    Root rot is primarily caused by suffocation, an indication that the potting medium is too dense, whether too fine to begin with or has decomposed and compressed. The roots being cold and wet can also cause root death, especially in hot-growing plants like your phalaenopsis. A third thing folks can miss is that changing from one potting medium to another - even if it’s going from old, aged & decomposed-, to new versions of the same material - can result in a plant needing to replace its entire root system.

    When you water your plants, it is best to not get the foliage wet at all. Water sitting in the crevices is an ideal breeding ground for fungi and bacteria.

    The reason this maybe happening more now that the plants are indoors, is less air movement to quickly dry them.

    Physan is a topical disinfectant. It will kill pathogens it makes contact with, on the plant surface or on the potting medium (compost), but will do nothing for infections.

    You might consider using Concentric Ag’s Inocucor Garden Solution. It is a blend of multiple consortia if beneficial bacteria and fungi that attacks pathogens, secretes antibiotics into the root zone to prevent future infections, and actually stimulates plant growth as well. I have seen no rots since starting to use it monthly about 5-6 years ago.

    Do not use both it and Physan (or within a couple of weeks of using Physan) and the probiotic species will be killed.
     
  3. Jan 11, 2020 #3
    Shyfox

    Shyfox New Member

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    But the root system on the plant with worse rot was robust and healthy when I checked... It's just all the leaves and the crown rotting away.

    I tried to get some AG but was having trouble finding it? Where do you get yours?
     
  4. Jan 12, 2020 #4
    Ray

    Ray Orchid Iconoclast Supporting Member

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    It is available via Amazon or direct from firstrays.com (with free US shipping).
     
  5. Jan 12, 2020 #5
    ezluckyfreee

    ezluckyfreee Member

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    Idk, I don't ever worry about water on foliage or anything and I've never had rot to that extent, especially on windowsill phals.

    What is your humidity where those are growing?
     
  6. Jan 13, 2020 #6
    oisifml

    oisifml Active Member

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    My understanding of English is not perfect, but you were keeping those plants out? do you live in a very sunny place?
     
  7. Jan 19, 2020 #7
    AnonYMouse

    AnonYMouse aka Ree, the not-so-stealthy lurker

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    Unless you are in the tropics, I would keep them indoors. Phals are warm temp plants, happiest above 70°F/21°C. Good air circulation goes a long way to keep them healthy, too.