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tina_leo92

Please help !!! :(

Tina_leo92
9 years ago

Hi all ,

I received this phalaenopsis orchid as a present about 2 months ago , and since it is of great sentimental value ( apart from the fact that I love plants) I decided to buy a fertilizer for orchids so I can keep it healthy and always blooming. The shop owner told me to dilute the fertilizer according to the ratio on the bottle and to spray the whole plant with the dilution including the leaves. After two weeks ( I gave my orchid fertilizer only twice since I watered it with fertilizer each week as the shop owner instructed ), one leaf developed a brown patch , and this spread throughout the whole leaf . Now other leaves are also turning brown , becoming soft and wrinkly. At first I thought it was the heat or maybe too much water but the roots are green , plump and healthy . Then I realized that these changes started after giving my plant fertilizer and decided to read the bottle and there was written that one should avoid wetting foliage with the fertilizer !! I was stupid enough to trust the shop owner and not take notice of what was written on the bottle . Is there anything I can do for my orchid ? I have no idea what to do ! I REALLY want to save it :( please help :( thanks

Comments (20)

  • shavedmonkey (Harvey in South Fl.)Z10b
    9 years ago

    How much sun does it get? Is it shade only or some direct sun? Where do you live?

  • Tina_leo92
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    I live in Malta , and it's quite hot around 30 degrees Celsius . I keep it on a windowsill , it has enough light but not direct sunlight.

  • jimbo0108
    9 years ago

    That's a sunburn...phals are very sensitive to direct sunlight. Almost 99% sure. If you look at my post directly above yours I have the same thing happen to one of mine. As the plan grows the leaf will fall off and you will never know it ever happened.

  • Tina_leo92
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    That was my first thougt as well but it started out in one leaf , then spread to anther and another ..... And it starts out as a small patch then spreads out to the whole leaf . And it never gets direct sunlight :/. If it's sunburn then wouldn't it just be one leaf ? Thanks

  • Tina_leo92
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    Also I'm trying to find the post you mentioned @jimbo0108 so I can read it but I can't find it , I' m a bit new to the site could you send me a URL link please :) thanks :)

  • jimbo0108
    9 years ago

    Hey I wanted to follow up with you because I wanted to be sure I was giving you the right information because the more I thought about it the leaves were quite red in those pictures. So I looked through an orchid book I bought a while ago and found a picture I wanted to share with you... I don't want to scare you by any means ...I still am leaning towards a sunburn but wanted to show you this too. But in my opinion I would treat it as a burn and try not to spray the leaves with the fertilizer. Hope it comes out ok...
    Also I am new here too so I didn't realize the posts moved around but the name of my post is "trying to start from seed" I posted a pic where one of my orchid got sunburned it's completely black now cause all the tissue is dead but it will be ok

  • Tina_leo92
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    Hey thanks for your post. I've seen the image you attached , it seems familiar but according to the book it says the brown patch releases a black liquid and my orchids leaves are quite dry . If it's a sunburn , would it be spreading from leaf to leaf though ? The leaves have also turned red on the underside. I've taken a photo to show you the progress from yesterday to today. It just gets worse eAch day :(

  • jimbo0108
    9 years ago

    Yeah whatever leaves if exposed to direct sunlight will be affected... With phals it dosent take much especially in the summer time. Where do you keep the plant or where was it when you first noticed the spot? I noticed you said it dosent get direct sun so that's strange. Although I had a phal that recently showed damage from sunlight and it was only in light in the early morning.

  • philpet
    9 years ago

    I don't want to be the wet blanket, but I think the crown is also infected it looks black in the picture, if that's the case you might loose it.but you can try and use hydrogen peroxide and pour it in the center let it fizz until it stops then pour out what is left, you could also dust a little cinnamon in the Crown. I really hope it pulls through. Velleta

  • Tina_leo92
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    The first time I noticed a spot it was a bit in the sun and only for a short time but the spot grew bigger and I cut that leaf last week. Now I have those two leaves in the picture which are affected and they just developed the spots late last week when they weren't exposed to any direct sunlight. It seems to be spreading or something affecting all the leaves ( maybe cos I had sprayed fertilizer on all the leaves and the change is gradual , I don't know :/) I'm currently keeping it on a windowsill but it doesn't get direct sunlight since outside the window we have a sunshade . There is plenty of light but no direct sunlight for sure.

  • Tina_leo92
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    By the crown do you mean the main stalk where the leaves are attached . I took a photo of i. I don't really know , but the roots seem green and healthy right ?

  • lauraeli_
    9 years ago

    I hate to say it but, looks bacterial. You will probably lose your plant :-(. But, you could cut the bad leaves off and treat the wound...that may stop the infection, and it may not.

  • Tina_leo92
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    :( and how did this develop ?I always tried to take care of it well :(

  • westoh Z6
    9 years ago

    What exactly was the fertilizer that you used to spray on the leaves? I'm not a fan of misting phal leaves, if you leave water in the crown (where the leaves start growing from the center of the plant), it will cause crown rot and will kill the orchid. It appears there may be some crown rot in the first photo, but the pattern on the leaves doesn't indicate crown rot to me. Crown rot starts at the crown/center and works out to the end of the leaves. Anyhow, I'd think the misting with the fertilizer caused this issue.

    If it is spreading I'd start cutting off the bad parts to try and save it as the roots do look good.

    Good luck,

    Bob

  • philpet
    9 years ago

    Don't get discourage Tina, sometimes with the best of care we still loose plants.everyone here has lost more plants than we care to mention, but it's a learning process and we learn from our mistakes and from others . I am sure in no time you will be greatðÂÂÂ. As bob said try removing the infected sections and dusting the cut portions with cinnamon after.remember to use clean tools, and when and if you cut make sure you cut all the infected parts (cut up to where you have healthy tissue) this way it would help to stop the infection phals are strong orchids and your roots are healthy so hopefully it will pull through.Velleta

  • Tina_leo92
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    Hey , I did as you instructed , I've cut the affected leaves and dusted them with cinnamon :) I also put some cinnamon in the center of the crown :) thanks for all your help guys :) . The fertilizer I used is the one in the picture, Bob.

  • jimbo0108
    9 years ago

    Sorry Tina if I gave u the wrong info :-( I feel bad

  • Tina_leo92
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    No please don't worry !! On the contrary , thank you all so much for your help . I tried looking up info on the internet and was still clueless as to what had happened to my orchid . All answers were really helpful :)

  • jimbo0108
    9 years ago

    Orchids are hard to explain you either can't kill em even if you try or the ones you cherish perish before your eyes. I've lost a few nice ones myself...but I hope it survives. Keep us posted don't give up hope I guess

  • westoh Z6
    9 years ago

    Tina,

    As long as you mixed per instructions, I wouldn't have thought this would have caused the burn look that is showing. But then again, I don't mist my phal leaves with fertilizer.

    I think you've done what you can at this point. Just wait and hope and see.

    Good luck,

    Bob

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