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blackrot is killing my husband's orchids

Posted by mo59 9 (My Page) on
Thu, Oct 29, 09 at 14:32

We moved to this part of Texas in June. In August, I think, we had 3 straight days of rain, no wind, and black rot soon appeared in my husband's potted orchids (he has over 300). Now it's appearing on the mounted orchids, too. He has them all outside, under a tree. Is there any way to save them?


Follow-Up Postings:

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RE: blackrot is killing my husband's orchids

If the rot is on the leaves cutting it off is the best treatment. If it gets into the rhyzone it is lost.

If rot has gotten into the psuedobulbs and rhyzone cut off the bad bulb and take one good growth off as well. You have to stop the spread.

The only chemical traments are very dangerous chemicals and expensive. For Pythion fungus, which this sounds like, Subdue works at $300 a quart and if it is fusarium then Heritage at about $500 a pound. As I said the best treatment is a pair of scissors.

Be sure to clean the cutting instrument with each plant and wash your hands after handling each plant.
You can sterilize with bleach or better is pool algaecide (which is the same chemical as physan).

I am surprised to se so much rot in only three days of rain. Here in SW Florida rain can be every day for months and while I get some phythion fungus it is only on a small percentage of my nursery.

You may have started with only a small infection and spread it with your hands or splashing water from plant to plant. Morelikely, it may have spread in the move to the new home in boxes or vans rather than the rain.


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RE: blackrot is killing my husband's orchids

Hydrogen peroxide in the meantime. Over everything you think isnt happy, full strength.


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RE: blackrot is killing my husband's orchids

I grow outdoors in SE Florida and we do have many successve days of rain to deal with. About 5 years ago I added Protek to my fertilizer spray routine and have not seen any black rot since. Scale and mealy bugs have become a rarity, as have fungal diseases. Thrips are still a problem, but easily controled with Orthene.

After cutting the affected rhyzomes, be sure to seal the cuts with cinnamon.


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