What is sick orchid and how to treat. Video: Orchid Pest Control

- very beautiful flowers. Each one is unique and original in its own way. Proper care of the plant will allow you to observe gorgeous flowering and abundant greenery from year to year. But there are times when the bush begins to wither before our eyes. The reasons may be in improper care or an emerging illness.

Enjoy the blooms on your windowsill tropical flower many people want. But not everyone who has acquired a flowerpot with an escape knows how to properly care for a capricious specimen.

It happens that, out of ignorance, the gardener makes a diagnosis of a life-threatening orchid. Immediate therapy begins, which can lead to the death of the pet. Do not take drastic measures, but pay attention to the conditions of the flower.

There are several signs that indicate malaise:

• Wrinkled, sluggish leaves with imprints of dots - the pet is hot, there are negative changes with the roots. If the points are strongly pronounced - the result of a lack of moisture. Damaged greenery acquires yellow, dries up and disappears. Overheating occurs in winter time due to a hot battery, in summer due to direct sunlight. Under conditions, moisture evaporates rapidly, without lingering in the cells of the bush. When the roots suffer from heat, the nutrient fluid is either not absorbed at all, or in minimal quantities.
• In other cases, a wilting condition may occur due to abundant watering and stagnation of water in the pan.
• Yellowing of the leaf - a change of residence, causing a stressful state, lack of vitamins (potassium, iron), rotting of the roots, natural aging of the shoots.
• A crack in the center on a canvas of greenery - the causes are accidental damage, abundant irrigation at the time of cold ventilation, dry air and temperatures from 300.
• Spots dark shades with a yellow border - the result of a long stay in the sun or in the vicinity of the battery.
• Growths, swellings, bumps on the outside of the green process - due to swelling of the shoots as a result of heavy watering, mechanical damage.
• Spots, stripes on the sheets - burns after watering, appear as a result of irrigation in the bright sun. The drops remained, the sun dried them up and accidentally burned through the delicate green coating.
• A change in the upper young shoot, its decay - occurs if moisture enters the center of the bush.

Orchid diseases: types and signs

Allocate significant ailments:

• Black rot - the problem lies in temperature regime and pest infestation.
• Fusarion is characterized by yellowing green cover, the appearance of spots. Leaves to the touch - soft, sluggish, twisted, there is a touch of a pink hue.
• Brown rot - spots of a light earthy hue, watery consistency are present, intensified by the darkening of the affected areas and grow on large territories. Start to accelerate the development of the disease gives frequent watering and cool room.
• Root rot is expressed by the acquisition of the surface of young shoots of a dark shade. When probing, the roots become soft, growing decay is visible.
• Gray rot - gray spots appear with prominent fluffy villi. The leaves are affected, then the soil, the inflorescences are the last to suffer. hallmark is a small brown blotches on the petals. The reason is the frequent application of fertilizers with large quantity nitrogen.
• Anthracnose. Rounded small spots appear with clear outlines of an earthy hue. They can also grow from several single closely spaced ones, degenerate into one large black tone. The neoplasm dries out the damaged area, leaving a dent on the leaf body. The reason is the lack of fresh air.
• Leaf spot is a dangerous disease of infectious origin. The culprits are midday rays, excess fertilizer. On the cavity of the process, weeping islands are formed.
• - characterized by the appearance of a sticky white coating. The affected areas dry up, the flower dies.
• Viral diseases are rare. There are spots in the form of stripes and circles. Marble stains are noted on the shoots.

Each of these ailments has its own symptoms. The only thing that unites them is the cause of the disease - an increase in temperature and an increase in humidity in the room.

To correct the consequences after improper care, few actions are required. If overheating is detected, the bush must be removed from the battery (in winter period), move it deeper into the room. At the same time, make sure that the bush has enough daylight.

Otherwise, it is recommended to include additional fluorescent lamps. If the plant began to wither and the reason lies in waterlogging - drain excess liquid from the pan, dry, do not water for 2-3 weeks.

The flower itself will tell you when it should be provided with moisture - the roots will become faded and inconspicuous, they will be depleted.

With sufficient watering, the tone of the roots will acquire a rich light green hue. In case of burns in the summer, it is recommended not to water in the early hours, so that inflammation does not form on the leathery tissue. In addition, shade at lunchtime.

Black Rot:

• Treatment. Remove problematic parts, spray with Bordeaux liquid. Clear the affected soil and transplant into a sterilized substrate. Spray nearby flowers with Bordeaux or a preparation containing copper.
• Who can get infected: Cattleya, Parphiopedilum

Fusarion:

• Treatment. 10-day treatment with Fundazol (0.2%), by immersing the entire pot in liquid - 3 times in 24 hours. Stop spraying - contributes to the growth of malaise, ventilate the room.
• Who can get infected: Phalaenopsis, Epidendra, Miltonia.

Brown rot:

• Treatment. Minor damage - cut off part of the shoot with the affected area, process. A massively spread disease - it will not be possible to save, destroy, irrigate with copper sulfate once a month.
• Who can get infected: Cymbidium, Cattleya, Parfiopedil,.

Root rot:

• Treatment. Spray with a solution of Topsin or Fundazol (0.2%), 3 times in 2 weeks.
• Who can get infected: Parphiopedilum, Miltonia, Cymbidium.

Gray rot:

• Treatment. Cut off the damaged parts to a healthy zone, completely irrigate the entire bush. In case of relapses, the drug for the fight should be changed - the fungus develops an addiction to the drug that is affected. Recommended - Immunocytophyte.
• Who can get infected: Cymbidium, Cattleya, Phalaenopsis

Anthracnose:

• Treatment. Remove the affected leaves entirely, process the sections of the cut. For treatment - copper-containing substances. Remove and . Humidity - no more than 70%, frequent ventilation.
• Who can get infected: Miltonia, Phalaenopsis, Oncirius, Parphiopedilum.

Leaf spot:

• Treatment. Remove all areas with symptoms. Do not water for a week, treat with chemicals.
• Who can get infected: Phalaenopsis

Powdery mildew:

• Treatment. Spray with a solution of colloidal sulfur, preparations Skor, Topsin-M.

Viral disease:

• Treatment. There is no cure. Remove from healthy plants - destroy.
• Who can get infected: All species.

Thus, by doing nothing, you can lose a valuable copy. At the first signs of the disease, it is recommended to take up weapons of struggle.

- love abundant sunlight. But in the daytime they prefer partial shade, the bright rays of the star can burn the delicate skin of the green cover. It gets along well if you follow some rules for the maintenance of an exquisite copy:

1. On the northern windows it does not feel very comfortable. Normal light mode - 12 hours. If it is not fulfilled, then either you should choose another place of residence, or highlight. Otherwise, the arrow will not be able to bloom and develop fully.
2. For any type exotic beauty+27 C is considered an acceptable temperature. Some species perfectly tolerate an increase in the degree to +32 C. In winter, the plant feels good at +18 C., +13 C is considered the lowest threshold. At this stage certain types begin to freeze, they urgently need to be moved to a warm room.
3. Watering is welcome, but not plentiful. Each species should find its own approach. In one case, watering into the pan, the buds bloom almost all year round. With another bush, this method is not suitable, it begins to wither rapidly. Then it makes sense to try to irrigate with a shower under direct jets directly into the ground. In this way, the entire soil is moistened. It is recommended to water so that there is no stagnation of water, since excessive liquid is detrimental to the roots. Constant moisture is necessary only during the period of budding and flowering. With a lack of moisture, the leaves wrinkle, the buds fall off. Water required room temperature. A soft, settled or boiled chilled liquid is best suited. In summer, if necessary, watering increases to a maximum of 2-3 times a week.
4. Does not need abundant, they can adversely affect healthy growth. Top dressing is useful only 1 time in 4 weeks. Frequent supplements tend to lower immunity.

Thus, the orchid is a rather capricious lady, both in choosing a suitable place and in watering. To prevent the flower from dying, you should carefully monitor its condition.

More information can be found in the video:

The orchid is a fairly popular plant that can be seen on the farm of many flower growers. But it is subject to many diseases, and therefore requires special and professional care. That is why it is necessary to know exactly about all orchid diseases that plants can infect. Only in this way can proper treatment and care be carried out.

The main diseases of orchids

The plant is very moody and also demanding in care and location. That is why if there is such a flower at home, which soon began to wither, then there is absolutely nothing surprising in this. Just for starters, you need to choose the right place for it and care for it accordingly.

If the plant does not bloom

In order to avoid any worries about the flowering of the plant, it is necessary to immediately clarify the variety, as well as its flowering period, when buying. Different species bloom at completely different times.

But it also happens that flowering simply did not occur, even though the entire green mass has grown quite strongly.

The main reasons for this trouble are:

1. Excessive temperature fluctuations inside the room.
2. Irrigation disruption.
3. Wrong rest mode.
4. Too little light in the room.

The most common reason for the lack of flowering is insufficient lighting. That is why the plant begins to wither. But many types of orchids begin to feel bad even if they are in partial shade. Under such conditions, only phalaenopsis and paphiopedilum can grow. To solve the problem, you need to decide on the variety and find out about the lighting requirements.

To understand whether the plant receives enough light, it is necessary to study the color of the leaves. If they are bright green, then this is the first sign of insufficient light, since the natural color is light green. In the event that the leaves begin to turn yellow, this means, on the contrary, the receipt of too much ultraviolet rays, that is, too much lighting. To cope with the problem, you need to find a place where the plant will feel comfortable.

Root disease is also a significant reason why flowering will not be observed. Roots can rot if the plant is watered too often. To solve the problem, you need to properly transplant and remove all parts of the damaged root. It is also worth noting that a periodic transplant will in a useful way affect plant development.

wilting buds

In most cases, the problem occurs under the same circumstances that were indicated in the previous option. But there may be additional reasons.

The orchid is very sensitive to "relocation". If you have just recently put the plant in a new place, then you should not be surprised if the buds begin to fall off and wither.

It is necessary to choose the right lighting. If the plant was purchased in some kind of greenhouse, then we can conclude that all the conditions were suitable there, and the house may not have enough light or, conversely, there is too much of it. It should be borne in mind that when purchasing a shade-loving or light-loving plant, you must immediately clarify all the nuances with the seller. Phalaenopsis (diseases due to light are common) and Cumbria can be placed in north or northeast windows. Angrecums, vandas, lelias are considered to be light-loving.

Quite often there are problems with hypothermia. It is necessary to ensure that in winter the temperature in the room is not lower than 22 degrees Celsius. At the same time, air humidity should be approximately 70%, otherwise the flowers will begin to fall off.

For the plant, it is necessary to ensure good air circulation, but in no case should drafts be allowed. Special attention should also be given to food that can be located near the orchid. If they emit ethylene, then it is best to find another place for the plant, as adverse conditions will lead to accelerated bud ripening. They fall off before they even open up.

It is also worth examining the flower for pests, which can also cause the buds to wilt. Mealy bugs quite often settle on the plant.

flowering is natural process, and therefore the period of each plant has its own. If the buds wither, then most likely the plant was acquired after flowering.

Appearance of dark spots

You might think that dark spots or plaque appear due to illness, but in most cases, mechanical damage is the cause. If the plant was injured during transportation, then this problem will certainly arise. Spots due to this type of damage will not spread throughout the flower, they will dry out and have rather jagged edges.

Another possible cause of spots may be a large number of moisture that falls on the petals. In the event that the plant is also in the sun at the same time, the water will work like a lens, and the flower will get a severe burn. If brown spots appear on the orchid, then most likely it will be necessary to treat it for fungus. A flower can deteriorate in one night, and then absolutely the entire surface will be covered with spots.

Varieties and treatment of rot

Gardeners often face such a problem as the occurrence of rot. It is worth noting that this disease does not occur due to lack of care, but, on the contrary, due to excessive courtship.

brown look

If light brown spots appear on the leaves, action should be taken immediately, as it will not be possible to deal with the problem later. Damaged areas should be removed immediately with a sharp instrument. Healthy tissue should also be captured.

Those edges that will be processed with scissors and a knife must be processed with a special preparation that contains copper. You can also use crushed charcoal for this purpose.

If it is impossible to perform all these manipulations to combat plaque, that flower will no longer be saved. It is best to get rid of it immediately, before the disease spreads to other plants. To prevent the occurrence of bacterial brown rot, it is necessary to use blue vitriol and spray the leaves with them at least once a month.

root variety

As the name suggests, root rot will only spread to the roots. They will soften, eventually the plant will die.

Leaves will turn brown. Such a process will occur due to the fact that the orchid is at too high a temperature. environment and also high humidity. To cure plants from such an ailment, it is necessary to choose the right place for further living, and also treat the roots with a solution of topsin or foundationol. The concentration of these two drugs should be 0.2%.

It is necessary to process the roots 3 times with an interval of about 3 weeks. To do this, the entire pot must be immersed in the solution. In order to completely prevent the disease, a good substrate should be used. The pot must first be disinfected.

Grey colour

If a fluffy gray (or almost white) coating appears on the leaves, this means that the orchid has undergone gray rot. The infection will gradually move from the leaves to the soil, and then to the flowers. As a result, the entire plant will become completely infected.

The cause of the disease is improper care. Usually such a process begins due to too low temperatures in the room, as well as high humidity. But there are times when the disease begins to spread due to the fact that the owners add too much fertilizer that contains nitrogen. Thus, the resistance of the plant to the disease will be greatly reduced.

Gray rot is a fungal infection. That is why it is necessary to treat all problem areas with fungicides. If the purchased drug did not help get rid of the disease, you need to try another one. When watering is carried out, it is necessary to add substances to the water that can increase resistance to disease. It is worth noting that you can not put orchids close to each other, as well as to other plants. If gray rot appears on some flower, then it can spread to neighboring ones.

black tint

The disease can occur at a time when the orchid is too cold room. Especially the flower will be susceptible to disease if it has recently experienced an attack by some insects.

In this case, all stains must be removed with a sharp tool, and the cut edges should be treated with charcoal or Bordeaux mixture. After all these manipulations, you should immediately find another pot and transplant the plant there. A good substrate must be used for planting, and the former must be immediately thrown away. If the plant begins to turn black, then you should not hesitate.

Fusarium type

If the leaves began to turn yellow and spots appear on them, this means that the plant was affected by Fusarium rot.

Signs of infection:

1. Leaves curl.
2. They get too soft.
3. The pores of the virus will give them a pink color.

Plants are exposed to such a raid due to the fact that there is too much high humidity as well as poor air circulation in the room. To cure orchids, it is necessary to use foundationol, treating plants 3 times a day. It is worth noting that spots can appear even on shoots, and therefore it is necessary to approach the issue of processing very carefully. While the treatment is in progress, in no case should the flower be sprayed.

leaf diseases

Quite often, gardeners are interested in how to treat orchid leaf diseases. The fact is that on orchids there are various diseases that affect only the leaves. The impact of waterborne diseases will not be transferred to the stems or roots.

To the most common problems worth mentioning are the following:

• anthracnose;
• leaf spot;
• deformation;
• burn;
• powdery mildew;
• rust;
• black mushrooms.

All these diseases should be eliminated immediately. There are proven methods for this:

Orchids are very beautiful flowers that can decorate absolutely any room. But they are very demanding in their care, and if any deviations occur, they will immediately be exposed to various diseases.

That is why it is necessary to constantly carry out prevention and stimulate the flowering and growth of orchids. You should find out accurate information about orchid diseases and their treatment even before buying a flower. If the plant is sick, then the problem can be completely solved at home, if all mold, white or spotty deposits and other plaque are removed in time.

An orchid is an unusually beautiful flower, which, with proper care, will delight with its flowering almost all year round. But it is with the care of the orchid that certain difficulties arise. Being native to countries with a warm humid climate, phalaenopsis is difficult to adapt to life in ordinary apartment . Spots appear on the leaves, the roots die. So why can flowers and leaves start to turn white and wither?

Healthy orchids have dense green leaves that are large enough. If the leaves of the plant have changed color and structure, this indicates a disease of the plant.

Why do leaves lose elasticity (turgor)?

Turgor - loss of leaf elasticity - the result of various care errors

There may be several reasons:

• Too much heat. In the case when the plant is in the sun for a long time, the leaves actively lose water. The soil is also heated, it produces vapor. Underground roots do not have enough moisture, and, oddly enough, they are supercooled, since the heat of the soil is spent on evaporation.

In order for the plant to be rehabilitated, it is necessary to protect it from direct sunlight, while providing enough daylight.

After normalizing the temperature between the roots and leaves, you can water or wipe the leaves with a damp cloth. In water you can add some fertilizer for an orchid.

• Hypothermia. When choosing a place for a plant, be sure to beware of drafts: they lead to freezing of the leaves. For an orchid, frostbite will occur already at temperatures below 15 degrees.

It will not be possible to cure it, you will have to cut out the damaged tissue. To avoid such unpleasant consequences, place the flower away from drafts, and in frosty winter, place it further from the windows.

• Pests. On the leaves ticks and mealybugs may appear that feed on plant sap, it withers, and the sheet loses its hardness and color.

Washing the plant from the outside will help solve the problem with pests. Thoroughly clean the surface of the leaves to remove pest eggs.

Sticky leaves - a direct sign of the presence of a spider mite

If the orchid was occupied by a spider mite, then you can get rid of it by increasing the humidity of the air: place the pre-watered flower in a plastic bag. However, in this case, protect the orchid from the sun, otherwise destructive evaporation will occur.

The mealybug feeds on plant sap. In addition, he injects poison, poisoning the orchid, and his habitats become sticky.

What to do to save an orchid from a pest? First of all, it is necessary to isolate it from other colors. Then remove the worm from the surface and apply insecticides to the peeled leaves.

You should not rely only on chemical exposure: mites and other pests quickly adapt. Fight them comprehensively.

It is always easier to prevent a flower disease than to treat it afterwards. Therefore, it is imperative to inspect the flower daily in order to stop the reproduction of the pest in time.

• Lack of moisture. The main rule for watering an orchid is watering only dry soil. Watering is best done by immersion for one hour in water.

The composition of the substrate affects the degree of moisture in the flower. Unsuitable bark does not absorb moisture, and water will not be able to linger in the plant. In this case, the plant must be transplanted into a good substrate.

for orchids suitable bark from sawn logs or dead pine, or any conifers. There should be no resin in the bark.

Why do phalaenopsis flowers dry out?

The reasons for the short life of a flower or bud may be the above problems with the leaves: pests, improper temperature conditions and the orchid watering regimen.

Putting an orchid in the sun is a direct violation of the temperature regime, which has a bad effect on the flower.

What needs to be done to cope with these problems, we have already found out. However, it should highlight a number of features.

If an orchid has been blooming for a long time, it may simply fade and go into a dormant period.	This is a normal process and nothing to worry about.
Pollination of flowers by flying insects	If pollination fails, the flower will wither and fall off
Being close to vegetables and fruits	They secrete substances that activate the ripening of flowers, even unopened ones. This provokes the death of inflorescences
artificial heating	Hot air dries up flowers and unopened ovaries of buds.
Stress	If the orchid was recently brought from the store, then the flowers may wither due to stress. The plant could be poorly packaged, especially in cold weather: the orchid is already at zero temperature can drop flowers.

Therefore, when buying, be sure to protect the flower from the cold. From the bright summer sun, flowers should also be protected with a simple paper bag.

What other problems can appear in the leaves

Dark spots or dots: what to do

What diseases are indicated by darkening on the leaves of a plant?

Hives. Dark lesions appear almost immediately after infection. They are small (up to 3 mm), rounded in shape. Spread quickly throughout the flower. The reason is low temperature, excessive humidity, insufficient ventilation.

Bacillus Cypriped or Brown Rot. Dangerous, common disease of orchids. Called pathogenic bacillus. A favorable environment for its reproduction is high temperature and humidity. At first, the spot is small and light, then it darkens and smells unpleasant.

Black rot, like any other type of rot, threatens the plant with death.

Black rot (Phytophthora) is one of the most serious diseases that affects orchids. First, purple spots appear on the leaves, which gradually darken and turn black. This disease occurs due to excessive watering and too dense soil.

Phyllostictosis. Infection strikes sheet plate that is dying. Phyllostictosis manifests itself in different ways: from small black blotches to large black spots.

Burkholderia gladioli. bacterial disease occurring at high temperature and high humidity. Decay occurs very quickly. It is expressed in wet spots of dark brown color.

One and the same fungus can be individually expressed on a certain type of orchid. The manifestations of the vital activity of the fungus depend on the quality of the leaves and on the systematic care of the plant.

In addition, on the orchid can simultaneously develop several pests.

White spots on leaves

If the leaves begin to turn white in spots or dots, this may occur for the following reasons:

Excessive watering. When in contact with water, white spots form on the leaves. Nothing can be done about it, the spots will remain on the leaves.

Burn or excessive dryness. These reasons lead to the appearance of wet white spots. Damaged leaves must be removed.

White spots on the leaves are one of the signs that the plant was attacked by a fungus.

Fungal disease. It appears as white spots, similar to a burn. Fight fungal disease can only by special means . With timely measures taken, the plant can be rehabilitated.

black leaves

In addition to the lesions already described by fungal diseases, the leaves may turn black and die. Why might this happen?

• Some types of orchids shed their leaves after the flowering period, which previously turn black.
• Wrong temperature setting and orchid watering regimen
• The leaves of the plant can infect the tick, often it is located with inside sheet.

Loss of elasticity and leaf density

Loss of leaf turgor is characteristic of root problems:

Root overheating and excessive or insufficient moisture. In this case, the leaf turgor is not maintained, and the orchid will begin to fade.

Remember - even specialty fertilizers can be harmful in high concentrations.

Wrong nutrition. Do not overdo it with fertilizers. Orchid roots are very sensitive, excess nutrients detrimental to the orchid.

Too dense soil. If the orchid is not transplanted for a long time, the soil becomes compacted and oxygen access deteriorates.

Orchid root problems: dry

Orchid root color depends on specific type, from fertilizers and complementary foods. Some species naturally dark color roots, but this does not indicate their soreness.

To assess the condition of the roots, you must carefully remove the plant from the pot, root system release from the soil and inspect the roots. If they are firm, they are healthy. If the root seems to be hollow inside, it already irrevocably dried up.

Orchids have two types of horses: air and underground (internal). Underground are in the substrate. Aerial roots are those that are located outside the ground. This is normal for an orchid.

Aerial roots are important for the proper process of orchid photosynthesis.

Causes of drying of underground and air roots

1. Chemical burn with hard water and fertilizer salts.

Wrong watering. Why the roots dry when there is not enough water is obvious. If you keep the root system in constant moisture - roots will die and, oddly enough, they will wither or rot.

1. In most cases, white roots indicate that the plant was mercilessly flooded with water and does not participate in photosynthesis.
2. Dry air.
3. Injuries. Roots are easy to break. Even a slight scratch will cause the root to dry out.
4. Vital activity of fungi.

What to do with soft and sluggish roots

As soon as the grower is faced with sluggish and soft phalaenopsis roots, the question arises - what to do? We provide step by step instructions below:

• Free the plant from the substrate.
• By placing the plant in water, it will become clear which roots or parts of them have dried up. All dead sections are cut off to a living root. Treat the cut with cinnamon or charcoal.
• To help the flower release new roots, prepare warm, non-hard water. You need to place an orchid in it. Baths are repeated every day, leaving the flower for an hour in the water. After moistening, the orchid must be dried.

Can be used succinic acid, which encourages root growth. As an alternative, use "Epin" or other growth stimulants in a small concentration.

• After the new roots reach a length of 5-6 cm, the flower is placed in a pot with a substrate.

Do not be afraid to try to prepare the substrate yourself - the main thing is to keep the proportions

To prevent the occurrence of diseases on an orchid, it is enough to observe three simple rules: keep the flower in a bright place, monitor the air temperature and observe the watering regimen. The rules are quite simple, with their proper observance, the plant will delight with regular flowering and health.

When one of the enthusiastic lovers indoor floriculture you have to deal with the diseases of your pets, sooner or later they come to the understanding that flowers, like aquarium fish, get sick and die silently. Unlike many domestic animals, plants cannot tell about the disease or even loudly draw attention to themselves in time, so for many impressionable persons their loss becomes like a silent reproach for insufficient care. The consequence of this situation quite often becomes the desire of an amateur grower to find and study as much information as possible about the lost plant, buy a new one, try to propagate it and do everything possible to prevent the appearance of diseases and pests on it in advance. After all, as they say: "Forewarned is forearmed." But if the plant is very beautiful, rare or expensive, it is advisable to study its “pitfalls” even before the first purchase, so that neither the illness of such a valuable specimen takes the owner by surprise, nor the death “hit the pocket”. All this fully applies to orchids - the most beautiful indoor flowers, which, due to high cost remain available not to all ordinary flower growers, and who, in room conditions"manage to get sick" even, it would seem, with perfect care. Alas, according to professionals, diseases of domestic orchids do not appear “out of nowhere”, but their timely detection and treatment in most cases still helps not only to save the plants, but also to ensure their full and long existence.

Non-infectious diseases of orchids

As practice shows, most orchid diseases occur due to improper care - insufficient lighting, unbalanced irrigation regime, temperature changes, overfeeding with fertilizers, etc. In the wrong conditions, orchids can continue to grow, but much more slowly, often growing deformed leaves and pseudobulbs, refusing to bloom, and becoming too vulnerable to diseases and pests. Developmental pathologies caused by improper care, as such, do not have an infectious nature and often disappear after an elementary correction of the conditions of detention, but they must be able to distinguish from real fungal, bacterial or viral diseases. Typical mistakes of amateur flower growers who grow orchids for the first time are:

1. Problems with lighting

To begin with, it is fundamentally important to understand that orchids are light-loving(cattleyas, vandas, lelias, angrecums, cymbidiums, dendrobiums, etc. and their hybrids) and shade-tolerant(cambria, phalaenopsis, oncidium, pafinia, odontoglossum, etc.), however, on lack of lighting both of them usually react in the same way - they form uncharacteristically elongated leaves and thin sprouts and refuse to bloom (even dry and discard already formed buds!). Therefore, when such signs appear, the orchid should either be rearranged to a more lit place, or artificial lighting should be arranged for it. Please note: moving the orchid to a more lit window (especially in spring) should be carried out only after preliminary hardening. Unprepared for intense sunlight plants (usually winter holiday) receive serious burns of the tissues of leaves and flowers, the integrity of which cannot be restored in the future. Depending on the degree of damage, leaf scorch may look different: from small raised individual points that can merge into transparent white or roughness that does not change color (with a small burn) to large spots (wet or dry, white, black, brown, often with a rim), in the place of which the tissues die very quickly.

An orchid can receive such damage both from direct sunlight and from water drops remaining after spraying, which, under the influence of the sun, work like lenses, and from hot battery, and even from an artificial lighting lamp if it is not placed high enough (the distance must be correctly calculated according to the type of lamp and its power). At the same time, it is very important to distinguish burn spots from spots very similar to them that form during fungal diseases: unlike the former, which rarely change size and shape after the discovery and elimination of the cause of their appearance (the same heat source), the latter continue to gradually grow and hit the entire leaf completely. Both in the first and in the second cases, the affected tissues are not restored, but with timely and competent treatment, the process of growth of a fungal infection can be stopped. Please note: burns can appear in both shade-tolerant and light-loving orchids, but among the latter there are species in which the leaves darken in the sun, but as such they do not receive burns (with tissue death) and are restored again in the autumn-winter period normal green. For example, among the same cattleyas there are species prone to red pigmentation, and for some it is generally considered an indicator of sufficient light intensity, since such specimens do not even bloom without a change in color (to dark red or inky black).

Prevention . When buying an orchid, be sure to find out its lighting requirements, but keep in mind that even for instances with the same name (for the same dendrobium nobile hybrids), they may differ. At first, carefully observe the plant and its reaction to new conditions in order to exclude the appearance of atypically elongated sprouts and leaves or burn spots. When choosing permanent place do not forget that "shade tolerance" for orchids is a relative concept, since even a simple tulle curtain or the use of a protective screen on the window in the very heat (3 - 4 hours a day) can serve as a significant shade for them. Remember that orchids that get enough light develop a kind of immunity that helps keep infections from growing, even when they get inside the plants. And the lack of lighting (at least for a week), on the contrary, leads to an increase in the susceptibility of these plants to diseases and pests.

Treatment. As such, there is no treatment for plant burns - damaged tissues are still destroyed, however, it is necessary to eliminate (shade, move away, etc.) the “aggressive” heat source. If the burns are large and greatly spoil the decorative effect of the orchid, they can be cut off. In the future, such plants should be accustomed to brighter lighting gradually.

2. Problems with watering

In the organization of watering orchids for beginners, two extremes are usually observed - the plants are either very dry or too flooded. In the first case, light-loving species with large leathery leaves (paphiopedilums, bulbophyllums, cattleyas, etc.) suffer the most - with insufficient watering their leaves lose turgor, become dehydrated and often die off, pseudobulbs shrivel, and roots often begin to dry out. After the next watering, orchids gradually restore turgor (in 2-3 days), but due to uneven moisture intake, deep cracks appear on their leaves along the lobular veins. Excessive and too frequent watering is considered more dangerous due to the fact that pathogenic organisms and rot appear and develop very quickly in constant dampness (both in cool and hot weather), which, without timely intervention by the grower, can both destroy the diseased plant and spread on healthy specimens in the collection. Obvious signs of an orchid bay are: darkening and softening of the roots; the appearance of rotten spots on the stem and at the base of pseudobulbs, an unpleasant odor, moss (mold) on the substrate or on the plant itself, etc. In some orchids (particularly Paphiopedilum), due to abundant watering, peduncles can also be stuck. Despite the fact that the probability of recovery of an overdried orchid is much higher than that contained in constant dampness, insufficient watering, combined with low air humidity and high temperatures (in the summer in the heat), can also cause the plant to die quickly. Therefore, if you are afraid to make a mistake with the irrigation regime, you can not water the orchid once again, but do not forget to provide it with sufficient air humidity with regular ventilation.

Please note: when watering these flowers, especially by immersion, it is very important to protect the leaves from prolonged contact with water, and after the procedure (spraying, this also applies), be sure to remove residual water from the sinuses between the leaves and the cores of new shoots (in sympodial orchids). Due to prolonged contact with water, the bases of new growths begin to rot, and edema appears on the leaves of orchids - wet, as if filled with water, vitreous spots, which brighten (whiten or turn yellow) after 12-20 hours, are pressed in, dry out and remain so forever - like scars. The rotting of new growth can be easily determined: if its top staggers freely in different directions, then it has already been affected by rot and in order to avoid its spread, the rotten sprout will have to be cut off. If the procedure is carried out on time, a new growth will form on the remaining pseudobulb in the future.

Prevention. An incorrectly chosen watering regimen, especially in low light, sooner or later damages the root system of the orchid so much that it disrupts the flow of moisture into the leaves and stem, so the plant begins to gradually redistribute it from other organs (flowers, buds, peduncles). If at the same time moisture comes at least from the air, the vital activity of the orchid can still be “supported” by aerial roots and leaves, but if they begin to dry out gradually, the situation becomes critical and it will be almost impossible to save the plant. Considering that the irrigation regime even for the same orchid in different rooms(at different temperature, lighting and air humidity) may differ, give some general recommendations to keep it in any room conditions - wrong. However, before buying a plant, it is highly recommended to find out at least the most significant watering requirements of this specimen. For example: homemade paphiopedilum should not be overdried or sprayed; swelling due to improper watering is most often found on domestic vandas and phalaenopsis, etc. Keep in mind: different types of orchids react differently to prolonged contact with water - in some, edema appears after half an hour, while others do no harm even after 10-12 hours of “bathing” in water.

Treatment. Orchid leaves, even with edema, continue to participate in photosynthesis, so it is not recommended to remove them, the maximum is to cut out small spots on the very edge of the leaf blades. And in order to avoid their appearance, you need to water orchids more carefully and always wipe excess moisture from them. Edema, by the way, should be distinguished from spots that appear on the leaves due to frostbite or chemical burns - for them, unlike non-growing white edema, yellowing of the tissues and their further death along the leaf blade are characteristic, while the affected areas always remain raw and do not dry out. Since problems with watering in most cases are the result of poor lighting, their elimination should begin with the correction light regime. Plants flooded with clear signs fungal diseases must be isolated from healthy specimens and for the duration of treatment to limit their watering and feeding.

3. Violation of the temperature regime

As you know, keeping orchids at home complicates not only their tropical origin, but also the need for organization for most of the species. differences between day and night temperatures. Despite the seeming "excess" of this requirement, without fulfilling it, many orchids show signs of improper development - the absence of flowering, the growth of leaves deformed into an "accordion", the appearance of transparent drops on the stems and leaves. Interestingly, for some orchids (cymbidium, oncidium, cymbidella, cattleya, etc.), droplets on the leaves are not a pathology, but a feature of the structure, but their appearance on other species (in the same phalaenopsis) indicates a clear “dissatisfaction” of the orchid . The reason may be either the absence of a temperature difference (day / night), or too large a temperature difference (for different types may differ), and the stress state of the plant due to changes in the conditions of detention during the move, and the appearance of sucking pests on the plant (aphids, scale insects, mealybugs, etc.), etc. Regardless of whether the release of liquid is natural for an orchid or not, the drops begin to attract pests like a magnet, so the condition of such a plant will have to be constantly monitored. If, for a given species, the allocation of drops is unnatural, but they appear constantly and abundantly, the conditions for keeping the orchid should be reviewed and corrected as soon as possible.

It is strongly not recommended to buy orchids in winter: even a 20-minute stay in frosty air is fatal for them, even in good tight packaging. And this applies to both heat-loving species (hybrid phalaenopsis, vandas, encyclia, variegated paphiopedilums, etc.), for which the temperature minimum should not fall below 14 - 15 ° C, and cold-loving orchids (some coelogins and odontoglossums, many dendrobiums, pleurothallis, masdevally, dracula, etc.), frostbite of which is already possible at a temperature of +2 ° C and below. With frostbite, wet slippery spots first appear on the orchid leaf, and then the entire leaf plate gradually turns yellow and dies. Please note: in winter, such spots can appear on a home orchid even after airing, if the plant is in the path of cold air; and as a result of close contact of leaves with cold glass; and even after spraying (watering), if you then put the orchid on a cold window. The greatest danger for her is the combination of low temperature with poor lighting and regular watering (spraying), which provokes rapid decay of the roots, stem, new shoots, and in sympodial orchids, pseudobulb cracking.

Treatment. Frostbite areas of the leaves are strongly recommended to cut and treat the wounds with cinnamon or activated charcoal powder. If frostbitten tissues are near the stem, the leaf should be removed completely - cut it along the central vein and pull it to the sides, and then gently wipe the stem, removing wet slippery residues, and sprinkle it with powder in the same way. Please note that with severe frostbite, when all the leaves are already in wet spots, it is almost impossible to restore the orchid.

Surprisingly, elevated temperatures for orchids are also dangerous, although of a different kind. Under conditions of critically high temperatures (above 25 ° C), orchids are threatened not only by too rapid evaporation of moisture by the leaves (loss of turgor, drying out), but also by overheating of the root system, from which the leaves at this time pull moisture at high speed. This condition is especially dangerous for cold-loving species - they absolutely cannot stand even a short complete drying of the roots. As a rule, in summer flower growers prefer to “save” orchids by increasing the humidity of the air, but, alas, they do not always use this technique correctly. In the very heat, high air humidity without ventilation is just as dangerous as at low temperatures, because most fungal and viral diseases are activated precisely at 80% air humidity and a temperature of 25-30 ° C. To protect plants from both overheating and disease, any measures to increase air humidity must be combined with the use of, if not an air conditioner, then at least a fan.

Please note: very often, when overheated, orchids experience drying out of the tips of the leaves, which is also characteristic of anthracnose, a fungal disease that spreads rapidly in conditions of high humidity and requires mandatory treatment. Anthracnose can be identified by the formation of convex spore points (white, black, pink or yellow) on the oldest affected areas, which usually “collect” into something like convex growth rings of a tree.

Prevention. Since any discrepancy in the temperature regime disrupts the normal functioning of domestic orchids, it is very undesirable to deviate from the care requirements recommended for certain types. In order to prevent fungal and viral diseases, regular ventilation of plants should be organized, and in conditions of low temperatures - their maximum dry content.

Treatment. First of all, you need to optimize the content of orchids. If the situation with overheating (hypothermia) has gone too far, resuscitation with transplantation, removal of damaged roots, keeping the plant in a greenhouse, etc. may be necessary. If any infectious diseases (viral or fungal) are suspected, diseased plants in without fail should be isolated and treated as soon as possible.

4. Wrong fertilizer

Pathologies of development in domestic orchids can appear both from overfeeding with fertilizers and from their deficiency and, as a rule, are determined by the appearance of a marble pattern on the leaves (red, light green, white yellow, and other spots on a dark green leaf blade). Oddly enough, in both cases, the orchid has the same developmental delay or disturbance, the growth of twisted leaves and the refusal to bloom, but the treatment of these conditions, of course, is different, so it is very important to distinguish overfeeding from underfertilization. The most common situations of violation of the supply of fertilizers are overfeeding with nitrogen and iron deficiency. About excess nitrogen fertilizer the plant usually "signals" gradually and for a long time (within 2 - 3 months): at first, larger and darker leaves actively grow, then they begin to deform (a wavy edge appears), flowering stops or much fewer flowers are formed (1 - 2 instead of 10 - 20), thicken and change the color of the pseudobulb, and finally, cracking of the pseudobulb and leaves begins. Unfortunately, beginners unknowingly take the first signs of overfeeding with nitrogen for the normal active development of orchids, and they begin to sound the alarm already at the final stage of the appearance of cracks. Despite the fact that it is quite possible to return the normal vital activity of such plants, many of them can completely refuse to bloom over the next 2-3 years, even if the fertilizer doses are corrected.

Treatment. Orchids overfed with nitrogen are strongly recommended to be transplanted with washing the roots in warm water (preferably distilled) and kept for the next 2 to 3 months without any top dressing. In the future, you can start feeding only potash and phosphate fertilizers in the minimum dosage and only once a month. During such a “therapy”, orchids often “sit still” for a long time (up to a year!) And refuse to grow new leaves, but this should not be considered a pathology - when excess nitrogen leaves the plants, all processes will return to normal.

iron deficiency is the opposite situation: the leaves of an orchid grow slowly, young ones have a marble color and do not grow to normal sizes. Despite the fact that obvious signs of iron deficiency appear on the plant even when the shortage lasts for several months, with the help of top dressing, such a condition is treated much faster and more successfully. However, it should be borne in mind that similar pathologies of orchid development are also characteristic of the case of nitrogen deficiency, so the latter is strongly recommended to be excluded during treatment.

Treatment. The orchid should be soaked in a fertilizer with a slightly increased nitrogen content, and after a week, transplanted into a fresh substrate and sprayed with Iron Chelate. If the plant looks normal, once every 7-10 days it can be stimulated with Epin or Zircon.

Please note: the normal perception of iron by orchid roots occurs only when the acidity of the substrate is pH 5 - 6.5. Its supply is disturbed due to irrigation with ordinary tap water (pH 7.0) and acidification of the substrate (to pH less than 5.0) during its decomposition. But carrying out timely transplants with the replacement of the substrate not only eliminates such situations, but also ensures the optimal supply of iron, nitrogen, and other micro- and macroelements necessary for the development of the orchid. Be careful: regular watering exclusively with rainwater can be dangerous due to overfeeding the orchid with zinc (manifested in the form of the same marbled color and leaf curvature, stopping development), which also provokes the plant to refuse to bloom for 2-3 years.

It should be noted that a similar marble color of leaves in orchids may be a manifestation intolerance to chemicals or a consequence of a chemical burn, but unlike the cases written above, the latter pathology develops much more rapidly (up to 14 days maximum) and can often be confused with frostbite. Chemical poisoning can come from both the roots (for example, after fertilizing with a concentrated fertilizer such as urea), and from the leaves (when using fungicides and insecticides, especially oil ones that clog pores). On the initial stage the lesion looks like yellowing spots on the leaves, which later become wet, “glassy” and gradually spread over the entire leaf plate. Note: a chemical burn of the roots (the roots turn black or turn yellow and dry out) can be caused not only by a one-time overdose of fertilizers, but also by salts accumulated to a critical maximum in a decomposing substrate. And on the leaves, damage can also appear due to the content in the bright sun of plants treated for the treatment of plants or the use of drugs that are not suitable for them.

Treatment. At severe damage the plant cannot be restored. If chemical burns are minor, they should be removed (cut off) as soon as possible, sprinkled with sulfur, activated carbon or cinnamon and for the next month do not feed the orchid and do not process anything (even with growth stimulants).

Prevention. Due to the fact that different types of orchids may react differently to the same drugs, it is strongly recommended to conduct a “compatibility test” on one of the lower leaves before using them. Any preparations based on orchid oils should be processed in several visits with an interval of 5 to 7 days. In order to avoid salinization of the substrate and the occurrence of a "skew" in the supply of nutrients, it is strongly recommended not to exceed the dose of fertilizers, adhere to the regimen recommended for this type of orchid, and use only preparations specially designed for these flowers. When choosing fertilizers, be especially careful with freshly purchased specimens, which, as practice shows, can already be sold already overfed.

Infectious diseases of orchids

As for infectious diseases, the situation is not much simpler. Let's start with the fact that orchids, even in flower shops they often come with obvious signs of disease - with spots affected by roots, pests (on leaves or in the substrate), etc. And more recently, in preparation for sale, manufacturers began to put lumps of foam rubber or tamped directly under the plants (in the center of the pot) directly under the plants (in the center of the pot). sphagnum moss, which, despite their seeming harmlessness, become a kind of “time bomb” for orchids - because of them, the flowers wither very quickly (enough for a month or two) and soon die. Problems are also created by careless tourists, who often smuggle from Asia and Thailand not passed sanitary control diseased plants. The trouble here is not so much that a sick orchid has to be treated, but that sometimes diseases (especially viral ones) are latent and externally manifest only under the most suitable conditions for them (high temperature and humidity, on stressed plants, etc.). .d.). Therefore, if a diseased specimen (which looked quite healthy) was constantly watered in common water (immersion) with other orchids, by the time the disease manifests itself on it, there may, alas, not be a single healthy plant in the collection.

Infectious diseases of orchids, depending on the pathogen, are fungal, bacterial and viral, but only the latter cannot be treated, since fungal and bacterial lesions, which are much more common, can be quickly dealt with with the right selection of drugs.

1. Viral diseases

Signs of viral diseases can appear both on flowers and on leaves of plants, and the same disease on orchids of different species may look different. For example: with Orchid fleck virus, light rings and ovals appear on the leaves of dendrobium and last for a long time, in cymbidium they are “replaced” by darkening stripes, and in phalaenopsis - initially yellow spots, which then turn white and are pressed. Cymbidium mosaic virus on cattleyas and lelias begins with the appearance of light bizarre (similar to flowers or rings) spots on the leaves and a change in the color of the flowers (light strokes); on cymbidiums and oncidiums, it provokes the appearance of strokes and stripes on the leaves (first light, then darken), and the flowers are very rarely affected; and in the zygopetalum, the defeat of this virus combines the signs of the first two cases - on the leaves of orchids, bizarre spots form both from the rings and from the strokes, and then gradually merge into common areas (the affected tissues also turn black). Depending on the type of virus, the lesion may be more or less pronounced in different parts of the plants: Calanthe mild mosaic potyvirus the color of the flowers only slightly changes, and with Tobacco Mosaic Virus they are so deformed that sometimes they cannot even open, and the areas clarified by the virus turn black and die (both on flowers and on leaves). Please note: if signs of the last three viruses are found on flowers, but there are no characteristic symptoms on the leaves (marble, dark spots and strokes), so these viruses are not the cause - they do not damage flowers without leaves. Unlike them Dendrobium vein necrosis virus causes dark streaks only on the flowers, and does not affect the leaves.

Remember: the virus can live asymptomatically in an orchid for quite some time, but as soon as they appear suitable conditions(air humidity 80%, temperature in the range of 25 - 30 ° C, stress), he will definitely "make itself felt". Alas, starting from this moment, it will not work to cure the plant, even if you provide it with optimal conditions of detention - the virus will slowly but surely destroy all its parts until it dies. Unfortunately, viral diseases can only be accurately identified in a special laboratory, so they are often confused with other diseases. The darkening of spots characteristic of viruses by inexperienced flower growers can be perceived as a thermal (sun) burn, but unlike the latter, the virus does not stop growth over time. Viral diseases differ from fungal diseases in that the former develop much faster and are necessarily accompanied by the appearance of spores, conidia, etc.

Treatment. As such, there is no treatment for plants with a viral infection - they just need to be thrown away.

Prevention. In order to prevent viral diseases, it is recommended to buy orchids only from reliable suppliers, keep them in optimal conditions temperature and humidity, do not use common containers for irrigation. Since the virus usually spreads with the juice of diseased plants, it is imperative to disinfect the instrument after working with each orchid and fight against sucking pests that appear on plants (aphids, thrips, etc.). Keep in mind: phalaenopsis, vandas, cattleyas, odontoglossums and cymbidiums are more often affected by viruses than other domestic orchids.

2. Bacterial diseases

These diseases are considered less dangerous than viral ones, but they are not always amenable to successful treatment, as they are often activated “in company” with fungal diseases and are incorrectly identified. Bacteriosis on domestic orchids, as a rule, manifests itself in two variations - in the form bacterial spotting and bacterial rot. The first disease is very easily identified by brown or black depressed spots with a yellow rim formed on the leaves or pseudobulbs. Despite the rapid (literally within a day) appearance, further spots grow much more slowly, therefore, with the timely start of treatment, in most cases it does not reach the “neglected” stage. Most often, this disease occurs on phalaenopsis and cattleyas, less often on vandas.

Treatment. An orchid that has become ill with bacterial spotting should be isolated from other plants, carefully cut out all the spots and treat the wounds with cinnamon, activated charcoal or brilliant green (in the advanced stage - with an antibiotic or bactericide). If the treatment is carried out correctly and no new spots appear within 10-14 days, the plant can be considered healthy and returned to its original place.

bacterial rot is considered a more dangerous disease and is successfully treated only on initial stage. The first signs of the disease can be identified as symptoms of frostbite or swelling, as similar wet, transparent or yellow-brown spots appear on the leaves. But then they grow, blacken and, as it were, dry out, shrink, thereby causing deformation of the leaf blade. The lesion can develop from spots that form both in the central part of the leaves (typical for phalaenopsis, cattleyas, oncidiums), and at their base (typical for paphiopedilums), as well as on pseudobulbs and stems, and when favorable conditions develops literally by leaps and bounds.

Treatment. At the first signs of bacterial rot, one should not only isolate the diseased plant, but also disinfect the window and window sill (with hydrogen peroxide or bleach) for prevention. The affected areas from the orchid must be cut off, the wounds should be smeared with brilliant green or iodine (!), And when they are tightened, they should also be treated with a copper-containing bactericide (the same Bordeaux liquid). If the spots were found at the base of the pseudobulbs or stems, the plant will have to be removed from the substrate, washed well, cut off damaged areas and from the roots, and from the stems, sprinkle them with activated carbon and for the next 10-14 days keep the orchid in a light, dry (air humidity not more than 50%) place with open roots. Watering it with such a "therapy" will have to be done daily by immersion in a container of water for 10 - 15 minutes, but very carefully so as not to provoke the appearance of edema. If during the quarantine period the flower does not show signs of further decay, it can be planted in the substrate, but not in the old pot, which is next use must be thoroughly disinfected. Please note: before using commercially available bactericides, do not forget to conduct a "compatibility test" so as not to aggravate the diseased state of the plant with a chemical burn.

Prevention. Bacteria can penetrate into orchid tissues through open wounds, contaminated substrate, with irrigation water (rain or melt), "with the help" of pests, etc. The maximum "activity of bacterial diseases", as a rule, is observed in summer - in conditions of high humidity and temperature, but in winter they can also "attack" specimens weakened due to poor lighting. For prevention purposes, it is recommended not to water the orchids in a common container, disinfect the instrument and deal with pests in time.

3. Fungal diseases

Alternariosis is characterized by the appearance of black and gray spots predominantly on flowers, and in orchids with thin leaves - on leaves.

Red-brown spots with a yellow edging are formed on the leaves of orchids and when damaged by rust. But this disease is easily identified by the very rapid appearance of bright orange and yellow bubbles, which soon burst, spewing the same bright spore powder. Note: Cattleya and phalaenopsis are very rarely affected by rust.

For Fusarium spotting characteristic is the formation of red, orange or brown spots on the leaves with a yellow rim, but on young leaves and flowers they are more often only brown and depressed.

Similar brown spots can be observed on flowers and buds of orchids and when gray spot, but this disease is also characterized by the simultaneous appearance of dirty gray spots on the bulbs and leaves with an easily erased ashy coating.

Phyllostictosis, or black spotting, at the initial stage is always confused with sunburn - similar light spots (stripes, rhombuses) that appear are pressed and darken over time, and then become thinner and become like papyrus. Unlike sunburn, black spot spots always have a richly colored (dark, yellow-red, red-violet) rim, which, as the spots grow, often forms bizarre patterns on the leaves. Please note: on pseudobulbs, the defeat of this disease looks like raised dark growths, and on flowers (typical for dendrobiums) - blue or red spots.

A similar picture (papyrus spots with a bright rim) is observed on orchid leaves and with phomopsis, but they are much larger than with phyllostictosis. Unlike burns, under favorable conditions (high humidity), the spots grow rapidly, and the leaves soon dry out completely.

The defeat of cercosporosis often resembles viral disease: "marble" yellow spots appear on the leaves, which gradually merge and fill the entire leaf blade. Unlike viral diseases, cercosporosis is quite successfully treatable, but it must be borne in mind that more often than other orchids, it “attacks” cattleyas, cymbidiums, calanthus, dendrobiums, paphiopedilums and oncidiums.

Anthracnose, due to its strong external resemblance to sunburn, is also difficult to identify, but possible. The main difference is the rapid growth of spots and the appearance of ring-shaped spore deposits on damaged tissues. Anthracnose is a typical disease for Masdevallia, Miltonia, Oncidium, Zygopetalum, Phalaenopsis and Paphiopedilum.

Treatment. All fungal diseases of orchids, which are characterized by the appearance of spots, are treated in approximately the same way: the plant should be isolated, the affected areas cut off (cut out spots) to healthy tissue, sprinkle the wounds with activated charcoal (cinnamon, brilliant green), and when they heal, spray it with a fungicide, intended for the treatment of this disease or simply leaf spots (trichodermin, copper sulfate, Bordeaux liquid, mikosan, scor, maneb, quadris, etc.). In order to prevent the further spread of diseases, windows and window sills (shelves), as well as all tools, must be thoroughly disinfected, hands must be washed, and cut damaged tissues must be burned. Orchids that have become ill with Fusarium spotting are also strongly recommended to be transplanted into a new substrate and pot, and the old ones to be burned. Do not forget that in order to avoid getting chemical burns, orchids after treatment with fungicides should not be left under the sun.

Please note that although blackspots on vandas and cymbidiums rarely become "dangerous" and grow very slowly, they should be treated as soon as possible in any case. After all, it is possible that disputes even from the smallest speck can provoke not only an outbreak of infection in neighboring orchids, but also a more active course of the disease in them. Keep in mind: the optimum for some orchids (the same zygopetalums) is high - at least about 70% - air humidity. And if, during the treatment of phyllostictosis, such orchids are provided with sufficient lighting, but kept in a “dry” room, a complete cure may not be expected, since spots will cease to appear only under conditions of the most suitable air humidity for this type.

Fungal diseases that affect the stems and roots of plants, can be considered more dangerous, since the effectiveness of their treatment depends not only on how badly the disease has affected the orchid, but also on whether its stem has developed enough to grow new roots. As practical experience confirms, the probability of successful regrowth of roots in the surviving top is much lower than the probability of new growths in the base with healthy roots not damaged by the disease. Alas, as practice confirms, with a relatively healthy upper part of the orchid, for the time being, no one even thinks about the defeat of the roots (rhizome), but “you need to know the enemy by sight”.

Pythium and late blight are infectious fungal diseases of orchids, characterized by the same external symptoms - the appearance of dark wet spots on the roots, stem and leaves of the orchid, which spread very quickly and, if the grower does not interfere, destroy the plant in a maximum of a week. These two diseases can be distinguished by the fact that 90% of Pythium is characterized by the onset of damage from the roots, and for phytophthora - from the outside (on the leaves, at the base of the pseudobulb, on the rhizome). Very often, pythium and phytophthora look like bacterial rot, therefore, to exclude the latter, it is recommended to treat plants with both bactericides and fungicides.

Treatment. To save a diseased orchid, both diseases should be treated as quickly as possible: isolate the plant, wash it along with the roots, cut off the affected areas with the capture of living tissue from both the roots and the outer part, and sprinkle them with cinnamon or crushed activated charcoal. You should not plant the orchid back, because after the wounds have healed, it will be necessary to treat the leaves (pseudobulbs, stems) and the roots with fungicides. In the treatment of phytophthora, it is optimal to use Fosetyl, Metalaxyl-M, Dimethomorph, and in the treatment of pitium - Metalaxyl-M and Propamocarb, and for soaking the roots it is advisable to prepare a less concentrated (2-3 times) solution and keep orchids in it for no longer than 10-15 minutes, so as not to provoke a burn of the roots.

Rhizoctonia, or brown rot, causes characteristic rotting of the core of orchids, the bases of pseudobulbs and stems - wet, bright brown-red or orange spots appear on them, which eventually spread and become covered with mycelium or spores. The defeat of the roots by brown rot also looks very specific and is easily determined by the brown color. The spread of this disease is most active at high humidity (both hot and cold), and can turn an orchid into a corpse in just a week.

Treatment brown rot is successful only in cases where the lesion is minor. As in other cases, the diseased orchid should be isolated, completely cleaned of rotten areas and treated with activated charcoal or sulfur. Since the fungus that causes rhizoctoniosis is very tenacious, its destruction requires at least two treatments of the plant with appropriate fungicides (Pencycuron, Boscalid, etc.), as well as mandatory repeated disinfection of windows, tools and pots.

Special attention should be paid to tracheomycosis, a difficult-to-identify fungal disease. The fact is that its companion is usually the fungus Fusarium oxysporum, which penetrates the vascular system of the orchid and clogs it, disrupting the normal processes of nutrient intake and poisoning it with its toxins. A diseased plant may look relatively healthy for a long time, but it will not be able to grow as before (grow leaves, roots, pseudobulbs). Signs of tracheomycosis should be considered: loss of turgor, which is not restored even after watering; drying out (mummification) of individual parts of the plant against the background of a healthy state of its other parts; yellowing of leaves according to the “domino” principle (leaves growing between two healthy ones turn yellow and wither); drying out of the pseudobulb "along the chain" - one after the other; lack of growth of roots and peduncles, which, even after the appearance, “pupate” and stop development. Note: wilting of leaves and pseudobulbs in many cases can occur against the background of a completely healthy appearance of the root system, which often confuses inexperienced flower growers and, unfortunately, delays the start of treatment for the disease.

Treatment tracheomycosis directly depends on the degree of damage to the orchid. If individual leaves (pseudobulbs) and roots are affected, they will have to be cut off, sprinkled with activated charcoal or cinnamon again, and after they have healed, treat the entire (!) Plant with Fundazol. If most of the top is affected, the chances of survival, of course, are reduced, but orchids with a large hard stem (the same vandas) can be tried by cuttings. If a apical stalk will be more than 15 cm in length, it is likely that it will be able to develop into an independent plant. Orchids that show signs of tracheomycosis again after treatment can be considered unpromising. At best, they will “please” with very slow (almost imperceptible) growth, and at worst, you will have to constantly treat them and do everything possible so that the disease does not spread to healthy plants.

Prevention of fungal diseases . You should buy only healthy plants, but also keep and water them separately from the rest for the first month. Measures for the prevention of fungal diseases should be aimed at optimizing the conditions for keeping domestic orchids, which will definitely increase their immunity. When a fungal disease is detected, it should be borne in mind: fungal spores are so tenacious that even the best fungicides cannot cope with them 100% (about 30% remains). Therefore, you should not relax after the first even successful treatment: only systematic (at least once every two weeks) disinfection of window sills (windows, tools), removal of water from their leaf axils, regular airing, etc. will help to completely destroy the fungus.

Conclusion

From all of the above, we can conclude that the causes of most orchid diseases are banal care errors and insufficient attention to these plants. Moreover, without optimizing the conditions of detention, no treatment for orchids even helps, no matter how good and expensive they are. medications. Therefore, if you want to buy an orchid pet for pleasure, and not for the constant struggle for its survival and health, learn as much as possible about its preferences, requirements, “weaknesses” and “pitfalls” even before buying.

Phalaenopsis is the most common type of orchid in home cultivation. They are unpretentious in care. Plants with monophonic coloring of inflorescences are in special demand. Phalaenopsis orchids are the least affected by leaf diseases and they are resistant to extreme conditions in urban apartments. However, too low or vice versa high temperature, improper watering, poor soil leads to the fact that the leaves of phalaenopsis (pictured below) are covered with black and yellow spots. What to do in such cases? This is where recommendations from experts with photos come in handy.

Phalaenopsis - various spots on the leaves and other diseases with a photo

What to do if spots of black and yellow flowers? Description of the cause of orchid disease and treatment with photos from professionals.

The list of adverse factors in which phalaenopsis affects a variety of leaf diseases:

• direct sunlight, but the plant needs a large amount of diffused light;
• lack of lighting, especially in winter. In some cases, they resort to artificial illumination with a lamp for up to 14 hours;
• heavy soil, which sticks together after watering and does not let air through to the roots;
• wrong pot. It uses a container with transparent walls, which passes through ultra-violet rays to the roots
• the effect of temperatures below +14 degrees;
• cold drafts;
• flower content at temperatures above +23 degrees. The orchid does not tolerate heat;
• alkalization of the soil.

The above factors can leave phalaenopsis without leaves, reduce their turgor, the leaf plate may become stained, the plant may not bloom for a long time or even die. How to treat an orchid with various diseases? Here, only experts can offer advice.

If the conditions for caring for a flower are fully met, then the spots on the leaves of the phalaenopsis orchid may indicate fungal and viral diseases.

Phalaenopsis leaves form sticky, glue-like droplets that can be washed off with water. Cause of the disease: honeydew. This is not a flower disease, but ordinary cell juice. It is released by the flower as a result of experienced stress, for example, sudden changes in temperature or cold air currents. However, honeydew is a favorable environment for pests such as scale insects, black fungus, and mealybugs. Their appearance is evidenced by the characteristic white coating(worm), extensive, black spots (fungal colonies), brown droplets that are easily removed (scale insect). To remove honeydew, the plant must not be exposed extreme conditions, you need to normalize care for him.

Treatment: the scutellum is protected from contact insecticides with a wax panser. Aktara is used to fight the disease. A solution of 4 g of the drug per 5 l of water is used to spray the flower and a solution of 1 g per 10 l of water is used to water the soil. The procedure is carried out 4 times with an interval of 7-10 days. You also need to replace upper layer substrate in a pot without disturbing the root system of the orchid. A complete transplant can harm the plant.

Black spots appeared on the leaves of phenolepsis at their base. At the same time, at first the spots had light brown color and small sizes. Over time, the spots increased and acquired a dark color. The sheet itself is deformed. Disease: black, mushroom rot. It is often referred to as black dry rot. It affects flowers when the soil is waterlogged and the temperature is low. Black rot also appears on the stems of the flower and on its aerial roots. You can prevent the disease by raising the temperature in the room where the flower grows. Watering should be carried out carefully. It is impossible that water
got to the point of growth. Spraying should be carried out in the daytime so that the leaves dry out before night.

If the plant is affected by black rot, the affected areas must be removed. In this case, a sharp blade is used, which must be discarded after the procedure. You also need to treat the flower with Trichopolum, Fundazol, Fitosporin, Sulfur according to the instructions on the preparation.

Black spots on Phalaenopsis orchid leaves can be common sunburn. Black spots are already a severe case. The sun has hit the leaf plate enough. Sunburns are easily distinguished from black rot by their characteristic coloration. When hit by the rays of the sun, the spots on the leaves become yellow and extensive, sometimes whitish in color. They do not extend to other parts of the flower. If you remove the orchid from the sun, then the spots gradually dry out. New leaves grow healthy. At sunburn be sure to shade the flower. Watering is carried out carefully. Water should not get on the affected tissue. Spraying stops. Over time, it is recommended to remove orchid leaves with sunburn.

How to cure phalaenopsis if its leaves first turn yellow and then turn black. Black spots have yellow and green halo. Orchid disease: Fusarium rot. Causes of occurrence: high soil moisture, a high percentage of peat in the soil, which does not allow the earth to dry out, low temperature of the flower content.

Fusarium rot is caused by a fungus. Treatment of the disease: the orchid must be isolated from
other colors, reduce watering, no spraying. The affected parts must be removed with a sharp blade. Leaves are cut off completely. If there are affected areas on the stem or roots, they are cut out. Sections are processed with green paint. The plant must be treated completely with foundationazole or oxychrome according to the instructions. Plus, treat with tetracycline or Trichopolum (the tablet is dissolved in 1 liter of water). You need to process at least 4 times with an interval of a week. The plant is considered recovered if no new spots appear. New leaves grow healthy.

Brown and brown spots appeared on the leaves of the phalaenopsis. They darken over time and increase in size. The spots are covered with a grayish coating. They are able to cover the entire leaf plate or stem. Orchid disease: gray rot. It affects the flower at high humidity and low air temperature. Treatment: the plant is isolated, the conditions for caring for it are normalized. The affected areas are removed with a sharp blade to healthy tissue. The places of cuts are processed with brilliant green. Further, it is imperative to treat the plant with Oxychrome, Fundazol or other drugs of the same group.