Gray spots on orchid leaves. Treatment and prevention of diseases

Orchid - beautiful and spectacular indoor plant. But if it is not properly looked after, then various pests or diseases can appear on it. Advanced diseases of orchids can lead to the death of the plant. And so that it does not die, it is necessary to identify diseases and pests of orchids in a timely manner and begin treatment.

Before you start pest control, it is worth determining their variety. Various pests require special preparations for destruction, so beginner gardeners should be able to identify pests on their own.

This dangerous view the pest infects orchids. The pest itself looks like a small one fluffy ball oblong shape, which has a long antennae. It usually lives in the axils of leaves near the ground. The pest feeds on plant sap. Because of this, the leaves of the orchid begin to turn yellow, and all parts of the flower become lethargic. home flower immediately separated from other plants, otherwise all indoor flowers will be affected by this pest.

To get rid of this insect, you must carefully examine the entire flower. All damaged leaves must be removed. If these pests of phalaenopsis orchids are found, then they should be collected and destroyed. The orchid needs to be dug up and the roots inspected, all damaged roots should also be removed. Destroy all old substrate. The new substrate must be treated with fitoverm, it is used according to the instructions. If the leaves are damaged, then it is worth treating them with soapy water. For the solution you need to prepare warm water and dissolve in it a large number of grated laundry soap.

The flower is kept in quarantine for a month, and every day it is necessary to carefully examine the plants.

Gallery: home orchid (25 photos)
















Shield and false shield

Spider mite infestation can be identified by a white coating on the leaves of the plant. White spots on orchid leaves at first have a small diameter, but then turn into one large spot. The tick feeds on the cell sap of the orchid. Before spraying the plant with a special preparation, it is necessary to manually remove most pests. You can clean them off with a damp cotton swab. The substrate must be replaced, and the pot itself must be thoroughly rinsed.

It is worth treating the plant twice with special preparations.

This pest looks like a small butterfly white color. It can live on all parts of the plant. The larvae are deposited on the roots or leaves of the orchid. All of them feed on the juice of the plant, which leads to a weakening of the orchid. And a weakened orchid begins to fall ill with various diseases.

Larvae and adult butterflies can be destroyed with soap solution. A large amount of laundry soap dissolves in water. You can also use Fitoverm.

Thrips: features

These pests most often settle even before the acquisition of the plant. Thrips are small black beetles that live in the substrate. But they feed on young roots and leaves. They move fast, it is not easy to catch them manually. Therefore, immediately after the purchase, you must get rid of them. The flower pot must be lowered into the water. Thrips cannot live in water, so in 10 minutes they will come to the surface.

Nematodes - inhabitants of the roots

These small worms live inside roots and stems and feed on juices. The plant loses vital substances and gradually dies. If there are few nematodes, then you can soak the pot or water the plant with a solution of Decaris or Levimisil. But if the lesion is severe, then it is worth pulling the plant out of the pot, cleaning the roots from the substrate and soaking the entire plant in this solution.

Leaf pest - aphid

These pests are easy to spot. First, they settle on the reverse sides of the leaves. They multiply rapidly and fill the entire plant. In places of settlement, aphids leave sticky secretions. To begin with, it is worth removing all pests with your hands. If individual parts are severely affected, then these areas are removed.

Then the whole plant is treated with Aktelik or Decis. Re-treatment must be carried out in a week.

Orchid diseases and their treatment

The plant may be subject to various diseases. They require different treatment.

Phalaenopsis orchid diseases and their treatment:

  • Bacterial. Most often, such diseases affect injured plants. Synthetic antibiotics are used for their treatment.
  • Fungal. These diseases can appear as a result of improperly selected temperature and water regimes. It is high humidity that leads to the reproduction of fungal organisms. Treatment is usually carried out with the help of fungicides.
  • Viral. Usually appear under unfavorable growing conditions for orchids. It is extremely difficult to determine such phalaenopsis diseases at home. Treatment is carried out by changing the growing conditions.

Phalaenopsis can be affected by various diseases, most often they occur due to the general weakness of the plant. Most often, phalaenopsis orchids are affected by diseases due to:

  • Wrong watering.
  • Insufficient ventilation.
  • Pest infestations.

Phalaenopsis orchids are most commonly affected by this disease. Fusarium appears if the plant is kept at high humidity, but ventilation is difficult.

The leaves of the orchid first turn yellow, then they begin to curl, and a pink coating forms on the surface.

How to treat an orchid? If Fusarium orchids are suspected, treatment should be started immediately. It is necessary to use the drug Fundazol. It is bred according to the instructions and the orchid is processed. You can immerse the plant completely in this solution. For a full recovery, you need to process the orchid daily for two weeks. It is also worth making sure that the roots are ventilated.

This disease appears when high rates humidity, low air temperature, using the wrong substrate and too abundant watering. First of all, it is worth using a light substrate, if it is too dense, then the airing of the roots is difficult and the roots experience discomfort.

The disease begins with blackening and rotting of the roots. Through a transparent pot, the onset of the disease is quite easy to detect. The roots completely rot, the flower lacks nutrition and the leaves turn brown.

Treatment begins with an examination of the roots. All black and damaged roots are removed. And the remaining roots should be treated with a fungicide solution. The substrate is better to take a new, high-quality. But if you have to use an old substrate, then it must be treated with a solution of Fundazol. The entire pot is completely lowered into the solution for 10 minutes. The plant itself should be processed three times. Between treatments it is necessary to maintain an interval of two weeks.

Gray rot appears due to the high dampness inside the pot and the low temperature in the room. Appear on flowers dark spots and the whole plant becomes sluggish. The disease develops quite quickly, and the orchid dies.

A good prevention of gray rot is the use of Kendal. It enhances immunity and protective functions of the flower.

The flower should be sprayed with a fungicide solution. If gray rot recurs, then the previous preparation cannot be used. It simply will not work, gray rot is resistant to such drugs.

anthracnose disease

First of all, small spots appear on the leaves of the flower. Then the spots on the leaves of the phalaenopsis orchid become larger and merge into one spot. The stain turns black. An infected flower should be isolated from the rest, otherwise the disease will spread to all plants.

To prevent the disease, it is necessary to ventilate the room well, create air humidity in the range of 50-60% and make sure that water does not stagnate in the axils of the leaves.

Large lesions are cut out with a sharp knife. The rest of the plant should be treated with a solution of fungicides. And it may take several treatments.

When defeated bacterial disease orchid leaves become lethargic, and cracks appear on their surface. Wet black dots and spots may also appear on the leaves. This disease is easy to cure.

First you need to remove all damaged areas and stains. For this use sharp knife and carefully cut out the damage. All sections should be treated with a disinfectant. For example, alcohol tincture iodine or charcoal. Some experts recommend using cinnamon or ground pepper, they will also disinfect the cuts, but will not harm the flower.

If the damage is severe, then it is worth using a fungicide solution. If bacterial spot does not appear within two weeks, then the flower can be considered healthy.

Disease prevention

In order for the plant not to be affected by pests and diseases, it is necessary to correctly organize the conditions and care. It is more difficult to cure a disease than to prevent a home flower.

Conditions for disease prevention:

  • After acquiring a new plant, it is necessary to keep it for about one month separately from other plants, otherwise all flowers will get sick.
  • Periodically, it is necessary to inspect the plants, check for pests, damage to leaves and flowers, and the condition of the roots. At the slightest suspicion, the flower should be placed in a dry room separately from other plants.
  • Phalaenopsis orchid loves high humidity, with insufficient moisture, the plant can get sick.
  • Lighting must be continuous. IN winter period you can increase the duration of daylight hours with the help of phytolamps.

Phalaenopsis orchid - very beautiful and showy plant so it needs to be taken care of properly. Moreover, competent care will help to avoid the appearance of pests and diseases.

The leaves and flowers of a healthy orchid delight the eyes of its owners for a long time. From a glance experienced gardener the spots on the leaves of the orchid, which sometimes appear for no reason, will not hide. Why did these white dots appear and what should be done to treat the spots that are visible on the leaves of the phalaenopsis orchid?

Any depigmentation of a plant always indicates the presence of certain disorders in its vital activity. These can be white spots, watery spotting, eventually turning into necrotic black spots, dry brown spots, in place of which the plant tissue crumbles and breaks off. Spots that may appear on phalaenopsis leaves indicate a disease or disorder. mineral nutrition your pet.

Depending on the cause of the spots, they will have to be treated in different ways. Therefore, it is important to distinguish between signs of diseases and physiological problems of the plant. Let's take a closer look at why spots appear different colors, and the worst thing is white spots on orchid leaves.

Phalaenopsis diseases

There is a large list of diseases whose symptoms are dots on the leaves. They can be divided into two categories - diseases caused by fungi and diseases caused by bacteria. Among the fungi, spots on the leaves cause phytophthora, fusarium, cochliobolus, pseudocochliobolus, causative agents of septoria and cercosporosis.

Bacterial causative agents of spotting mainly belong to the genus Bacillus, but there are exceptions. Most of these diseases are manifested in early stages in the form of the appearance of whitish or yellow spots over time, blackening from the center of the lesion. Sometimes the spots merge and form massive necrotic areas with dark edges.

Hives

Urticaria is caused by the fungus Uredo Japanika. Dark spots up to 3 mm in diameter appear on the leaves. Over time, the entire surface of the plant is affected, which is why it dies. Usually the appearance of this disease is a consequence of poor control of the environment of the plant. Most often, phalaenopsis are infected that are in a room with low temperature and high humidity.

Bacillus Cypriped

This bacterium is the causative agent of wet rot in orchids. This is a very dangerous disease that cannot be adequately treated. At the first sign of the disease, it is recommended to remove the affected leaf.

The manifestation of the disease is very characteristic and begins from the edge of the leaf blade. First, a dark watery spot appears there, which quickly spreads down the tissue. The affected area becomes lethargic, the leaf becomes limp, an unpleasant odor characteristic of bacterioses appears.

Rot develops literally by the hour. A light affected spot darkens to yellow color, after - to brown. On the second day, the whole plant becomes brown.

Dry spots

Dry spots are caused by Cladosporium Orchideorum. Small spots appear on the plant Brown color, dry consistency. Quite quickly, they cover the entire surface of the photosynthetic organ, forming black sporulation on it.

late blight

Phytophthora palmiala is a fungal pathogen. This pathogen causes black leaf base rot. An extremely dangerous disease. Pathogen spores are able to persist in the soil for a long time. It begins with the appearance of small black spots on the leaves of the orchid. Progresses rapidly, infecting and killing the entire plant. Virtually no cure. Phytophthora loves wet, cool conditions and infects the flower only in the presence of drip moisture.

Mesophyll collapse

A disease called leaf cell death. The causative agent has not been identified. It looks like single brown pits on the surface of phalaenopsis. The development of this disease is associated with watering the leaves with cold water.

Bacterial spotting

This term most often refers to spotting caused by a fungus of the genus Cercospora. It looks like white, concentric specks on the top of the leaf. From the bottom side, you can observe the development of mycelium. The disease will spread rapidly under the right conditions - high temperature and high humidity.

Phyllostictina Pyriformis

Yellow leaf spot is caused by a fungus. It develops slowly, but on a large scale - the fungus quickly spreads by spores, infecting the entire plant. The spots are yellowish at first, and later darken. The fungus is an aggressive necrotroph and quickly kills the leaves of a living plant.

Chlorosis

Destruction of chlorophyll in plant cells. It looks like an uneven, light striped spotting on the surface of the affected organ. It is the result of a huge range of problems ranging from insufficient moisture or minerals (nitrogen, phosphorus) to the presence of root rot. Chlorosis is a symptom of the disease

Burkholderia gladioli

Wet bacterial rot, unusual for our latitudes. The causative agent Burkholderia gladioli lives in plant cells and causes local darkening of tissues due to the destruction of mechanical structures. The affected area becomes slimy and jelly-like in consistency.

Treatment

The treatment of spotting comes down primarily to prevention. Treat your plants in a timely manner, prevent them from freezing and stressing, make sure that there is no dripping moisture on the sheets. At the first sign of illness, remove the affected leaf to save the whole orchid. Having accurately determined who is the causative agent of your disease - a fungus or a bacterium, use the right drug

Video “Orchid diseases”

From this video you will learn about the mistakes in care and the causes of diseases.

The most common diseases of orchids can be called non-infectious diseases, they, as a rule, are the result of inconsistencies in care. First of all, the leaves signal us about problems, and in order to prevent further infection of the orchid, one should take up their treatment as soon as possible.

Signs of any disease in phalaenopsis are most pronounced in adverse conditions.

Orchid diseases are reduced to three types:

  • Fungal diseases - the most numerous diseases in the form of raids and spots on the leaves, often progress and end in the death of the entire plant.
  • Bacterial spotting is a very unpleasant disease, expressed in rotting of the roots, spreading to other parts, the leaves turn yellow, then darken, become soft, covered with sunken spots and weeping ulcers.
  • Viral - very unusual leaf spot (mosaic virus), damage to flowers, ring-shaped spots in the form of small circles and strokes. Unfortunately, there is no cure...

The most typical manifestations of all these diseases are spotting, raids and rot that occur on the orchid. various kinds(both wet and dry). The main reason is the stagnation of water in the pot, excessive humidity, the greenhouse effect created by the increase in temperature and humidity, the orchid got burned, or froze, got cold.

In the photo: dry yellow- brown spots(burn) ... After resuscitation of the Phalaenopsis orchid, aerial roots began to grow and a new leaf grows well.

The growth of fungi is provoked by strong waterlogging, overheating, lack of ventilation, sometimes as a result of damage, exposure to cold ...

The virus can hide for a long time and not manifest itself in any way, but with general watering will settle on other orchids. At strong development diseases cannot be treated - the plant is destroyed.

The most common orchid diseases.

  • Anthracnose (fungal) - clearly defined round spots appear on the foliage, shoots different sizes dark brown, which merge to form black convex areas. Treatment of this disease is reduced to the removal or excision of diseased areas. The cut point is processed wood ash. When infected larger area treated with systemic or chemical. drugs to prevent the spread of the fungus.
  • Gray rot (fungal) - brown spots appear due to a violation of the water and temperature conditions small size, eventually affecting the entire flower. Treatment of orchids with the drug "Immunocytophyte". Keep as dry as possible, ventilate to reduce humidity.
  • Fusarium - of fungal diseases, phalaenopsis most often affects - fusarium rot, in which the roots, growth point are first damaged, then the disease spreads to the entire orchid. It is difficult to treat, so the plant is destroyed. main reason the occurrence of fusarium, as well as other rot - excess moisture. Prevention is keeping pots and substrate clean.
  • root rot extends to the neck, bulb, rhizome, stems. And only the roots get wet and decompose. Other parts affected by rot simply turn yellow and dry out, crack or split, but no signs of rot are noticeable.
  • Root rot of bacterial origin, unlike fungal, causes wet rot and decomposition of not only the roots, neck, but also other parts of the orchid. Shoots in a short period (8-10 days) can suddenly turn black or dry out. This process is often accompanied by an unpleasant odor.
  • Powdery mildew (fungal) - the plant is covered with a white coating, which leads to the drying of the affected area and death. At the first sign, spray with a solution of colloidal sulfur, preliminarily (two hours) water the flower abundantly. For prevention purposes, they are sprayed with Fitosporin.
  • An excess of moisture, especially at low temperatures, has a detrimental effect on the orchid - shoots, leaves, roots are affected by rot, which often leads to death. It is recommended to immediately remove all affected areas, process the cut sites and transplant.

Drugs for treatment - systemic fungicides.

In any case, we isolate the orchid from the rest. We remove (cut out) everything infected to a healthy green tissue. Disinfecting the cut points. We spray the diseased plant with a systemic fungicide - 2-3 times with an interval of 10 days, for prevention - 1 time per month.

Please note that the fungicide must be systemic, not preventive, namely, eradicating the fungus (penetrating into the vascular system).

Drugs that inhibit the development of fungal, infectious, bacterial diseases are common measures to combat them.

  • "Fitosporin" - will help very well in the treatment of orchids ...
  • "Fundazol" - universal action(the affected areas are cleaned, dried and powdered).
  • "Chlorhexidine" - well helps against bacterial diseases.
  • "Oxyhom" - destroys dangerous diseases such as bacterial black spot, root rot, etc.
  • "Topaz" - good for powdery mildew, rust.
  • "Fito Plus" - top and root rot, powdery mildew, gray rot ...
  • "Streptomycin sulfate" - for bacterial lesions (1 ampoule per liter of water)
  • "Immunocytophyte" - a universal preparation of immune action, suppresses a huge complex of diseases. It has proved itself perfectly, both for treatment and for prevention. Processing is carried out once a month.
  • "Trichodermin" - suppresses, but of a weaker effect.

Phalaenopsis are often affected by many diseases (spotting, anthracnose, fusarium rot), as well as other orchids in need of treatment and resuscitation.

After all the treatments, it is better to transplant the plant into a properly selected substrate (pine bark) and continue the treatment of phalaenopsis for preventive purposes. We reduce, as far as possible, watering and spraying, reduce air humidity ... We avoid fertilizers during quarantine.

In case of severe infection (anthracnose, black fungus, rust ...) they are treated with the biological preparation "Mikosan", or chemical. preparations "Ridomil", "Skor", "Topsin-M".

Read the instructions carefully! When using chemicals or other orchid disease control products, follow the directions on the label and follow all safety precautions…

Often pests become carriers of diseases, which we will talk about on a separate page ...

Even with caring care for indoor flowers, they can get sick. Phalaenopsis orchids are no exception. They often get sick, as it seems to us, with rather careful care on our part. But it's not. Only violations of the rules for growing a beautiful orchid lead to disastrous results. We will analyze the diseases that are common in the Phalaenopsis orchid and their causes, as well as talk about methods of treatment.

Why do Phalaenopsis orchid leaves turn yellow and what to do?

  • if Phalaenopsis stands on a sunny windowsill, its leaves can get sunburned;
  • if the flower stands in the back of the room, far from sunlight, its leaves will stretch, become lethargic, lose turgor. Therefore, it is important to guess where the flower is most comfortable - there and organize a place of residence for Phalaenopsis.
  • if you do not protect it from drafts when ventilating the room;
  • if the pot is in the way of air flows from the air conditioner;
  • if you keep it for a long time at low temperatures;
  • if you over-moisten the substrate, the roots may lack oxygen and begin to rot. Leaves turn yellow and fall;
  • sometimes, with frequent abundant watering, brown spots soaked in water appear on leaves, stems or flowers. Over time, they increase and merge into large spots. In damp, warm weather, pink, gelatinous masses of spores appear in the centers of these lesions. This - characteristics disease called anthracnose. Treatment begins with the removal of diseased areas from the plant, then the treatment of sections with crushed coal or iodine. To be sure, treat with Mykosan Biologic or a copper-based fungicide;
  • with bacterial or fungal infections, spots appear on the leaves different color, sometimes weeping. Bacterial leaf spot is especially dangerous. It is necessary to cut off all the affected parts of the plant. Treat slices with crushed activated carbon or iodine. If within 10 - 14 days new spots do not appear, the treatment can be considered successful. At the slightest doubt, treat the orchid with Mikosan, and the substrate with a 0.2% solution of Previkur.

Phalaenopsis Orchid Diseases

Consider some diseases and their causes.

Fusarium

  1. If you use soil that is not suitable for orchids as a substrate, if you often waterlog this substrate, if the roots are constantly in heavy and not drying soil and do not receive enough oxygen and sunlight, then your flower may become infected with a fungal disease called Fusarium.This is a very dangerous disease that has no cure. The plant will have to be destroyed along with the pot.

    root rot

  2. Phalaenopsis roots rotted, what to do? In a humid and warm environment with frequent and abundant watering, the Phalaenopsis root system rots. The lower leaves of the plant also suffer. This disease is called root rot. The rosette of leaves turns creamy yellow and the other parts turn brown. Sometimes porcini mushrooms can be found on stems, pseudo bulbs and leaves. If the disease is detected early, cut out the affected areas with a sterile instrument and treat the wounds with a fungicide. To prevent recurrence, move Phalaenopsis to a cooler, dry place for a while after treatment. If you missed the onset of the disease, and the disease has spread widely throughout the flower, then the chances of saving it are slim.

    Hives

  3. If there is stale air in the room with a flower, if you rarely ventilate it, then there is a danger of a viral infection called Urticaria.
  4. Sometimes appears on Phalaenopsis leaves brown spot. If it is not sunburn, and your orchid is not standing in the sun, then this is possibly dangerous bacterial disease. At first, it appears as a small blister spot on the leaf, which gradually turns brown and forms a bacterial fluid. Once you find the stain, cut it out with a sterile sharp instrument. Process the sheet with damaged area cinnamon or crushed charcoal. If you do not detect this disease in time, it will spread to the entire crown and the plant will die.

    black rot

  5. Sometimes, when the humidity and temperature are too high, individual parts of the Phalaenopsis turn black like coal. The disease begins with the leaves, then the shoots and roots turn black. The disease is called Black Rot. Remove the affected areas, then treat the plant, especially its cuts, with a suitable fungicide.
  6. Other viral infections can infect Phalaenopsis with improper care, for example, Cymbidium Mosaic and Odontoglossum virus. They are very similar, but various diseases orchids. The first appears on the orchid flower in the form of stripes or spots on the petals, and the second affects the leaves. They become stained, discolored and deformed. If your sick Phalaenopsis has similar symptoms, we advise you to get rid of it along with the pot as soon as possible so that the infection does not spread to other flowers, since these viral diseases are incurable.
  7. In too wet room when, after spraying or watering, moisture remains in the axils of the leaves and on the petals of the flowers, small black or light brown spots appear on the buds and flowers. It's evolving fungal disease- Botrytis. If left untreated, the buds will eventually wither and fall off. It is necessary to carefully cut off the affected flower with a sterile tool, and treat the cut with a fungicide. To prevent the spread of the disease, remove all wilted flowers from the plant on time. And gently spray the blooming butterfly orchid. Drops of water left on the flowers contribute to the emergence and spread of Botrytis disease.

    Gray rot

  8. If small watery spots appear on the buds and flowers, which then turn into dead brown patches, your Orchid has contracted the Gray Rot disease. Along with the flowers, Phalaenopsis leaves also suffer. Gray spots appear on them with an ashy coating inside them. This plaque is easily erased with a finger. The cause of the development of Gray rot can be any of the following:
  • incorrect mode of watering and spraying Phalaenopsis during flowering;
  • lack of lighting;
  • too low room temperature;
  • too much high humidity ambient air;
  • lack of ventilation;
  • high concentration of fertilizers in the substrate, especially its nitrogen part;
  • water unsuitable for watering orchids.

Healthy and strong plants Gray rot never strikes.

If Phalaenopsis disease is suspected, isolate the flower from other plants. Remove the affected parts of the plant. Treat the flower with some fungicide. Correct the errors in its content.

Phalaenopsis orchid pests

Most often, Phalaenopsis is attacked by such insects - pests such as thrips, spider mites, shields, . They feed on the sap of the plant, disrupting the process of photosynthesis in the tissues of the flower. The stems wither, the buds and leaves of the Phalaenopsis wither and fall off.

Thrips on Phalaenopsis leaves

Shchitovka on Phalaenopsis

For orchids of this species, well-lit rooms with diffused sunlight are suitable. In nature, phalaenopsis grow on trees, and the sun's rays on the way to them have to overcome the crown. The eastern location of windows is considered ideal. If they are oriented to the south, control the intensity of solar radiation in summer. Prolonged exposure to direct rays is detrimental to the plant. Shading of windows with paper, reflective foil, pieces of wallpaper will serve as protection. Phalaenopsis tends to reach for the light. To keep it stable and aesthetically pleasing, it must be rotated periodically.

Plants placed on the northern and western windows will have less flowering intensity. For proper development and flowering, Phalaenopsis needs 12-, and preferably 15-hour daylight hours.

The temperature regime required by this type of orchid does not contradict what is usually found in most living quarters. In summer it is +25, +28 degrees, in winter - +18, +20 is enough.

One of the main features of these orchids is the almost complete absence of dormant periods.

To lay flowers, phalaenopsis needs a decrease in temperature at night by 5–7 degrees. Such a temperature amplitude is common or quite possible in houses and apartments.

But lowering the temperature to +10 degrees can lead to the loss of the ability of the roots to absorb moisture. The plant transfers metabolic processes to the consumption of previously accumulated reserves, which is fraught with rapid deterioration of the life support system. The roots gradually atrophy, the leaves wrinkle, and the plant dies. Sometimes such a reaction to low temperatures is confused with insufficient watering. And an increase in the amount of moisture in such a situation exacerbates the situation even more.

Phalaenopsis needs fresh air. Frequent airing is very useful for the plant, but it must be protected from drafts, otherwise the plant may get sick.

This type of orchid is quite moisture-loving. For its normal life, it is necessary to constantly maintain humidity at the level of 60–80%.

If the room is heated during the cold season electric convectors or other devices that dry the air, the orchid must be additionally moistened with a spray bottle. You need to moisturize more root system not leaves.

Diseases and pests that most often affect the plant

Defeat by rot

A separate extensive category in this list are various types rot. The list of possible symptoms is very wide and depends on local conditions, air humidity, watering intensity and room temperature. We list the most common and pronounced cases:

  • brown rot;
  • black rot;
  • root rot;
  • gray rot;
  • fusarium rot.

What does a sluggish, blackening leaf say

Some common phalaenopsis diseases show their symptoms on the leaves of the plant. Timely noticed changes in the color, structure and density of the leaves will help prevent the most detrimental consequences.

The most common diagnoses:

  • powdery mildew;
  • anthracnose;
  • leaf spot.

In the case of diagnosing a viral disease of an orchid, it, unfortunately, is not subject to treatment and resuscitation. Such a plant must be eliminated. Most effective way- burn the orchid.

A separate type of danger is the development of viral and fungal diseases in places where the waste products of aphids accumulate. Such places in themselves become breeding grounds for diseases.

Table: problems encountered when growing phalaenopsis

Treatment and prevention of diseases

As can be seen from the table of symptoms, Phalaenopsis is susceptible to many types of rot that affect all parts of the plant. Such a variety of diseases associated with decay is due to the moisture-loving nature of the flower, the specifics of substrate moisture and instability to prolonged temperature changes.

The appearance of viral and fungal diseases in most cases is associated with poor-quality, contaminated substrate. Less commonly, viral diseases are transferred to the plant from other indoor flowers.

What to do when the plant starts to rot

Treatment of diseases such as brown and black rot in advanced stages (more than 30% of the plant is affected) is almost impossible. If a smaller area is captured by rotting, you can try to save the flower. To do this, you need to perform some kind of operation. Carefully cut out the affected areas with a sterile knife, trying to minimize damage to healthy tissues. After the operation, sprinkle the cuts with coal dust and process Bordeaux mixture. The substrate must be discarded, the pots should be sterilized, and a clean, healthy substrate should be poured into them.

During rehabilitation, the orchid needs to create the most comfortable conditions: minimum allowable difference air temperature (amplitude 5–7 degrees), stable humidification, air circulation in the room, but without drafts.

If other orchids are located in close proximity to the affected plant, they must be treated with Bordeaux mixture (other copper-containing preparations can also be used). The best prevention of such diseases is careful observance of ventilation, humidification, watering and lighting regimes.

If root rot is found in phalaenopsis, urgent measures must be taken urgently. Remove the substrate, dry the pot. Clean the roots of rot, remove the affected areas. After that, the root system must be treated in a special solution (0.2% Topsin or Fundazol). For the most beneficial effect, the roots are immersed in the solution 2-3 times with an interval of 10 days. Such an orchid should be transplanted into a disinfected clean substrate.

Prevention of root rot is careful observance of the regime of moistening and watering, as well as monitoring the condition of the substrate, its timely replacement.

The defeat of an orchid by Fusarium rot is most often associated with poor air circulation and a violation of the irrigation regime. Such rot affects all parts of the leaves, as well as young shoots. The leaves turn yellow, curl, become soft. Sometimes the process of fusarium decay is accompanied by the appearance of a plaque of fungal spores. pink shade. With a large-scale lesion, treatment is impossible. In case of local infection, the orchid should be treated in a 0.2% solution of Fundazol. This procedure should be performed 2-3 times a day for 10-14 days. In this case, the entire plant can be immersed in the solution along with the pot. Fundazol is the most effective fungicidal drug in the fight against Fusarium rot.

Fundazol is used to treat various kinds rot, in particular Fusarium. It is also suitable as a powdery mildew prophylaxis. The main active agent in this preparation is benomyl, which inhibits the vital processes of pathogenic cells, as a result of which they die. Systemic preventive measures with the use of Fundazol will help prevent most putrefactive and fungal diseases of orchids. The proportions for the solution are as follows: 1 gram of Fundazol per 1 liter of water. The solution can be applied with a sprayer. Water the soil with a solution, wipe the leaves. After the solution dries, a white coating will appear on the plant. It is recommended to wash off the plaque only after a day. This is a fairly toxic substance, so it should be used in protective equipment. In many countries, Fundazol is banned due to toxicity. It is highly recommended not to contact pregnant women with it.

During treatment, spraying with water should be stopped. Direct drafts should not be allowed to enter the plant, while ventilation is necessary.

As in previous cases, the best prevention of Fusarium will be unconditional adherence to the regimes and rules for caring for phalaenopsis.

The fight against gray rot involves the removal of affected areas, followed by the treatment of healthy tissues with preparations containing fungicides. With extensive damage (more than 50%), the plant will have to be eliminated and all nearby indoor flowers treated with fungicides.

A fungicide is a substance (of chemical or biological origin) that inhibits the development of fungi.

Prevention of gray rot is similar to the steps described above.

Another danger is fungi.

Leaf spot and anthracnose are fungal diseases. Their symptoms are expressed by multiple local damage to the leaves. dark color. Such damage is more like a dent. Phalaenopsis is affected by anthracnose mainly due to high humidity. Another reason may be the stagnation of water in the bowls of young leaves and at the point of growth. An extensively affected plant is best eliminated. If there are not very many affected areas, they can be cut off, and healthy tissues can be treated with ash. Suitable and pounded Activated carbon. The substrate should be changed and the pot sterilized. Throughout the rehabilitation period, the plant must be isolated from other similar flowers.

Prevention of fungal diseases is a strict adherence to the regime of watering and moisturizing, as well as the exclusion of water from entering the growth point and sinuses of young orchid shoots. Humidity room air should be in the range of 40-70%. Airing is quite frequent, depending on the season.

A disease such as powdery mildew has pronounced symptoms. They are characterized by the appearance on the plant white coating. Moreover, such a plaque appears on all parts of the plant, including buds and inflorescences. Such a disease develops quickly and leads to the death of the orchid, if not taken in time. necessary measures treatment. The more rapid development of this disease contributes to increased temperature regime and abnormally high humidity.

The method of treatment involves soaking the plant in a solution of colloidal sulfur. Drugs designed to combat powdery mildew, are called Topsin-M, Skor, Fundazol.

Prevention includes periodic spraying of phalaenopsis with Fitosporin.

Viral diseases are incurable

The defeat of the Phalaenopsis orchid by viral diseases is a rare phenomenon. They appear with specific patterns and spots on the leaves of the plant. The affected plant must be immediately isolated from the rest and, without delay, eliminated. Means of treatment viral diseases orchids do not yet exist. At the same time, it is better to burn the orchid together with the substrate and the pot.

Prevention of viral diseases will be the observance of all the necessary regimens for the normal functioning of the flower.

Timely resuscitation will help restore the turgor of phalaenopsis leaves. These include providing the plant favorable conditions. Change its location in the room. Be sure to isolate the orchid from drafts, to prevent hypothermia. Substrate replacement often helps.

Photo gallery: the most common diseases

Prolonged exposure to low temperatures, high humidity leads to black rot Root rot can completely destroy the plant Fusarium rot - dangerous enemy Phalaenopsis Causes of brown rot may be lack of sufficient circulation fresh air, high humidity in the room Gray rot can cause the death of phalaenopsis This is how anthracnose manifests itself The leaf is affected by powdery mildew The plant is overcome by viruses

Phalaenopsis orchid pests and their control

The first measure to save from unwanted guests living in the substrate will be soaking a newly acquired plant in water. All uninvited guests will start to get out. If they were not, then it will be enough to dry the orchid.

Dropped buds, sticky spots - look for scale insects

Prevention will be washing the leaves every 4-5 days.

The use of Fitoverm insecticide for orchids provides for the following proportions: 2 ml of the drug per 50 ml of water. Spray the solution from the spray bottle to the entire plant. It should be clarified that Fitoverm only affects adult scale insects that are able to feed on their own. Therefore, the treatment is always carried out again after 5-7 days. Fitoverm can not be used in conjunction with other insecticides.

Fitoverm has low toxicity to humans.

How to save from a mealybug

White pest on yellowing leaves

The whitefly is dangerous with its larvae. They suck nutrients from orchid leaves. In this case, the plant itself turns yellow, loses its shape and may die. Identifying whiteflies is easy. These are insects of a distinct white color, similar to ordinary midges. Hiding with back side sheet.

The fight against the whitefly involves washing the leaves with a solution of laundry soap (proportion of the solution: 1 to 6), spraying the flower and substrate with Aktellik. Washing the leaves with clean water every 4-5 days.

For orchids, 2 ml of Aktellik is diluted in 100 ml of water, followed by bringing the volume of the solution to 1 liter with clean water. It will be usable within a day. It is necessary to spray the solution from a sprayer over the entire area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe plant. Repeat the procedure after 7-10 days. Do not spray insecticide indoors and be sure to use protective equipment.

Careful monitoring of plants, timely replacement and careful selection of the substrate will serve as a good prevention in pest control.

Root mite - the cause of root damage

The root mite infects the root system of the plant. high humidity contributes to its rapid growth. The tick lives in an untreated substrate.

Control measures include removing the affected areas, disinfecting them with coal dust, replacing the substrate and disinfecting the pot. The roots themselves are also disinfected, for which a pale pink solution of potassium permanganate is used.

Prevention will be a careful selection of the substrate, its timely replacement and the absence of waterlogging.

Whitefly larvae suck nutrients from orchid leaves Root mite seriously damages the root system of the plant Shchitovka brings the orchid to rapid exhaustion and death Phalaenopsis leaf occupied by a colony of mealybugs When thrips appear on phalaenopsis, you will have to remove flowers and buds, spray the plant and water the soil systemic insecticide Aphids, capable of multiplying in incredible quantities, can suck out all the juice from an orchid

Disinfection of pots and substrate

To disinfect the pot, it can be treated with boiling water, sterilized under a stream of water vapor. But such methods can deform containers made of low-quality plastic. Best way- soaking the pot in a solution of potassium permanganate for 15 minutes. When preparing a solution, be guided by its color, which should be pale pink, by no means bright, and certainly not purple. Then dry the pot, it will not be superfluous to wipe it with alcohol.

To disinfect the substrate, place it in a container of clean water and boil for 15 minutes, then dry it on a clean towel.

Video: pests and diseases of orchids

Reanimate and restore

Even a practically dead orchid can be saved. Ways to return to life depend on the condition of the plant and the cause of wilting. All resuscitation methods involve replacing the substrate and disinfecting the pot.

Leaves wither and fall

It is enough for a plant with withered leaves to provide the necessary conditions for normal life: first of all, observe the correct modes of moistening, watering, lighting and ventilation.

If the orchid has lost its leaves, then in addition to the above, it is necessary to feed the plant. Suitable for this nitrogen fertilizers. But it is necessary to monitor the concentration of nitrogen, since its excess can lead to even worse consequences.

Examples of popular orchid fertilizers with a normal nitrogen concentration:

  • Greenworld for orchids;
  • Kemira Lux;
  • Cameleon;
  • Oasis;
  • Bona-forte.

The method of resuscitation of phalaenopsis that has lost leaves:

  1. First of all, you need to inspect the root system. If it is abundantly affected by decay processes (more than 50%), then the plant is practically doomed. If most of the roots are elastic and clean in appearance, then they must be left, the rest removed and treated with coal dust.
  2. Treat the prepared root system with a solution of Fundazol. (The proportions and method of application are indicated above).
  3. Disinfect the substrate and pot.
  4. After that, place the root system in a pot with a treated substrate, and the pot itself in plastic bag. The package should be spacious, creating a semblance of a greenhouse.
  5. You need to tie the bag immediately after spraying the plant with water. The greenhouse must be ventilated frequently, clean air should be run into it once a day.

You need to keep the orchid in the greenhouse until new leaves appear. After their formation, the plant should restore the normal mode of watering and spraying.

Do not let the root rot completely

The necessary care can help even a plant that has lost most of its root system.

Steps to resuscitate the phalaenopsis root system:

  1. First of all, the plant must be removed from the substrate and rinsed well in warm running water.
  2. Then you should dry the orchid. Within 2-3 hours, it should lie on paper or a towel at room temperature.
  3. Inspect the remaining young roots and assess their condition. Usually in Phalaenopsis they have a light green color. Their structure should be elastic. The roots are slippery and soft, must be removed.
  4. Remove all dead and suspicious roots. Treat the cut sites with coal dust or special antiseptic preparations. Young root shoots that have a healthy appearance, place for a day in a strengthening mixture, which is sold in flower shops in the form of ampoules, powders, liquids. By the way, experienced growers It is recommended to carry out the strengthening procedure once a month, especially during the change of seasons. Orchids are watered by immersion in water solution, where such mixtures are added according to the manufacturer's recommendations.
  5. After that, the plant must be placed in a vessel with water. The leaves should not come into contact with the liquid. Change the water in the vessel once a day.
  6. After the growth of young roots to a length of 3-4 cm, transplant the orchid into the prepared soil.

Often, a flower has to be fixed in a new pot. This is necessary for better engraftment of the root system.

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