Why is an orchid withering. For no apparent reason, orchid leaves wither: what to do

For a long time, your pet delighted you with its beauty. And, suddenly, you notice the wilting. Possibly a subsequent fall. Such a nuisance happens with leaves and flowers. What happened? We need to understand in detail.

It is hard to watch when the plant that you groomed withers. Moreover, there are species that differ precisely in their chic foliage. But here they wither, turn yellow, and then fall off. Obviously, your beauty is either sick, or you screwed up with the care. “Debriefing” always begins by identifying factors.

Phalaenopsis are thermophilic. But everything has its own measure. Invalid things: your flower is constantly "under the gun" of the sun's rays. The hot air of the air conditioner is directed to it. The heating battery under the windowsill on which the pot stands is too hot. Plus low humidity (50% or less).

The trunk, leaves, flowers are very hot. An active process of evaporation of moisture begins. So does the soil. It overheats by evaporating water. The result is cooling root system. "Cold" roots stop consuming the right amount of moisture. This means that the leaves do not receive nutrients. Outcome: flabbiness, yellowness, wilting. Everything happens quickly, in a few hours.

The following troubles occur with the root system: rotting; shrinkage. Why? Priority - improper care. The main factors influencing these processes are:

Orchid is an epiphytic plant. That is, having "bare" roots. With them, it is attached to rocks, trees, caves. Frequent, warm tropical rains plentifully water the root system. And since it is not reinforced with soil, the water drains completely. Warm air dries out the roots. So, until the next rain.

Home conditions do little to keep such a flower with bare roots. This requires more care. Therefore, most varieties grow in the ground. Let's say the pot is chosen incorrectly (inappropriate size), without a sufficient number of holes. Then, with abundant watering, the substrate will always be wet. Disease may occur. When the roots get brown shade, lose elasticity, become lethargic - it means that problems have begun.

Everything is simple. Bring your pet's conditions as close to natural as possible. Abundant watering warm water- runoff - drying. Drying is ensured by good air circulation in the room. Do frequent ventilation, excluding drafts.

Another extreme of the previous paragraph. If an "experienced" florist tells you to water phalaenopsis strictly on a daily basis, ignore such advice. First: each plant requires an individual approach. Influenced by species, origin. Second, meteorological parameters change daily. Like: air temperature, humidity, sunshine, cloudiness. Take a break from that. In dry weather, high temperatures, water more often. When cool or frost sets in, reduce watering. Focus on the condition of the substrate. It should be loose, moist (but not wet!).

Many people think: the more fertilizer, the better. This is not true. There are supplements where different concentration minerals. The roots are extremely sensitive to this or that substance. Suddenly, there will be a search of salts, the plant may die. It also takes into account the variety, periods of growth, dormancy, flowering.

Sometimes an orchid is transplanted into a new dish, where there is a new soil. First, the root system grows, the old pot becomes small. The roots also suffer. Secondly, due to abundant watering, salts, the appearance of mold, fungi, the substrate is destroyed. It becomes more dense. Air circulation deteriorates. The roots feel the lack of oxygen. The result is that they “suffocate” and die.

Roots are the circulatory system of a plant. Therefore, the combination of these factors causes problems, the leaves too.

• Overheating: your actions. We create a shadow for the plant (just take it deep into the room). You can not immediately fill it with water or spray! Such actions cause the withering away of parts. Let it cool down completely. Rest will take 2-4 hours. Then water in the usual way.

The water balance is restored up to four days. Regeneration of the affected parts is unlikely to happen instantly. So, be patient.

If such a nuisance has occurred, find a comfortable zone for the flower. It is impossible to completely deprive the sun of sunlight. Give him a table near the window. Or another part of the house. Perhaps the side of the world just does not suit him.

When the foliage wilts, overheating plays a role only in 10% of cases. The rest is a violation of the function of the roots. Conventionally, three degrees of injury are considered: mild, moderate, severe, and very severe. Unlike the first three, the last degree means the death of the root system, and hence the plant.

• Take the phalaenopsis by the trunk, gently move it back and forth. Does it sit firmly in the ground? The likely cause is drought. It's OK.


• Move the pot away from the heat source. Let him rest for one hour.


• After, place the flower in a container of water. Temperature +30 - +40 degrees. Let it stand for about an hour.


• Avoid fertilizers or stimulants immediately. Otherwise, the situation will only worsen.


• Next, give your pet a warm, plentiful shower from top to bottom. Try to bypass flower stalks.


• Let the water drain completely. Dry the leaves with a natural cloth. Better than cotton.


• Choose a well-lit place for the orchid, avoiding direct sunlight. The air temperature is moderate, +18 - 25 degrees.


• Wait 2-3 days, the foliage will recover.

If there is no regeneration, then you started the "resuscitation" late. In this case, atrophy of the leaf tissues occurs. Or the death of part of the roots.

When the substrate with roots moves freely, remove it. Look closely at the root system. What can be seen there?

living roots. Most of the time they are green. different shades. The main thing is elastic, solid, dense. Young roots whitish when dry. Wet - turn green. The old ones are darker.

Rotting roots. They are easy to identify. They are Brown, soft, slippery. They resemble a hollow tube, when squeezed, moisture flows out.

Inspect carefully. Remove the rotten, dried part with a sterile knife. Everything should be removed to healthy tissue. Sprinkle slices with crushed activated, charcoal. Alcohol-based disinfectants will only harm. Since they dry, they can "kill" the green part of the root.

Even if there is only one living root left, the plant may well recover. Plant the root (at least 5-6 cm long) in a small dish with a fresh, moist substrate. When it dries, renew regular watering.

What a pity when luxurious buds suddenly fall off. There are reasons for everything. A plant is also a living being.

The factors that cause these processes are almost the same as with wilting, leaf fall. Let's just add something.

A change of residence is not always pleasant. Orchids endure this especially hard. You bought a luxury flowering plant. They brought him home. This is where the trouble began. Just a move plus a new place has such an impact on your beauty. A different climate, different conditions of detention - enough for the flowers to begin to fall.

Withering, falling, dying - natural process. There is no eternal bloom. Some delight us with beautiful buds for a week or two. Others are several months old. In addition, it is not known how much phalaenopsis bloomed before you purchased it. Perhaps, at the time of purchase, this period was just ending.

Orchids are thermophilic. Transporting it in winter is one of the causes of the problem. Even when it's well packaged. At home, the temperature is also below acceptable. It is supposed to be 22 - 32 degrees. Depends on periods. Stick to the rules. Especially humidity. Average rate– 70%. Its deficiency also serves as a factor in the fall of flowers.

Orchids need good air circulation. But the draft is detrimental. It is enough to thoroughly ventilate the room.

Especially vegetables and fruits. Some of them emit ethylene. This gas stimulates the ripening of flowers, even unopened buds. fast maturation leads to rapid decay. Therefore, remove all products from the flower.

During warm periods, the pot is taken out to outdoor balcony, "breathe". small insects pollinate the plant. When everything went well, the fading flower will be replaced by a seed box. If not, then it will disappear.

The mealybug especially contributes to damage. He loves the juice of the buds. It looks like cotton wool. Leaves a sticky residue behind.

The same as when the leaves fall. Overcooling causes the death of the plant. When stressed, provide care that is close to natural conditions.

Check daily for harmful insects. Found - isolate the orchid from others. Completely remove the pest. Treat with insecticide.

The once rare expensive plant - the orchid - has now ceased to be a curiosity; more and more often it can be found on the windowsills of lovers of exotic flowers. And, it would seem, what's wrong with it: I bought a flowering specimen, brought it home - and admire it. It wasn't there! Suddenly, you find that the long-awaited beautiful flowers wither and fall.

Why is this happening and what needs to be done to prevent it? Studying this question in various sources, we tried to collect all the most common reasons for this behavior of orchids.

Possible causes of wilting orchid flowers

In order to understand true reasons, because of which the flowers wither and fall, analyze whether all the necessary conditions for the favorable maintenance of orchids. To help you figure it out, we will focus on the most common plant care mistakes, as well as look at ways to eliminate them. So, what can prevent an orchid from blooming?

• stress or shock

Usually, bringing a flower home from the store, we try to create it Better conditions, but instead, without noticing it, on the contrary, we worsen the situation.

The most common reason why flowers suddenly begin to wither is a sharp change in “place of residence”, which means a change in the conditions in which the orchid was located. Even we, moving from one climate to another, sometimes experience discomfort, to say nothing of this tender flower! Changing the conditions of detention in the worst side adversely affect not only flowers; Orchid leaves and roots also experience discomfort.

Methods of treatment: optimize the conditions of "residence" according to the recommended rules for the care and maintenance of the plant.

• Natural aging of flowers

"Nothing is eternal under the Moon!". Unfortunately, we cannot influence the duration of flowering inherent in a particular type of orchid. Of course, some varieties can stand for more than three months, but for someone even ten days is a holiday. Complicating the situation is that when you buy an already blooming orchid in a store, you do not know how long it has stood in this form. It is quite possible that a week, and it may turn out that the flowering period is already ending. Therefore, if only the flowers withered, but in general the plant feels satisfactory, then there is no reason to panic.

Methods of treatment: fortunately, this is not a disease. Treatment is not required, carry out further activities for subsequent flowering.

• Insufficient lighting

An orchid is a light-loving flower, and the lack of light is very traumatic not only for flowers, but for the whole plant as a whole. Often, it is newly acquired flowering specimens that are sensitive to a sharp change in light saturation. Agree, in greenhouses where they are grown, the light intensity is much higher than in apartments. And amateur beginners, inspired by blossoming flowers, do not attach much importance to this issue, naively believing that all the conditions for an orchid have been successfully created.

With the advent of autumn-winter, when the daylight hours are reduced, we curtain the windows earlier, and the orchid may react to this by withering even unopened buds, or shorten its natural flowering period. A long winter is a difficult period, both in the general content of the orchid, and in relation to its flowering. The peduncle "shoots", as a rule, in the midst of sunny summer, and the buds begin to bloom by October, which is scant in the sun. In this case, the further growth of the peduncle will stop, and after standing in this state for a month, the buds will begin to wither and fall off. This process is explained by the fact that the amount of absorbed light directly affects chemical reactions required for flowering. Therefore, not getting enough light, the flowers begin to wither.

Methods of treatment: rearrange the orchid in a sunny place, install additional lighting(phytolamp). For a less demanding phalaenopsis, a fluorescent light bulb is sufficient.

• Plant overheating

Similar consequences can be caused by an excess of bright saturated sun. Fortunately (or unfortunately), our latitude is characterized by stingy light in winter and burning sun in summer. And the intensity of sunlight in summer is several times higher than the norm. Orchids are epiphytes (that is, they use another support for growth), and in nature they can safely hide from scorching rays under the canopy of trees. In the apartment, the orchids standing by the windows often overheat, and their flowers wither. In addition, overheating adversely affects the condition of the entire plant as a whole. Roots weaken, dry up, and for a short time dehydration occurs. As a result, the leaves turn yellow, the flowers wither and the buds fall off.

Methods of treatment: it is necessary to shade the plant from direct sunlight. BUT blooming orchids put away from windows.

• artificial heating

Enemy number one is dry hot air coming from batteries central heating. This misfortune is familiar to almost every grower. Not only the flowers themselves dry up and wither, but also the ovaries of the buds that have not blossomed.

Methods of treatment: If you keep the orchid on the windowsill, place it away from the hot air flow. In extreme cases, cover the battery with a wet towel.

• lack of air humidity

Methods of treatment: use a humidifier directly near the flower. A good option- build or purchase a ready-made pallet with wet moss, expanded clay, sand. Being above the stream of hot air (for example, above the battery), the water evaporates, creating the necessary humidity. Do not forget to moisten expanded clay only in time.

• Orchid hypothermia

This is possible when transporting an orchid in winter or when the temperature in the room is below acceptable. Even with careful packaging with cellophane and paper, the flower may freeze, and as a result, the flowers will wither and the plant may die.

Methods of treatment: with severe hypothermia, it will not be possible to save the plant.

• Draft

Arranging ventilation in the room is a beneficial action for both people and flowers. Thus, we provide air circulation. But a cold draft leads to disastrous consequences, the orchid slowly becomes supercooled, gradually fades and dies.

Methods of treatment: do not put the plant pot in the path of cold air.

• Close proximity to fruits and vegetables

Some foods (nuts, tomatoes, apples) emit ethylene gas, which speeds up the ripening process of flowers, including unopened ones. Which leads to rapid aging of the inflorescences.

Methods of treatment: treatment is not subject. Just try not to place the named products next to the orchid.

• Poor watering

The reason that the orchid wilts is both a lack of moisture and its excess. The main thing in this business is a competent balance. The soil should always be slightly moist, and for this it is necessary to water often, but little. The consequence of improper watering is damage to the root system: its rotting or drying out. When the plant does not have enough moisture consumed from the roots, it will begin to redistribute minerals from one body to another. And first of all, flowers and buds will suffer, then the peduncle, and then the whole orchid will begin to fade.

Methods of treatment: treatment of the root system is troublesome and not fast, and it is unlikely that it will be possible to save the flowers, but the orchid itself still needs to be treated. On the initial stage root damage is difficult to determine the degree of withering. To do this, move the plant in a pot: it sits tightly - which means that not everything is lost. Put the flower in a bowl of water room temperature for about an hour.

Then arrange a shower, avoiding getting water on the flower stalks. After the water drains, remove the accumulated moisture from the axils of the leaves and the core and place in a bright place at a temperature not exceeding 25 ° C. If the plant did not improve within two or three days, then the degree of damage to the roots turned out to be stronger than expected.

If the orchid does not hold tightly in the pot, you can pull it out and inspect the roots. Determine how many live roots are left. Living roots are always dense and light, rotten - brown and hollow. Dry and rotten roots remove, disinfect sections activated carbon. And then it all depends on the presence of the remaining roots. Transplant the orchid into a new substrate, put it in a warm, bright place and water it in the traditionally correct way. It may turn out that your pet will again please you with flowering.

• Pollination

And this happens! The culprits can be bees, wasps, flies and other flying insects.

Methods of treatment: in case of successful pollination, a seed box will appear in place of a withering flower, otherwise, the flower will wither and fall off.

• Pest infestation

A possible cause of wilting can be small pests. The mealybug is very fond of sucking juice from buds and flowers. Outwardly, it resembles cotton wool and leaves behind a sticky coating.

Methods of treatment: daily inspection for the presence of pests. First things first, isolate orchids from other plants. Then it is necessary to carefully remove the worm, one by one. The next step is the application of insecticides. And once again we emphasize - daily inspection !!!

In this article, we looked at common causes of wilting flowers and buds. Do not forget that often the loss of flowers entails the death of the plant itself. And in order to prevent such a situation, provide your pet with competent care and proper maintenance.

There are several reasons why orchid leaves wither. The first lies in the violation of the biochemical process in the entire system. Often this is due to the fact that the plant lacks moisture, it overheats, or its roots hurt. Measures not taken in time lead to yellowing of the leaves, as a result of which the phalaenopsis orchid may die. If you notice the changes taking place with the flower early, it will be easy to help him.

Causes of wilting leaves and their elimination

At healthy flower elastic, hard bright green leaf plate filled with moisture. When the plant becomes sick, the lower leaves become soft. main reason lies in the lack of nutrition. They come from the soil useful material first into the root system, then into the ground part of the orchid. Problems arise when the upper part does not have enough power. Diseases appear due to improper redistribution of the necessary substances that go to the lower leaves without reaching the top.

Orchid leaves with a lack of the substances it needs

A description of the causes of leaf wilt and ways to eliminate them is given in the table.

root system

This capricious flower requires increased attention to its root system. Due to their disease, Phalaenopsis orchids have sluggish, soft leaves and an unhealthy appearance. Roots need to be carefully examined. normal condition they are light green with a silvery sheen, elastic and dense. There should be no plaque and wrinkled areas. If, when pressed on the root, liquid is released or there are brown spots Which means it started to rot.

In the presence of putrefactive processes, it is necessary:

1. 1. Remove the roots that have begun to rot and dry.
2. 2. Carry out the processing of sections with activated carbon, after grinding it.
3. 3. Transplant the orchid into a new substrate.
4. 4. Treat the leaves daily succinic acid until they regain their natural firmness.

These procedures will restore health to the roots, and the leaves will not wither.

diseased plant roots

The cause of the disease is the lack of air masses in the substrate. Air does not penetrate well through dense filler. Most best soil comes from old coniferous trees who had lain in the forest for a long time. Before use, they are poured over with boiling water three times to open pores that will retain moisture well.

Orchid health depends on the right substrate. Too dense bark in a flower pot does not absorb water well, leaving excess moisture for the roots.

Transplantation as a treatment

Like any indoor plant, the orchid needs to be transplanted. After some time, the substrate becomes moisture-intensive and adversely affects the health of the flower. It must be changed when it deteriorates from tap water or the plant's leaves wither and flowers do not grow. At the same time, transplantation is stressful, and it is performed no more than once every two or three years. But it also happens that you have to urgently replant the plant. Treatment with this procedure is done in the following cases:

• the bark turns to dust;
• there is an excess of moisture;
• the roots began to rot;
• wilted or yellowed leaves;
• the orchid "dangles" in the soil;
• pests live in the tank (slugs, nematodes, aphids, wood lice, centipedes);
• too large root system does not fit in a pot.

For a planned transplant, the spring months are suitable, when the leaves have active growth and the sun relieves stress. Without good reason do not disturb the plant during the cold season (October-February). During the transplant, you can not do without:

• secateurs;
• scissors;
• 70% alcohol;
• a new plastic pot with holes;
• activated carbon;
• new pine bark.

Alcohol is needed to process tools before cutting off diseased roots and leaves. First you need:

1. 1. Get the plant out of the pot. Try not to damage the root system, if you can’t do it carefully, you need to cut the container.
2. 2. Carefully release the roots from the substrate, shaking off unnecessary bark from them. If you need to separate them, then it is recommended to do this from the bottom up. Roots ingrown into the substrate are usually not touched.
3. 3. Check for pests. If insects are found, soak the orchid for several hours in water. Then treat it with Actellik or Fitoverm.
4. 4. Cut off rotten and lifeless roots with sharp scissors, without touching the healthy ones. Treat the cut points with activated charcoal.
5. 5. Transplant into a new pot so that there is room for root growth. First pour the drainage, and then the plant itself and turn it slightly. Add coniferous bark and lightly knock (on the table or floor) so that the flower shrinks well.

Large pieces of bark are recommended to be placed on the bottom of the container, and small pieces on top. If there is no new pot, then the old one must be treated with an alcohol solution (70%). After transplantation, do not water, so that the water does not stagnate, and the roots are regenerated.

Sluggish leaves of a phalaenopsis orchid

Phalaenopsis orchid is one of the most popular and common indoor flowers. It can be found in almost every apartment. This plant is very popular with fans. indoor floriculture, but not all of them learned how to properly care for him. In most cases, the first sign of an unhealthy orchid is a declining leaf turgor. So, the leaves of the orchid wither, what are the reasons and how to save it.

Why do orchids have wilted leaves?

There are quite a few reasons for wilted leaves. Almost all of them are associated with violations of growing conditions and. The most common of them are detailed below.

gulf

The bay is one of the most common reasons why the leaves turn yellow and their turgor decreases. It occurs when too frequent watering, in the absence or insufficient number of drainage holes. As a result, accumulating in a pot excess moisture leads to .

With an excessive level of humidity in the pot, the air exchange process is disrupted and putrefactive bacteria and pathogenic fungi begin to multiply rapidly, which quickly affect the weakened root system. And also the substrate begins to sour, which only exacerbates the situation. As a result, the roots die, and the leaves lose their source of nutrition.

It is possible to help a flooded plant only if all activities are completed in a timely manner. Most likely, it will not work to restore a badly damaged root system. If an orchid wilts because of the bay, you can help it as follows:

1. Carefully shake the plant out of the pot.
2. Examine the roots and remove with sharp knife all rotten parts.
3. Treat the places of cuts with brilliant green or cinnamon powder.
4. The roots are dried for 5-6 hours.
5. Planted in fresh substrate.

Do not water a newly planted orchid. Watering is resumed no earlier than after 3-4 days. During this time, the wounds on the roots will have time to dry and heal.

Rotten orchid roots

Overheating of the root system

Very often, the main reason why flowers and leaves fade in an orchid lies in overheating of the roots. Phalaenopsis, although a heat-loving plant, but elevated temperature does not tolerate well in a pot. This happens mainly when the direct rays of the sun hit the pot.

AT winter period overheating of the roots occurs when the plant is placed above the radiator. Under such conditions, moisture evaporates very quickly both directly from the substrate and through the leaves. As a result, the leaves become soft and flabby. If overheating persists for several days, sheet plates gradually begin to turn yellow.

If the leaves of the orchid wither due to overheating, the pot with the plant should be moved to more comfortable conditions for it. AT summer period the orchid feels best on the windows of an eastern or even northern orientation. It should be borne in mind that overheating can occur even in the shade.

Therefore, on particularly hot days, the plant should be sprayed with cool water as often as possible. And also to reduce the temperature, the pot is wrapped or covered with a layer of wet mach. The moisture evaporating from it will cool the pot and the roots of the orchid.

Phalaenopsis orchid leaves turning yellow

lack of moisture

The lack of moisture, like the bay, is another main reason why the leaves turn yellow and the buds that have not yet opened fall off. Yellowness is already the last stage of overdrying. It is worth thinking about insufficient watering even when the leaves have just wrinkled. At this point, they have only lost their turgor, but have not yet begun to die off.

If the cause of wilting lies in insufficient irrigation, you need to significantly reconsider. In the summer, the orchid intensively evaporates moisture, so it should be watered more often. In winter, in most cases, once a week is sufficient.

To quickly reanimate a wilted plant, the leaves are sprinkled with warm water, and put on a pot plastic bag. In the greenhouse conditions created, the restoration of turgor occurs within a few days.

Too dense potting soil

The reason why orchid leaves wither may also be too dense. At prolonged absence transplants, the bark in the pot breaks down and becomes too dense. As a result, the roots begin to experience oxygen starvation.

Gradually, they begin to "suffocate" and die. For a plant, the roots are a kind of circulatory system that provides an influx of moisture and nutrients. That is why orchid leaves begin to die in case of problems with the roots.

If the orchid wilts due to a dense substrate, it will help to correct the situation. For transplanting phalaenopsis, it is best to purchase a specialized soil consisting of pieces of pine bark, moss and a small amount sod land.

Orchid transplantation is carried out as follows:

1. Carefully remove the plant from the pot.
2. Clean off the remains of the old substrate from the roots.
3. Place the root system of the plant in a pot and carefully cover with layers of fresh substrate.

After replacing the substrate, the plant is not watered for 2-3 days. Then gradually resume the usual mode of watering.

Diseases

Orchid diseases can be another reason why leaves and flowers dry. Most often, these are various that affect the root system and above-ground part. Their outbreak can be provoked by improper care and inappropriate conditions of detention. They can also appear after transplantation. Especially if the injured root system has not been treated properly.

So, how to save an orchid? To prevent the development of various putrefactive diseases on the orchid, it should be strictly observed. high humidity contributes to the development of pathogenic fungi. If the damage to the root system nevertheless began, they act in the same way as during the bay. Only in addition to drying, fungicide treatment is also used. For example, you can use Fundazol powder.

dry air

If the leaves of an orchid wither, you should also pay attention to the surrounding humidity. Phalaenopsis is native to tropical rainforests. Therefore, too dry air in city apartments is harmful for him.

The plant suffers especially strongly from it in the winter. Central heating batteries dry up the surrounding space very much. As a result, without proper care, the orchids not only dry the leaves, but also the buds fall off.

To increase the humidity, the air around the plant is periodically sprayed. In this case, you need to ensure that water does not fall on the flowers. On them from the water remain ugly streaks and stains. And also to increase the level of humidity, a small container of water is placed next to the pot. A layer of wet moss in the tray with the plant will also help to correct the situation.

Increasing Humidity for Orchids

Insufficient or incorrect fertilization

Orchid leaves wither and with a lack of certain nutrients. Most often this happens with a lack of phosphorus and potassium. The plant cannot get them from irrigation water and therefore begins to experience a lack of them.

Orchids wither leaves and due to overfeeding. An excess is no less harmful than a lack of them. Therefore, only specialized fertilizers for orchids are used to feed phalaenopsis. They contain all necessary for the plant the main nutrients and trace elements in the right concentration.