The orchid has a black spot on the neck of the stem. Saving an orchid from rotting. Very important tips

Indoor orchids are considered difficult to care for and maintain only because many novice gardeners' plants die due to loss of the root system. Is it possible, and how, to revive an orchid in which most of the roots that feed the flower have rotted or dried out?

The autumn-winter period is most dangerous for people from the tropics, where there are practically no seasonal fluctuations in temperature, light and humidity. In the warm season, actively growing, flowering orchids feel comfortable in natural conditions, easily tolerating the lack of lighting, heating and additional air humidification. ()

But by winter the picture changes. And the plant noticeably slows down its growth, consuming less nutrients and moisture. What is the reason that orchids die at home, and how to save a beautiful flower?

If the grower did not respond to the change of season in time and did not adjust the conditions of maintenance, the consequences in the form of weeping, rotting roots will certainly make themselves felt.

How to save an orchid with rotten roots?

Having noticed that recently a living and healthy flower has become lethargic, the leaves have lost their juiciness, withered, and even watering does not help the plant recover, the gardener should be wary. The sooner the problem is discovered, the easier it will be to resuscitate the orchid, because without roots the flower will not be able to feed and will inevitably die.

Before resuscitating an orchid at home, you need to assess the situation and find out the extent of the damage. This is done by carefully examining the root system:

• Living and healthy roots are always dense, with an elastic, uniform surface. The younger the rhizomes, the lighter their color, and when immersed in water or after abundant irrigation they become noticeably greener.
• Old rhizomes have a gray or brownish tint. But as long as they feed the leaf rosette and peduncles, the roots remain hard, smooth and dry to the touch.

Removing the substrate and washing the underground part of the plant will show a complete picture of the damage. A sign of rotting, bacterial or fungal infection is:

• darkening of rhizomes;
• the appearance of wet, slimy areas on them;
• flow of water when you press on the root;
• thread-like appearance of collapsed roots.

Unfortunately, rotten roots can no longer be saved, so they are removed, carefully trimmed to healthy tissue. Do the same with dried rhizomes. The loss of two or three roots, if the plant is properly cared for, will not affect its viability.

But what to do if all or most of the orchid’s roots have rotted? Is it possible to restore health to the plant or will you have to say goodbye to the green pet?

After removing the problem areas, the cuts on the remaining parts must be treated with activated carbon crushed to the powder stage or ground cinnamon, which also has pronounced disinfectant properties. When the roots dry, it is useful to immerse them in a fungicide solution for 10–15 minutes. This will reduce the risk of colonizing a weakened plant with harmful fungi.

Having disinfected the remaining roots and ensured the protection of the plant, it is important to treat the growth area of ​​future roots with a growth stimulant. This will strengthen the orchid’s immunity and speed up rooting.

How to revive an orchid: methods available at home

An orchid left without roots should not be thrown away. With proper care and patience, a tropical plant turns out to be very hardy and life-loving. Experienced flower growers advise considering three methods of revitalization:

• in a home greenhouse;
• without a greenhouse, using regular watering and drying;
• by planting in a regular substrate.

Before resuscitating an orchid, you need to assess its condition and choose the most effective and fastest method. If a flower that has lost less than 60% of its roots manages to return to health in a month, then an orchid completely deprived of its root system may require special maintenance and care for up to a year.

The choice of how to save an orchid without roots depends on:

• on the condition of the affected flower;
• on the number and condition of leaves;
• from the presence of horse primordia formed in the lower part of the leaf rosette.

The conditions that a grower can create to resuscitate an orchid without roots are also of considerable importance.

How to revive an orchid in greenhouse conditions?

If the gardener has a window greenhouse in which the plant will be kept at consistently high humidity and a comfortable temperature, there is a high probability of saving even a seriously weakened flower without a root system.

How to revive an orchid if the roots have rotted? In the container in which the flower is to be rooted:

• pour a thin layer of expanded clay;
• a layer of cleaned, thoroughly steamed sphagnum is placed on top of it.

The substrate is carefully moistened and a leaf rosette is placed in it. Until the plant develops roots 3–5 cm long, the flower will have to constantly be under cover:

• at air temperature from 22 to 28 °C;
• at air humidity within 70–100%;
• in bright diffused light for 12–14 hours a day.

Temperatures below 20 and above 33 °C inhibit root growth, but promote the proliferation of pathogenic flora and fungi.

What to do if all the roots of an orchid have rotted? Is it possible to stimulate root formation? Yes, this can be done with the help of proper care of the leaf rosette located in the greenhouse. As necessary, the substrate is slightly moistened and the greenhouse is ventilated. It is best to do this at night, which helps saturate the air with carbon dioxide and causes the rudiments of a future healthy root system to form faster.

The success of rooting depends on maintaining temperature conditions, maintaining long daylight hours and high humidity for the apartment. While the orchid is in the greenhouse, the rosette must be inspected regularly to prevent the appearance of pockets of rot.

In four out of five cases, using this method, you can save an orchid without roots, and signs of the formation of a new root system become visible after 10–14 days. And plants with roots 3–4 cm long are planted in a regular substrate and transferred to the usual conditions for a flower.

How to save an orchid without using a greenhouse?

As in the previous case, the plant is rooted at a temperature of 20 to 27 °C, in a place shaded from direct sunlight. But how to revive an orchid in this case, when there is no home greenhouse or greenhouse?

The pre-treated rosette is placed in a deep glass vessel. Every day, in the morning, soft, boiled or filtered water is poured into it so that its surface touches only the lower part of the remaining root system and does not wet the leaves. The orchid remains in this form for up to 6 hours. Then the water is drained and the flower is dried until the next morning.

There is one feature on how to revive an orchid without roots faster and more efficiently.

Add a teaspoon of honey or sugar syrup to water per liter of liquid. In addition, to moisten the substrate or water all reanimated orchids, it is useful to use:

• specialized in very low concentration;
• feeding with iron preparation;
• monthly treatments with a growth regulator.

How to revive an orchid that has lost not all its roots, but only part of them? In this case, the plant is still able to feed in the usual way, so you can grow the missing roots by planting the flower in a pot with a diameter of 6–8 cm with a regular substrate. Lighting for 12 hours and a temperature of 20–25 °C will cause the root buds to activate. At night, the temperature should not drop, and the humidity should be maintained at an elevated level.

Instead of watering, use fine-drip irrigation of the top layer of the substrate, or place the container with the orchid in a tray with a small amount of water for half an hour. The soil should be moistened again only after it has completely dried. New root growth begins within 1–4 weeks.

Video about the interesting experience of nurturing an orchid without roots

If the epiphyte is healthy, then its roots are dense and smooth, and have a grayish-green color.

The following signs may indicate the disease::

All these are early signs of putrefactive diseases of orchids. With initial resuscitation efforts, the flower can be brought back to life. But first it’s worth finding out why the orchid began to die.

What parts of the plant may be affected?

Often the rotting process extends to the core, leaves or root system.

Leaves

Rotting processes are most often caused by diseases such as gray rot, leaf spot, powdery mildew, and viral diseases.

Root

due to improper watering. This is the main reason among all those considered. In second place is a rare orchid transplant. Old soil does not allow air to pass through to the root system, and moisture stagnation occurs there. And as a result, the root of the plant rotted.

We invite you to watch a video about what the affected plant looks like and what are the reasons for its infection:

Photo

The photo shows what black and gray rot looks like on orchids.

What are the reasons?

Always at the beginning of putrefactive processes in an orchid flower, it is necessary to find out the reason for this circumstance. Then it will be clear what means to treat for black or gray rot.

There are several reasons for rotting:

1. Lack of sunlight, when moisture evaporates poorly and water stagnates in the soil.
2. Grinding the soil, due to this it becomes dense and heavy, in this case the moisture also evaporates poorly, the water stagnates.
3. If the root area is damaged during transplantation, infection can penetrate through such wounds.
4. Orchid infection by a fungal disease.
5. Another reason why your flower began to rot is an overdose of chemical fertilizers when feeding the flower, as a result the plant receives a chemical burn.
6. An attack on an orchid by click beetles that feed on the root system of the plant.

Often such problems occur in the autumn-winter period; it is at this time that it is important to reduce the number of waterings of the plant, but inexperienced gardeners continue to do this. As a result, the orchid rots.

Under natural conditions, the orchid grows in places with frequent tropical downpours.. Rainwater does not contain as many heavy elements and salts as are present in groundwater, and then flows out of taps in apartments.

Such water can burn the root system of orchids, as can too much chemical fertilizer.

As a result, the roots burn, and this causes rotting processes.

What to process?

Chemicals

How to treat an orchid, including gray and black rot, using chemicals? Often an orchid gets sick due to various pests.. Chemical agents will help restore health to your favorite flower.

But you should not use these substances in too large quantities; they should be used carefully and within reasonable limits. You should try to choose drugs with a low (class 3-4) danger threshold.

When purchasing medicines for orchids, you should always follow the instructions that come with the product.

The most popular chemical preparations for plants are:

1. "Fitoverm".
2. "Inta-Vir".
3. "Aktara".
4. "Confidor".

More toxic substances that are used for serious diseases of orchids include:

1. "Vertimek".
2. "Karbofos".
3. "Aktellik".

Folk

Traditional methods of combating orchid diseases can also be effective; it is worth considering the most effective of them.

Step-by-step instructions on what to do if certain parts of the flower are rotten?

Sheet

If rot appears on the leaves, this means that some problem needs to be eliminated. For example, in winter, remove the plant away from the battery.

But there should be enough daylight in the room. You need to check the orchid tray, perhaps moisture has accumulated there. Bordeaux mixture or fungicide is suitable for spraying leaves. Regular feeding with complex fertilizers for orchids is also important.

Root

What to do if the root of a plant begins to rot? You need to remove the plant from the pot and remove all dead and rotten roots. They can be recognized by their brown, gray or yellow tint. Diseased roots are cut off along the living part, otherwise the rot will begin to spread further. The cut areas are treated with brilliant green or activated carbon solution.

If most of the roots have been removed, then the plant is immersed in warm and well-filtered water. You need to change the water every day, and you need to dry the root well. The room itself should be well lit, and the air temperature should be within 25 degrees.

Trunk and peduncle

If the trunk and peduncle rot, how to save them?

The trunk and peduncle usually begin to rot earlier than other parts of the flower.. Therefore, measures should be taken immediately. It is necessary to immediately treat the soil and root system with a 0.3% foundation solution or a 0.2% benlate mixture. Most often, the orchid is completely immersed in this substance. This is not done often, approximately every 2 weeks.

We invite you to watch a video about treating orchids for rot:

When can a plant no longer be saved?

If all the necessary measures do not give the desired result, most likely the flower cannot be saved. In this case it It is better to immediately isolate the orchid from other plants to prevent infection.

If all the roots of an orchid have rotted, then in this case it is necessary to make every effort to try to revive the rotted plant as quickly as possible.

All rotten roots should be removed, and the rosette should be treated with any root growth stimulator. Next, the method of placing a plant in warm water was described above, so it is worth dwelling on one more method of fighting for the restoration of a half-dead orchid. This is placing the plant in a mini-greenhouse.

To do this, steamed sphagnum moss is placed in a small container. A layer of expanded clay is poured underneath. The substrate is moistened, and the affected socket is laid out on it.

Now the pot is installed in a mini-greenhouse, where the following conditions must be present:

1. The air temperature should be between 22 and 28 degrees Celsius.
2. Lighting should remain on for 12-14 hours a day.
3. Not less than 70% humidity.

The soil is periodically moistened and the room is ventilated. In addition, you should regularly check the outlet for new rot. If everything is done correctly, then within a couple of weeks new roots will begin to grow. When their length reaches 4-5 cm, the flower is placed in its previous conditions.

To prevent the plant from getting sick again, it will need proper care.

Firstly, the correct temperature regime is created, and secondly, watering is ensured with skill. Besides, the orchid should be regularly treated with fungicides.

From the above we can conclude that such a beautiful plant as an orchid is very difficult to care for. To admire its flowering, you need to work hard. It is important to choose a suitable place in the house and know how to properly water and fertilize a flower. It is equally important to constantly monitor the flower, inspect every part of it. Only then will it be possible to avoid various diseases of orchids.

Today, buying an orchid is not a problem, the problem is finding competent information about its further maintenance in home culture. The main and accessible “source of knowledge” for almost everyone is the Internet. Having registered on the first flower forum we come across, we read reviews and advice from the same amateurs as ourselves, and we can only determine whose advice is correct and whose is wrong only over time based on our own mistakes. As a rule, diseases of orchids arise due to improper care and the leaves of plants signal this to us first of all.

Let's look at some diseases of orchids and bugs due to improper care.

1.Orchid diseases due to improper lighting. Burns.

Probably the most important role in growing indoor flowers in an apartment is played by lighting. Orchid diseases very often arise precisely because of improperly selected lighting. Orchids are divided into two groups: shade-tolerant and light-loving.

Our first mistake is that when buying an orchid, we don’t think about which group the plant we like belongs to and whether we can provide it with proper lighting at home. Light-loving orchids include Vandas, Cattleyas, Lelias, Cymbidiums, Angrecums and many others, as well as all hybrids based on the listed species. In a light-loving orchid, due to lack of light, new leaves become smaller, weak, deformed growths develop, which will not form a full-fledged, healthy bulb and, accordingly, will not please with their flowering in the future. Phalaenopsis and Cambria, on the contrary, can be grown on northern and north-eastern windows.

Photo No. 1 Weak, elongated growths. Conclusion - not enough light.

Moreover, in orchids that have variegated forms, the color fades over time, and no matter how hard you feed and water it, sooner or later the orchid will lose its healthy appearance and will soon die. Due to lack of lighting, plants become more vulnerable and are more easily susceptible to diseases.

In turn, I would like to draw your attention to the fact that a light-loving plant does not mean that it can tolerate direct sunlight. You need to start accustoming your orchid to the spring sun gradually. In March, orchids on southern and south-eastern windows in the first half of the day need to be shaded, otherwise, after cloudy winter days, plants that are not accustomed to the bright sun will receive severe burns. Over time, the plant will adapt to brighter sun and will not need additional shading; it will be enough to lower the curtain only at noon.

Photo No. 2. Consequence of a burn. Even a sun-loving plant like Vanda may experience burns if the plant is not used to being in the midday sun.

Photo No. 3. General picture of burns on the Vanda orchid.

As we already discussed above, without a sufficient amount of light, plants cannot develop normally, so most gardeners install additional artificial lighting in the room where the orchids are located. If you choose the wrong height between the lamp and the plant (at least from the last growing leaf, the height should be 20-30 cm), then literally the next day the orchids will receive thermal burns. In addition, incandescent lamps emit heat, which, especially in the hot season, negatively affects the development of orchids. Thermal burns will dry out in the future and will not particularly harm the plant, but the burn stains will remain. Therefore, for such purposes, it is necessary to choose new generation lamps and maintain the height of the lamp placement.

Photo No. 4. Thermal burn (from touching a fluorescent lamp)

A burn should not be confused with a tan; a tan will not harm the plant, but it is a signal that the plant should be shaded, because A tan may be followed by a burn.

Photo No. 5. Tanning on Cattleya's bulb.

Orchids are not sprayed in the sun, because... droplets of water can act as a lens and the plant will receive pinpoint burns.

Photo No. 6. Burns on Phalaenopsis flowers.

2. The main mistakes when watering and their subsequent diseases.

Each genus and type of orchid requires special watering rules. But I would like to draw your attention to the fact that each apartment has its own microclimate, so no one can give definite advice on what order to water. You need to find a middle ground in your own conditions and try to understand the plant: when it needs to be watered, and when to refrain from watering.
Due to excessive watering, the plant suffers more than from untimely watering. If for some reason the orchid has not been watered for a long time, then it is easier to water it than to regrow rotted roots due to frequent watering.

Photo No. 7. Consequences of excessive watering of Lycaste.

Due to excess moisture, the bulb rotted and the rot spread to the young growths. In this case, the bulb is soft to the touch, so the plant can be thrown away entirely; the growth cannot be saved.

Photo No. 8. This is what a Bulbophyllum leaf that has fallen off due to excessive watering looks like.

Photo No. 9. Rotten root of Phalaenopsis (Phalaenopsis).

The main rule in caring for Phalaenopsis is that the roots must dry out between waterings.

Photo No. 10. Leaves lose turgor and fall off due to rotted roots.

This is what the leaves of Paphiopedilum look like due to unregulated watering. This species categorically cannot withstand complete drying of the roots and, unfortunately, does not restore the lost turgor of the leaves.

Photo No. 10.a. Damage to Paphiopedilum tissue due to improper watering.

There are types of orchids that prefer high humidity, but in no case should air humidity be confused with frequent watering. If we do not increase the air humidity in the room, but increase the frequency of watering, then in a maximum of a month we will see the following picture.

Photo No. 11. Low indoor humidity and frequent watering have led to the leaves losing turgor and gradually dying off in favor of the plant itself.

Some types of orchids in the summer react quite painfully to untimely watering. The leaves seem to become dehydrated and wither, lose turgor, eventually dropping the bottom row one by one. Therefore, during the hot season, you need to ensure timely watering and high humidity in the room where the orchids are located. At high temperatures and humidity, there must be good air ventilation. It is advisable to turn on the fan during the hottest hours of the day (from 12.00 to 15.00) and ventilate the room well.

Photo No. 12. Lack of moisture, Cattleya leaves lose turgor.

3. Edema.

In nature, there is such a thing as edema. Orchid diseases such as swelling appear due to prolonged contact with water. For example, they soaked a plant while watering it and accidentally forgot about it for a day. A very important factor is the temperature of the room in which the plants are located. If the temperature drops to +15/+17C, then watering at such temperatures is reduced, because at low temperatures it is easier to get bacterial and fungal diseases. If the room is cool, then after abundant watering the plant can also get swelling and other orchid diseases. It is important to know that in the cool season (autumn, winter, early spring) we reduce watering and do not place plants on a cold windowsill. If wet spots appear, they urgently need to be removed, because they grow very quickly and the entire plant as a whole can rot.

Photo No. 13. Swelling of Phalaenopsis leaves due to prolonged contact with water.

Photo No. 14. Spot swelling on Phalaenopsis leaves due to unregulated watering.

Photo No. 15. Results of improper watering in the cold season of Aerangis.

Photo No. 16. The results of frequent watering of the Vanilla orchid in the cold season.

4.Problems due to low temperatures.

During the cold season, it is advisable to refrain from purchasing orchids or to pack them carefully during transportation, otherwise the plant will get frostbite and the spots will have to be cut down to living tissue, because they cannot be restored.

Photo No. 17. Phalaenopsis frostbite.

Photo No. 18. Frostbite of Phalaenopsis in the cold season when the room is ventilated.

Orchids are not sprayed in the cool season, when the room temperature is low and air ventilation is poor. This can cause dark spots of fungal origin to appear on the flowers.

Photo No. 19. Consequence of spraying in the cool season.

5. Fungal diseases of orchids.

Often when buying an orchid, we can see barely noticeable “tubercles”. They can be located both on the leaves and on the trunk (neck) of the plant. Most often this is a Phalaenopsis disease. Each tubercle contains small myceliums containing a microfungus invisible to the naked eye. It is better not to open such tubercles so that invisible fungal spores do not scatter throughout the entire collection of orchids that are located in the room with the source of the mycelium carrier. You can play it safe and treat the tubercles with a fungicide, or you can cut the leaf and lose the problem forever.

Photo No. 20. Mycelium tubercles on Phalaenopsis leaves.

Photo No. 21. Mycelium.

6.Virus.

Orchids, like people, suffer from viral diseases. Plants with viral diseases are disposed of. Unfortunately, the orchid does not tolerate diseases such as the virus - there are no treatment methods. The virus can hide for a long time and not manifest itself in any way, but during watering (in a common basin) it can settle on all orchids that were directly involved in watering. The virus is also transmitted when plants are processed with sharp instruments. If favorable conditions appear for the development of the virus, it will become active and then begin to “dance” throughout the entire collection and all plants without exception will need to be destroyed. A fertile ground for a virus outbreak is any stress, for example, a sharp decrease (increase) in temperature or moving to a new room with radically different environmental conditions (temperature, humidity, etc.). If you notice that a plant suspected of having a virus has appeared in your collection, it must be immediately isolated from others and treated with at least a broad-spectrum antibiotic and then any fungicide. Sometimes the virus does not manifest itself at all and can only be detected after the plant has flourished. The color and shape of the flower will differ from the norm.

Photo No. 22. The virus has a ring shape (in the form of a spot).

Photo No. 23. The photo shows a Phalaenopsis leaf infected with a virus.

Photo No. 24. The photo shows a Phalaenopsis leaf infected with a virus, on which a fungus has settled on top.

7.Natural aging of orchids.

If you notice that the bottom leaf of an orchid is turning yellow, then you should not panic; you need to observe the plant for a while. Sometimes the death of the lower row of leaves is normal, because... Each plant has its own life cycle, incl. for an orchid, disease has nothing to do with it. New ones will grow to replace those that have fallen away.

Photo No. 25. Natural aging of a Phalaenopsis leaf.

With natural wilting, the leaf begins to die not from the neck of the plant, but almost from the edge of the leaf. Gradually the yellowness moves along the leaf to the base (neck), dries out and falls off. You don’t need to remove the leaf yourself; you need to wait for the leaf to dry out and fall off.

Photo No. 26. The beginning of the process of dying of the lower leaf.

In Phalaenopsis, leaf death is often observed due to young roots that have hatched; they seem to push out the leaf and form in their place.

Photo No. 27. The root breaks through the leaf and subsequently the leaf will dry out.

8.Orchid. The disease is neck rot.

Rot from inside the neck of an orchid is a rather insidious thing. No matter how you turn the plant, you won’t see rot. The reason is that the putrefactive process is located in the tissues of the plant inside the neck itself. After some time, we observe the following picture: the leaves begin to turn yellow from the neck and fall off, then the orchid disassembles like a construction set. Unfortunately, in this situation it is not possible to help the plant. Rot can begin to develop for several reasons: frequent watering, prolonged contact of the orchid roots with water, the roots do not dry out between waterings, watering at low room temperatures.

Photo No. 28. Phalaenopsis neck rot (top view).

Photo No. 29. Phalaenopsis neck rot (side view).

Photo No. 30. Consequences of Phalaenopsis neck rot.

9. Overdose of fertilizer and poor water quality.

Using the example of Eurychone rothschildiana (photo No. 31), it is clear that the plant is healthy, it is comfortable, it is successfully developing, growing roots (the tips of the roots are green). After treating a plant with fertilizers with an incorrectly selected dosage (this applies to any fertilizer without exception), inhibition begins in the development process. The roots “pupate” and stop growing, the leaves lose turgor and wither. The plant goes into stupor. Lack of root growth may indicate an incorrectly selected fertilizer concentration. Recommendations for use are often described in detail specifically for capricious beauties - orchids - use this information.

Dead root tips (photo no. 32) are the first signs to sound the alarm. The leaves do not just turn yellow, but have a brownish tint, which indicates that the roots were burned during the feeding process. If measures are not taken in time, the plant may die. In this case, first of all, you need to give all plants a hot shower once a week. The shower helps flush out accumulated salts in the substrate and also tones the growth of orchids, simulating the warm torrential downpours of their natural habitat.

Photo No. 31. Eurychone rothschildiana healthy growth process.

Photo No. 32. Eurychone rothschildiana is on the verge of extinction.

10. Why is poor indoor air ventilation dangerous for orchids?

One of the main factors in the absence of disease in orchids in indoor culture is air ventilation. Everyone knows that in their natural habitat, epiphytes live high in trees, blown by the winds. Most of them grow in tropical and equatorial regions. At the equator it is constantly warm and humid, and it rains very often. In nature there are morning dews and fogs. Orchids are accustomed to humid climates. At home, we try to get as close as possible to natural conditions (raise air humidity, increase the temperature to the desired level, arrange a warm shower, simulating tropical downpours), but we forget about the most important thing - air aeration. In the warm season, our apartments and loggias heat up to high temperatures. By spraying our “winter garden” in the morning, we increase the air humidity and leave for work with a fulfilled sense of duty. What is happening indoors at this time? At high temperatures and humidity, there is a possibility of orchid diseases - fungal and bacterial diseases. With bacterial diseases, watery spots appear (photo No. 33), which spread very quickly throughout the plant, in some cases the plant dies within a few days.

Photo No. 33. Wet rot on a young Phalaenopsis leaf.

As a rule, there are no special drugs; broad-spectrum antibiotics help.
Also, high temperatures make it difficult for the plant to breathe, which is especially felt by the root system. Orchid roots overheat and are not able to work at full capacity. The plant does not receive the required amount of moisture and begins to lose turgor (photo No. 35). With poor air ventilation and high humidity, moisture after watering or showering can stagnate in the axils of plants (photo No. 34) and stimulate putrefactive processes.
Conclusion. At high temperatures and excess humidity, you need to ventilate the room more often, do not place plants too close to each other, and make sure that moisture does not remain on the leaves for a long time. Plants need to be watered and sprayed only in the first half of the day. If possible, you can install a fan in a room with a large accumulation and crowding of flowers (photo No. 37) and turn it on at least during the hottest hours. This will help avoid many problems and various types of diseases.

Photo No. 34. Stagnation of moisture during the development of the cover due to poor air ventilation.

Photo No. 35. Root overheating. Leaves lose turgor.

Photo No. 36. During the hottest time, turn on the fan and ventilate the room.

Good luck! And let your orchid not know the disease, but only delight you with its beautiful flowering!

We are very grateful to the Kyiv Orchid Lovers Club for their help in preparing the material!

Rot is a disease caused by phytopathogenic fungi and bacteria. In the process of development, decay leads to damage to leaf blades, stems, roots, and at a more advanced stage - to complete decay, drying out and rapid death of decorative flowers. Externally it appears as dark spots near the base of the exotic. Over time they tend to grow. This leads to yellowing and darkening of the leaves, and their further falling.

Condition of the orchid with this disease:

• Weakness.
• Poor decorative quality.
• The duration of flowering is reduced.
• Growth stops.
• Turgor is lost.

What are the consequences?

Since the flower has one growing point, you need to make sure that it does not rot.. After all, after its death, development will stop, and the plant will subsequently die. Also, if the core rots, the orchid loses its foliage. It becomes soft, loses its elasticity, and then falls off completely. Next comes damage to the roots (and how can the plant be revived?).

With high humidity in the room, the infected areas of the flower become overgrown with rot spores, and this can spread the disease to other pets. Therefore, it is very important to know what to do if, and urgently take measures to eliminate the disease. Only timely help will give the orchid a second chance at life. In the later stages, nothing will save you.

What is the cause of barrel damage?

1. Mechanical damage.

   Rot can form as a result of falling or injury to part of the flower. If you do not provide assistance in time, that is, treat the damaged area with an antiseptic, the result will be rotting of the stem.

2. Frostbite.

   Novice flower growers do not water carefully. They give the orchid a warm shower, but at the same time they forget about the water that accumulates in the sinuses. There is nothing dangerous about this in the summer. Hot weather will cause the water to evaporate quickly.

   Important! But in winter, the flower is at risk of frostbite, especially when standing on a stone windowsill. The liquid will not evaporate, but will remain in the sinuses for a long time.

3. Fungal and bacterial infections(you can find out how to cope with a fungal infection with fusarium). When the indoor microclimate is disturbed, infectious diseases occur. This is also possible if the quarantine regime has not been observed. As soon as an infection has been detected, the flower must be immediately isolated from other plants so that the disease does not spread to them.

How can you tell if a plant has a rotten trunk?

• The foliage becomes less elastic, does not have such a bright color, and loses its tone.
• A brown tint can be observed at the base of the leaf (read about why leaves rot and how to stop it).
• The green mass dies quickly.
• Dark spots on the trunk and neck.
• Green traces of sporulation are visible on the walls of the pot.
• The upper part of the flower is loose and unstable.

What is the best way to process it?

Chemicals

Fungicides are considered one of the most effective drugs. These products are intended to eliminate pathogens of fungal diseases in plants. Fungicides may contain the following components: mercury, manganese, organic substances, copper, aldehydes.

The most famous drugs:

• Fitosparin-M actively destroys fungus and bacteria.
• Quadrix– has a wide spectrum of action, based on azoxystrobin. It is used for preventive and therapeutic purposes.
• Copper sulfate– made on the basis of copper sulfate, the result is visible after just 3-4 hours.
• Bordeaux mixture– is prepared on the basis of copper, and also contains lime, which reduces the acidity of the soil.
• Mikosan– helps well in the initial stage of the disease, stimulates the immune system.

Traditional methods

For small affected areas at the initial stage of the disease, it is quite possible to use folk remedies:

1. Iodine solution. Dilute 5-7 drops of the substance into 5 liters of water and spray the flower once a week.
2. Mustard infusion. You will need 5 liters of hot liquid, in which you need to dilute 50 grams of mustard powder. Then the solution should sit for at least 2 days. Before use, dilute 1:1 with water.
3. Garlic tincture. During the day, you need to infuse 100 grams of husk in 10 liters of water.

Although natural remedies are harmless and easy to prepare, they can still help only at the beginning of the disease.

Step-by-step instructions for rotting

Shakey

1. The first step is to prepare the blade and disinfect it.
2. Next, the entire damaged part of the neck is trimmed down to living tissue.
3. The cuts are carefully cleaned with a blade.
4. Then the soil and orchid are treated with a 0.2% solution of Fundazol. The product is poured directly onto the wound.
5. This is done 3-4 times with an interval of 2 weeks.
6. The pot is placed in the previous place, we wait for the side baby to appear.

To cope with a rotten neck of an orchid, watch the video:

At the growth point

1. Remove all infected areas so that not a single dark spot remains.
2. Disinfect the sections.
3. If the disease is infectious or as a precaution, topical fungicides are used.
4. The orchid will need constant inspection, because rotting may return.

If rot has affected the growing point, watch this video:

Cores

1. Rotten places are removed.
2. If necessary, the core is removed completely.
3. After each cut, the tools are processed.
4. Wounds are cauterized with cinnamon, iodine, and activated charcoal.
5. Carefully monitor the condition of the plant.

Prevention

It is important for all orchid lovers to remember: Only in weakened plants can the neck and other organs begin to rot. When an exotic flower has good immunity, it is not afraid of anything. Follow the basic care rules, then you won’t have to take emergency measures.

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To take action in time and save the flower. If the diagnosis is incorrect, there is a high probability of wasting time or even aggravating the situation with incorrect treatment.

Let's find out in more detail why orchid leaves rot and what to do to help the plant.

Causes of leaf rotting and their symptoms

Leaf rotting is easy to recognize externally. Sometimes they begin to rot at the base of the neck. It all starts as usual with or small, sometimes wet, the elasticity of the leaves decreases, green foci of sporulation are visible on the walls of the pot, the entire upper part may become unstable.

The location of the lesions can vary and often depends on the type of problem. Dark spots on the leaves usually have a yellow or pink halo.

Orchid leaves often rot due to improper care.

Causes of rot are:

• Improper care;
• And bacterial or fungal infection.

With improper care, the solution to the problem is simple, just need to reconsider:

• System;
• Humidity;

To successfully treat bacterial or fungal rot, you need to know exactly what struck a particular flower:

Fusarium

Fusarium rot is a disease caused by a fungal infection. Active development of the fungus can only begin in a favorable environment:

Important! Orchids are subject to two types of fusarium - Fusarium oxysporum (affects the root system and lower part of the stem), Fusarium moniliforme (develops on stems, leaves, peduncles and flowers).

The first sign of the appearance of these mushrooms may be white, pink or purple dust spots, these are spores that begin to develop (this sign appears first if the plant became infected from an actively sick person).

If there are no diseased plants nearby, the disease develops from dormant spores, in which case main symptoms appear in the following sequence:

1. Yellowing or redness of areas that are affected by the disease (the lesion begins with small spots and develops into large lesions);
2. Blackening and indentation resembling a burn;
3. Blackening and softening of the stem;
4. The appearance and spread of spores to healthy areas and neighboring flowers.

Treatment can only be started in the early stages, otherwise the treatment may be ineffective and the plant will not survive. Immediately after detecting a problem, the plant must be isolated. Cutting out rot is important remember a few rules:

• all affected parts, cutting slightly into the healthy part of the leaf;
• The sections must be dried and treated with activated carbon or an antiseptic;
• Severely affected leaves are cut off completely and without regret;
• If the middle leaf is damaged, it is cut off as necessary, but not completely removed;
• The cut areas should not be wetted for at least a week.

The plant is necessary completely process. The treatment will be repeated during the treatment process, but if there is no improvement after the first treatment, it is better to discard the plant without risking the remaining flowers.

Need to completely replace and before adding a new soil, treat it with a fungicide solution; the flower must also be watered with this solution for the first time. The pot is placed in a warm, as bright and dry place as possible. You can water only under the roots, but under no circumstances spray or allow water to get on the leaves.

When the leaves of an orchid rot, it is necessary to initially change the substrate.

Quarantine is maintained for 3 months. Minimum quarantine is 3 weeks, but this is in the case of early detection of the problem and proper treatment. For quarantine, the plant must not only be moved to another window, but placed in another room, as far away from the others as possible.

Carefully! After treatment, 70-80% of the spores usually die. The remaining spores go into hibernation and can wake up at the first favorable situation for them. Fungal spores can live in the soil and on plants without showing signs for more than 5 years.

Wet bacterial rot

Bacteria that cause wet rot on orchids belong to the genera gladioli and Erwinia. They are rod-shaped and breed in warm, moist conditions. The higher the temperature and humidity, the faster the development of the disease. Infection usually comes from:

• Neighboring plants;
• Through water;
• Substrate;
• Or (very rarely) by air.

External signs The course of the disease depends on the varietal characteristics of the orchid:

1. Cattleya, Epidendrum, Oncidium– wet, yellow (yellow-brown), uneven spotting, which merges over time and affects the entire leaf, coloring it dark, usually brown;
2. Paphiopedilum– the lesion in the form of a brown spot spreads from the base to the edge, along the leaf vein. The boundaries of the spot are clear and unblurred;
3. Phalaenopsis– spots of yellow-brown glassy color, darkening as the disease progresses. At later stages of development they have a mushy structure and secrete a yellow liquid. A young growing leaf susceptible to the disease becomes deformed.

When choosing a fungicide, a prerequisite is the presence of copper in the composition (a widely used option is Bordeaux mixture). As part of medicinal solutions there should also be:

• Streptomycin;
• Phytobacteriomycin;
• Tetracycline;
• Myomycin;
• Chloramphenicol.

Leaf blades that are already affected by rot are cut off and treated with iodine or brilliant green. Using charcoal or cinnamon is absolutely useless in this situation. Since rot develops from the core, many leaves are removed completely and the cut points on the stem are treated.

Pythium and late blight

Patium and late blight are fungal pathogens of rot. Like other fungal diseases, they are actively developing at high humidity and suitable temperature for each type. These fungi are easily transmitted from plant to plant through the air at high speed.

Pythium usually appears due to high humidity.

Manifestations of patium can be completely different and depend on the orchid variety and development conditions. Speed ​​of flower damage varies from 1 to 10 days. The lesion begins with, then moving to the stem and leaves. The roots become covered with dark spots and rot down to the base, and resemble threads.

The leaves rot from the core, gradually covered with dark spots and rotting. In most other varieties, rotting begins at the leaves, pseudobulbs, stems, or leaf junctions. This fungus develops in damp and cold environments.

Late blight has symptoms similar to patium, but it develops usually starts with leaves. Also different are the conditions for fungal growth:

• Some late blight varieties only like heat and humidity;
• Others - cold with high humidity;
• And the third is warmth and dryness.

On the leaves wet spots form, which turn yellow over time and then turn black, forming wet areas. Late blight develops at lightning speed, and the flower can be lost in just a few days.

The spread of this fungus occurs at record speed; in a few days, all the flowers standing next to the patient can become infected.

When treating patium and late blight, most of the measures to improve the condition are identical. For salvation carry out such actions:

1. The diseased plant is quarantined;
2. All diseased areas are cut off with a sharp, treated instrument, the sections are treated with charcoal or cinnamon, on the leaves it is allowed to use iodine or brilliant green, diluted with water 1/1;
3. Treat the entire plant with a strong fungicide:
   • For patium, preparations containing Propamocarb and Metalaxyl-M are used;
   • For late blight, the drug content is different and they contain Metalaxyl-M, Fosetyl and Dimethomorph.

When fighting such complex fungi it is necessary keep the plant separately for up to 3 months until complete recovery.

Core rotting: causes and consequences

What to do if the middle rots and all the leaves fall off? The core of an orchid is like a funnel of leaves - water easily enters it, creating stagnation and risk of rotting. Stagnation of water in the core is possible only at high humidity and low temperature; otherwise, the water evaporates in a couple of hours. Water gets into the core due to improper watering or excessive spraying.

Overwatering the orchid or stagnant water in the pot leads to rotting of the core.

To prevent rotting, care must be taken water the flower only on the roots, and after spraying, blot excess moisture in the center with a napkin.

Important! If decay has already begun, then timely measures can save the lower leaves, and in rare cases, the core itself.

The saved lower leaves with roots live and even bloom, and over time one or two are formed, which replace the dead orchid.

Sequence of treatment

Like a rotting orchid? When rotting leaves, the most important thing is to detect the problem in time and take the necessary measures:

Often
Interesting facts in the video about rotting, diseases and pests of orchids:

Find out in the video how the core of an orchid rots:

Conclusion

Orchids are easy to adapt for home climate. They get sick very rarely, and most of the illnesses are caused by inattention or improper care. To guarantee the health of the beauty, it is important to simply follow all the rules of care and review some of them, depending on the climate in the apartment.

The main advice that experienced flower growers give is compliance with all rules and attentive attitude towards your pet.

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