I've been SLIMED!!!!!

[Jimsox]

Hello everyone and good Sunday morning from the West Coast...I have a problem and need some guidance please. I woke up this morning and looked at two of my Phals. I know this is slippertalk, but I have Phals....I looked at my plants which just started putting up spikes (super tiny from the plant)and to my dismay there was just a hollowed out shell of where the spike was coming from the plant and some slime, on the same plant and the newest leaf forming from the top was eaten as well and only slime and the shell of the leaf was left behind. There was no trail leading to or going from the areas that may show a snail/slug trail. It was like the inside was eaten out and my other one, which was beginning to grow from an old stem I cut above a node, was eaten as well...not totally eaten, just lookes kinda munched on near the bottom of the would be bud and slime. I looked in the bark and found a few springtails...looked them up and they say they're not the culprits. I am going to repot today after I find out what you think. Thanks for the help and I'll be back later to find out what you think I should do. Have a great day!!!

 

[likespaphs]

bummer!
any way you could post a photo?
it kinda sounds to me like it's a slug/snail, even though you didn't see the trails....

 

[SlipperKing]

Slugs hide at day and eat at night. Look under stuff close by. Leaves, benches the like. They also love beer on a saucer, they drown in it.

 

[Jimsox]

Unfortunately I can't post a photo....thought about it, can't find my camera....hmmmmph sorry

 

[etex]

Bummer! Get out the beer!!

 

[tomkalina]

Hey Jim,

Sounds like slug damage. If you're going to do the beer thing, West Coast slugs seem to prefer Anchor Steam beer. (Actually, so do I).:evil:

Take Care,


Tom

 

[Choodles]

my vote goes to slug damage. I use borax and simple syrup, make some traps outta small reusable plastic containers with some holes punched into it with a hole puncher. google the recipe for borax ant traps- i thinks its borax:sugar:water 1gram:10 grams:100 grams, but I'm not sure. I was trying to get rid of fire ants out back, but ended up trapping a ton of slugs and only killing off some of the ants (good for orchids, bad for choodles...) Boron can become toxic at high levels, so try to keep the ant/slug brew out of the orchids themselves. beer in a jar cover works too, and there's much more in a six pack than you need to kill the slugs...

Also, go looking for slugs a few hours after dark, using a flashlight- they'll be out and caught red handed. Pinch em off and dispose of them. Stay vigilant- they'll probably come back at some point; there might even be eggs around now.

if you continue to have trouble, search for slug control; theres a bunch of effective methods:
1. copper flashing wrapped around table legs
2. diatomaceous earth or crushed eggshells
3. poisons, if you have to and are comfortable with it


good luck!
choodles

 

[Eric Muehlbauer]

Definitely slugs...I never keep phals outdoors, while all others go out, because slugs love phals...particularly newly initiated spikes...nothing attracts slugs more effectively in the orchid world. Repot and clean off all media. Wash the plant in a strong physan solution...then repot.

 

[Ernie]

Hey Jim,

Sounds like slug damage. If you're going to do the beer thing, West Coast slugs seem to prefer Anchor Steam beer. (Actually, so do I).:evil:

Take Care,


Tom

Tom,

Did you know Anchor Steam is the only actual American beer?
I'll probably regret typing this, but maybe those slugs/snails like Corona?

-Ernie

 

[tomkalina]

Ernie,

Not sure what the term "actual" means, but the Yeungling Brewery in Pottsville, PA has been in operation since 1829, while the Anchor Steam label says they've been in business in SF since 1896. My all time favorite beer (hard to get in the mid-west) is Yuengling Traditional Lager, followed by Anchor Steam, which is much easier to find in Chicago.

Cheers!

 

[cnycharles]

if they don't care about the alcohol, serve them some near beer

 

[goldenrose]

I'm waiting to hear the results of the taste test! :wink: