Show us Paph. that you've killed.

[dodidoki]

Bad news Istvan, another of those "bloom and bust" episodes? I do believe that somehow there is something we can do to improve this thing. I have just discovered a similar incident with my gorgeous sanderianumxmoquettanum (it is really great). Yesterday I had to remove a leaf orange and smelly from probably phytophora. I drowned the scar in dragons blood it normally helps. Just hope it stops this s¤%t.

I think this orange smelly patch at base is Erwinia. ( phytophtora causes brown rot). The problem with this that there is no way to save plant, all of my paph what got it, died within few days. And there is no warning sign at all. My sanderianum was a very strong plant with many new roots, just before forming its new flower sheath and died within 3 days ( Erwinia rot begins at base and spreads inwards very rapidly). As I see it I removed involved leaf immedialely, next day two another ones began to rot, I removed them, too, and rot reached the center of base on the next day. Despite of drier conditions, fans, cinnamon and chemicals. I tried with Amistar before, when another plants were sick, there were no effect on problem.(Amistar is a wide spectral fungicide, that is why I think this problem is caused not by fungi) Only good way, I think, I got this tip, is prevention. I spoke with an excellent grower/seller , he said that he uses diluted peroxide for watering, once/month, he dilutes 3% peroxide to quarter and while he does that, he has no problem with rot.

 

[Bjorn]

Lime was supposed to help as well stopping these things, but I think that best is to make certain the plants are fed with the proper micronutrients. Although not having any proof for it, I suspect that addition of manganese, zinc and copper plus perhaps silicon; while fertilising at a low level (e.g. <100ppm) could be one way. At lest the number of such incidents have been low this summer. But then this happens with the sanderianumxmoquettanum the other day..........

 

[dodidoki]

My observation is following: incidents occour mostly in autumn, none of my plants got sick from spring till this time. I also use low cc fertilizer (80 ppm) with higher Ca and Mg content. Mostly polyanthas are affected, last winter I lost one of my anitums similar way. If a plant got sick, there is no effective treatment.

 

[Bjorn]

Dragons blood? Have you tried that?

 

[Chicago Chad]

My observation is following: incidents occour mostly in autumn, none of my plants got sick from spring till this time. I also use low cc fertilizer (80 ppm) with higher Ca and Mg content. Mostly polyanthas are affected, last winter I lost one of my anitums similar way. If a plant got sick, there is no effective treatment.

ditto and a gigantifolium down

 

[monocotman]

cure for rot

On the UK orchid forum someone mentioned that dunking the whole plant into a tank of water containing 1 tablespoon of domestic bleach per gallon was a useful treatment for rot.
I have not tried it but it may be worth a go.
Saturating the whole plant with peroxide should have an effect,
David

 

[labskaus]

If the Problem is caused by a fungus, fungizides might help (if there is an aid for the particular fungus). If the Problem is caused by a bacterium, an antibiotic might help?
I'm asking cos I'm currently losing an expensive multifloral. It showed signs of rot a couple of weeks after I received it and I couldn't stop the disease with a variety of fungizides (against spot diseases like rust etc, against phytium and rot, wide range fungizide), Dragons blood. Kanamycin didn't help, either (I know it is plant toxic, too, but I was desperate).

I've read that Plantomycin (Phytomycin) has been used against Erwinia in Orchards. It is prohibited here now, but still produced elsewhere. Any experience, any comments?

 

[dodidoki]

If the Problem is caused by a fungus, fungizides might help (if there is an aid for the particular fungus). If the Problem is caused by a bacterium, an antibiotic might help?
I'm asking cos I'm currently losing an expensive multifloral. It showed signs of rot a couple of weeks after I received it and I couldn't stop the disease with a variety of fungizides (against spot diseases like rust etc, against phytium and rot, wide range fungizide), Dragons blood. Kanamycin didn't help, either (I know it is plant toxic, too, but I was desperate).

I've read that Plantomycin (Phytomycin) has been used against Erwinia in Orchards. It is prohibited here now, but still produced elsewhere. Any experience, any comments?

I tried with clyndamycin, beacuse Erwinia is facultative anaerob Gram - bacteria, several similar human pathogenes are sensitive to this. But had no effect in this case.

 

[The Mutant]

Let's breath some fresh air into this thread, since I've just tossed my acmodontum.

Here's the list so far:

Paph. acmodontum
Paph. barbatum var. nigritum
Paph. helenae
Paph. mastersianum
Paph. philippinense var. roebelenii
Paph. rothschildianum (a very nice cross from Orchid Inn)
Paph. stonei
Paph. superbiens
Paph. urbanianum
Paph. villosum
Paph. Wössner vietnam Star
Paph. Maudiae 'Schwarze Madonna'

Considering I have only grown Paphs for about 2¾ years, I would say it's a lot. The reason why most of these Paphs died were due to ignorance, inexperience, and depression/neglect. Seven of them were seedlings/young plants, that might have survived had someone else cared for them.

I have learned how to care for some of them better. For example, the schoseri I've almost killed by overwatering (and which probably will die), was my first schoseri. I got another one as a freebie about a year later, and this one has grown splendidly well.

Another thing I've discovered this year, is that I get a root rotting problem during winter. Contributing factor is me being way too generous with the water, but the biggest issue seems to be condensation inside the pots; the substrate can be bone dry in one half of the pot, and filled with condensation on the other side. This causes a very aggressive mold/fungi to strike on the side where the roots are pressed against the pot sides with condensation and it only attacks growing root tips. The only thing effective against this mold/fungi is diluted bleach.

This mold/fungi almost killed my gardineri and my urbanianum last winter. They're still recovering, and I really hope they'll both make it.

What I discovered this year, is that it works to move the plants away from the window during night. This makes the humidity inside the pots even out and no more nasty mold/fungi to form. Increasing the air circulation inside the pots by drilling holes, also helps. I've saved some growing root tips on my roths by doing this this year (why do they grow roots now?).

So, the good thing is that I learn, albeit slowly, but I do.


EDIT:
Okay, I admit that the stonei and the Wössner Vietnam Star were both savable, but their decline happened when I was depressed so I threw them away because I couldn't deal with it right then. I came very close to tossing my entire collection, so I'm glad those were the only victims...

 

[Paph_LdyMacBeth]

...wardii x 2
and a Pinocchio alba when I first started
but I think thats a pretty good record!

 

[geogeo21]

lantha stage

went out to watch the world cup and came back to this. didn't realize how hot it would be.

 

[geogeo21]

lantha stage

went to watch the world cup and forgot how hot it would be