Pot Burana Beauty 'Buenaflor' - leaves in trouble

[kmccormic]

This is my first Cattleya and I don't seem to be doing well by it. Could you guys look at it and lend me your advice? The leaves are getting wrinkled, is this an indication that it isn't getting enough water? And the spotting at the tips of some of the leaves, could this be sunburn, or would you think there's a fungal/insect issue? The last 3 pictures are all the same leaf, top and bottom.

Thank you for your help!

[Bud]

you have the leaf mite infestation and a white fungi that goes with it...check the roots because the eggs must have hatched and they are making a feast...sucking nutrients and making your leaves wrinkly and dry

for the bugs:
10 drops dish soap mix
1/2 tablespoon cinnamon extract
2 cups tepid water

spray it on the plant...what is left soak the roots for 5 min to dispose of the eggs...let it dry
wash the pot well

when its dry: if you dont have physan 20: spray it with lysol dissinfecting spray to dispose of fungi
let it dry and flush it with water and repot on fresh mix

[kmccormic]

Thanks Bud! When you say spray with Lysol, should I spray leaves and roots? Would the fungi be in the roots too?

[kmccormic]

I sprayed the plant and soaked the roots in the cinnamon extract solution. I let it dry for 24 hours and sprayed it with the Lysol disinfectant. The roots are mostly a spongy light brown, but I was able to rake out a lot of dried up dead ones . Some areas have dark brown spots on them, I cut off some of those just to be safe and sprinkled with cinnamon powder. Then I potted in new mix. (I washed the pot carefully with bleach and then Lysol disinfectant and let it dry for 24 hours.) I flushed the medium lightly with a solution of water and superthrive. I'm hoping I haven't missed anything here.

We'll see how it goes!