New Phal Orchids/ Sick Cattleya Orchids

[kindrag23]

Hello,

I ordered some phal orchids online. They are in wonderful condition. Very young will most likely bloom for first time next year. My questions for them is some of them have excessively long roots. One especially has two shoots that are around 2 feet long, and slightly broken. Do i just leave them alone or should i trim them back?

My Cattleya Orchid has several different branches(?), the lower trunk of the shoots start to turn black and shrink down and then the leaf turns black at the base of the leaf and stem and then falls off. Is this a sign of disease or is this normal with Cattleya Orchids?

---------- Post added at 01:53 PM ---------- Previous post was at 01:33 PM ----------

:-)

[kindrag23]

This is what my Cattleya orchid looks like. Sorry this is grainy it is the best I could get it to look.

[WhiteRabbit]

Can't tell for sure, but sounds like the catt is rotting, either from disease like black rot or from too much water.

[kindrag23]

I fear it is black rot, due to disease. The other one I have is doing wonderfully. I was afraid it had a disease when I recieved it. Because I have watered it only maybe 2 times since I recieved it an reported it.

---------- Post added at 07:01 PM ---------- Previous post was at 07:00 PM ----------

Repotted not reported.

[WhiteRabbit]

Cut off all black areas.

[Island Girl]

Separate (the diseased Catt) from ALL of your other orchids, like right now! Seriously, b/c if it is black rot, (or something similar), it can spread, really really easily... Thru water droplets splashing from one plant to another... This link should help you, (it's long, but seriously great info, I'd suggest for you to bookmark it, for future reference... I did awhile ago, when I started out, & I'm glad I did!) Good Luck! And keep us posted... it will help other newbies to see what you are dealing with, and the steps u take to fix it!
http://www.houstonorchidsociety.org/...ySueBottom.pdf

Also, she has a chart for common fungicides/bactericides on there (pg 36), but you can't really read it, so here it is in its own link:
http://www.staugorchidsociety.org/PD...idDiseases.pdf

Here's the one for pesticides too, while I'm at it, Lol. (Its the chart on pg 12) Don't think this is your problem, tho...
http://www.staugorchidsociety.org/PD...rchidPests.pdf