Leaf problem with V. citrinum hihimanu

[horton711]

Holiday Greetings.....

This is my first post and I hope I'm doing things the right way.

I am a neophyte orchid grower mainly having Phals and a couple Dendrobiums (sp?). The attached pics are of a Grammatophyllum scriptum V. citrinum hihimanu (sp?) given to me by a well meaning neighbor. It looked OK at first but over the last few months the leaves started to look awful. The plant is in a 6" clay pot with what looks like a mix of bark, charcoal, perlite, and spaghnum. It's located outside where it gets morning to mid-day sun. I have watered it when the media feels dry and have been feeding dilute fertilizer once a month.

I think I'm slowly killing this plant. Hope the pics are clear enough for an evaluation to get me on the road to saving the plant.

Please tell me any other info needed and I thank all who reply in advance.....

[Roberta]

It looks to me like something is munching on the leaves. Snails, slugs, or caterpillars come to mind. If it were my plant, I'd scatter snail/slug bait on the top of the medium. It won't do anything to caterpillars... for those, a spray of Bacillus thuringiensis (BT) ... Sluggo Plus includes Spinosad, which is a synthetic that acts like BT....that might get "all of the above" ... Go out at night with a flashlight, you may catch the beasties in the act. (Squishing them underfoot is quite effective, and VERY satisfying)

[horton711]

Thank you Roberta,

I wondered about little critters but never have seen any during daytime. I shall take your advice and look at night. I'd love to "do in" whatever critter is hurting my orchid!!

Not sure if I'll see much activity the next few evenings with the cooler weather here, but I will report back when I have been able to see if there is anything crawling about the leaves.

I have wondered if there was a fungus at work but have been unable to find any good pics to compare with.

Hope you have a happy, healthy holiday season....

[Roberta]

Also take a look in the morning when everything is damp. Slugs especially are VERY sneaky. And they show up in places that you wouldn't expect (I have found them on hanging plants that were nowhere near a wall or any such... either they are very patient and willing to climb a long way, or they fly. I'm almost convinced that slugs fly... )

[Dollythehun]

You can also roll up a damp newspaper (into a tube) and lay it by the plant. You can trap them that way and squish them.

[Jeff214]

I have very similar patterns on my Gramm. scriptum. Mine were caused by moth caterpillars and slugs.