Paph is sick, please help!!! - Orchid Board

Pupka · #1 03-26-2007, 11:15 PM

Hi, guys,

One of my paphs produced an offspring and it is growing well so far. But the mother leaves at the base got brown like rusty... I do not overwater it, I don't know what kind of disease it is or a fungus. I'm afraid if the mother-plant will die prematurely, the baby won't survive or if the mother will pass the disease on its baby..

What might this be?? I love this plant a lot, I can't think of it dying

Pupka · #2 03-27-2007, 12:15 AM

I couldn't wait for responses and took the plant out of pot. My gosh!! It didn't have any single alive root! All were rot!! I can't find the cause of it, I can't believe I overwatered it! I touched some roots--they easily slipped out, leaving long threads. This is the first time I saw such a mess. I also found some tiny pests in the pot. Now, I washed carefully all the roots in warm water, then sprayed it with fungicide. Then I potted it in a fresh mix, and now the only thing I can do is to pray for it. I still can't figure out what caused roots to rot, overwatering, pests, or fungus (that is still undefined) on the base of paph???? Is there any hope it will survive????

smartie2000 · #3 03-27-2007, 02:30 PM

I looked at the pics and thought decayed roots as well...
good luck with the plant. The new growth may sprout new roots. I would have it in sphag

Pupka · #4 03-27-2007, 03:18 PM

What caused roots to decay??

smartie2000 · #5 03-27-2007, 03:24 PM

I think it was overwatering. The mix does look decayed and a decayed mix hold more water than before. remember to repot these guys, they'll do much better

Pupka · #6 03-27-2007, 03:27 PM

Thank you, smartie2000,

I changed the pot and the mix. Can it survive like that or is it really necessary to have it in sphagnum?

Wendy · #7 03-30-2007, 09:16 PM

Sphagnum is good but it will probably do okay in what you are using. Keep it warm, humid and under lower light...and don't forget a bit of air movement.

IdahoOrchid · #8 03-31-2007, 04:06 PM

Do you know what sort of bug was in the mix? There are some pests that can prematurely decay the mix even if you do not overwater. If you do not know specifically what the pest was, then please try to describe it the best you can.

justatypn · #9 03-31-2007, 04:13 PM

My first thought was over-watering. Paph's like to be a bit moist but they can be easily over-watered like any other. Do keep this orchid under lower lighting and keep good air movement, they like fresh air. Paph's are slow growers to you have to be patient.

for a quick recovery.

The white speckles on the medium is that the pests you saw, could be the breaking down of the medium.

Pupka · #10 03-31-2007, 04:41 PM

I have two others--paph and phrag, and they are doing well under the same conditions. God only knows, why it had decayed roots. I spotted some tiny, fast-moving pests in the old mix. I threw it away, washed thoroughly the roots and sprinkled them with fungicide. Then I put it in sphag and spray it every other day to keep it moist. It looks like the baby keeps growing!! So, I guess, will be fine!