Black spots and tips on Cymbidiums

[garlicbeth@comcast.net]

I grow cymbidiums and have a problem w tip black spot in a triangle, on the leaf blade, and down in the crown. Unsightly and I do not know how to stop it. I use Neem in the winter as spray it seems to help but in the summer they are outside and it gets worse. Any thoughts, suggestions chemical, etc. the forums seem to say mineral burn. I do have hard water, use well water and rain water. Lots of iron in the water. It spreads so I thinks it may be a fungus, but a grower told me bacterial.
Thank you, beth

As you can see the little one was bought in the spring with some spot, it has gotten worse outside (40 m west of Chicago), in part shade, most shade. I water 2-3 x a week with well water. From my reading it sounds like too much mineral in the water and not enough watering? The big one I thru out bc it has so much leaf spot I’ll never get rid of it. I have been able to control it with my brown cymbidiums with neem oil. What do you all think? Thanks for your help. Just found the forum.

[rbarata]

Welcome to the board!
Please post a photo.

[Orchid Chikk Aussie Land]

Welcome

It sounds like Fungus,
A picture, can tell a story . .

Here in Aussie Land,
I use a Spray called Rose Gun.
So I'm sure, you would have something very similar ?
It works a Treat

[estación seca]

Welcome to the Orchid Board!

Inside or outside? Day/night temperatures? Humidity? How much, and what kind of light? How are you watering, and how often?

Cymbidiums usually have lots of spots on their leaves.

[Roberta]

First, Welcome!

Looking at your photos, I don't see anything particularly worrisome. On the big one, the black spots might have been from wet leaves when it got cold. When you get brown tips on leaves, it's salt buildup, especially if you have hard water. It's (at least partially) controlled by watering really well when you water (like water running out of the pot) The small one looks like the bark might be a bit too large, but without a look at the roots, hard to tell. Don't unpot now...in the spring you can repot it and get a good look at what's going on.

Ugly Cymbidium leaves I don't much worry about... the dark spot going toward the base on the small do keep an eye on.

[Dollythehun]

Welcome! I'm about 100 Mike's east of you. Water is hard here. They get rain and hose water in the summer, filtered or rain water in winter. Yours look good. Roberta's right, perfect foliage is rare. I just cut off the tips if they bother me and move on. Perfection is elusive.

[rbarata]

My approach to spots on Cymbs is: I don't care. That's how they are!

[rbarata]

My approach to spots on Cymbs is: I don't care. That's how they are!