Maxillaria Tenuifolia Bulb Problem? - Orchid Board

AuGrower · #1 07-22-2013, 10:14 PM

Just got in this new addition and I noticed the pseudo bulb looked a little dark. Was wondering if I have a rot problem on my hands or not?
If so, any treatment suggestions? I sprayed all my new guys with some physan 20 this afternoon as a preventative measure. If it is rot though, it wont do much I think.

Ps. Bulb - a set on Flickr

RosieC · #2 07-23-2013, 07:51 AM

It does sort of look like the base may be rotting. But then again it may be fine, because I have one on mine that looks a little dark and has never got worse (couple of years).

Sorry, I'm not really sure

nikkik · #3 07-23-2013, 08:17 AM

From the picture it looks like rot to me too. If its a "bag baby" (noticed the tag and pot), the employees at lowes or Home Depot don't always understand how to care for them and start to water the bags way too heavily. My local lowes has some, I picked up a plant to look at it and water got all over my skirt because they overwatered it so much. If it were me I would remove that pseudo bulb to be on the safe side.

AuGrower · #4 07-23-2013, 10:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nikkik

From the picture it looks like rot to me too. If its a "bag baby" (noticed the tag and pot), the employees at lowes or Home Depot don't always understand how to care for them and start to water the bags way too heavily. My local lowes has some, I picked up a plant to look at it and water got all over my skirt because they overwatered it so much. If it were me I would remove that pseudo bulb to be on the safe side.

It was a "bag baby" I have not had it very long so I doubt I would've caused it this fast. Usually they don't water them enough at my Lowes Lol.

Thanks for the advice, yea I noticed a leaf came off the bulb very easily this morning. To me indicating rot. Any advice on the best way to remove the bulb? I can probably get it and leave the leaves that are close by. Or should I just remove that whole "section"?

Silje · #5 07-23-2013, 10:18 AM

My experience with tenuifolias is that you can basically do whatever you want with them and they survive all sorts of brutal harassment.

But they wont flower. (Ok, maybe one shouldn't expect that after treating them the way I do...*mumble mumble*)

How many bulbs and branches does the plant have? Is that the whole thing that we can see on the picture or does it have more growths?

I'd try to save the remaining leaves and all if possible and especially if that is the whole plant (or a large part of it).

I'd try to carefully cut it out and dab a bit of cinnamon on the cut surface there, but be careful not to get cinnamon on the roots. They're hidden under the dry sheaths growing down along the...stem or whatever one should call it.

Or, alternatively, I'd try to twist the bulb and see if it loosens on its own. You said it lost a leaf already. Is that one of those on the picture or is the picture taken afterwards?

nikkik · #6 07-23-2013, 10:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AuGrower

It was a "bag baby" I have not had it very long so I doubt I would've caused it this fast. Usually they don't water them enough at my Lowes Lol.

Thanks for the advice, yea I noticed a leaf came off the bulb very easily this morning. To me indicating rot. Any advice on the best way to remove the bulb? I can probably get it and leave the leaves that are close by. Or should I just remove that whole "section"?

I would remove the entire bulb from underneath, if the entire section looks questionable I would remove that too. My personal preference is to remove any part of the plant that I feel would continue to spread a disease. It is easier to deal with one plant with a small issue and nip it now then deal with and treat an entire collection.

AuGrower · #7 07-23-2013, 12:57 PM

I will snap some better pictures after I get home tonight. Actually the leaf was already removed in those pictures, was thinking I hadn't removed it yet. That seems the be the only part that is rotting.

@Siljie - It is only a small part of the plant. There are probably about 4 or 5 more pseudo bulbs on the plant as a whole. Also I want all my orchids to bloom, that's part that never ceases to amaze me.

After snapping my pics I will remove that section tonight. Thanks for all the help

Silje · #8 07-23-2013, 01:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AuGrower

@Siljie - It is only a small part of the plant. There are probably about 4 or 5 more pseudo bulbs on the plant as a whole. Also I want all my orchids to bloom, that's part that never ceases to amaze me.

After snapping my pics I will remove that section tonight. Thanks for all the help

Then I'm sure it will be fine! These plants are pretty tough. I didn't like the appearance of mine. And to make a long story short, I just tore it apart making more divisions and a denser and shorter plant (or strictly speaking a lot of them, but in the same pot). It took them a few months to forgive me for that treatment, but now all the smaller sections are growing well.

If this is just one of 4-5 sections, it will just shrug it of and keep going.

Purple_phal_gal13 · #9 07-23-2013, 10:02 PM

Just curious, but why did you say avoid getting cinnamon on the roots?

Sent from my HTC One X+ using Tapatalk 2

AuGrower · #10 07-23-2013, 10:56 PM

alright, I think everything went smoothly. I removed the problem bulb with most of it's attached stem until I could not see any evidence of rot. Applied some cinnamon to the wound...hopefully after the patient recovers we will know the surgery was a success!
Here are some pictures to help.
Ps. Bulb - a set on Flickr