sick Phal

[VickiC]

I have a very sick Phal that I need your help with, please. It was sunburned during the summer and has also developed what seems to be spider mites, from info that I have read. I sprayed the leaves with a combination of water and dishwashing liquid, in hopes this would be a good 1st step to irradicate the spider mites. I understand with this method, I am to follow up with more applications. Part of the sunburn had became mushy, so after the liquid dried, I treated those areas with cinnamon powder. While looking the plant over better, I noticed that there might be a problem with crown rot, so I poured a small amount of peroxide down into the crown and let it sit for about 5 min. before dumping the liquid.

I honestly do not know if I treated anything correctly, but from what I have learned from different people (in my short period of orchid growing-less than 3 yrs.) these were some of the treatments that were sometimes used. Good? Not good?

I also understood that the fungus areas should be kept dry, but that spider mites thrive in a dry environment. If this is the case, how would you treat one problem without making the other worse?

Unless you think it's necessary for me to take a different route, I would like to stick to treatments on the "home-remedy" side, if poss.. On the other hand, I'll try whatever you think best, insecticide-wise.

I would appreciate your help,
Vicki