Yellow spots on vanda

[Buds!]

I am not sure if this is normal?
This vanda came with these small yellow spots, I only noticed it today.
The roots are all healthy.
Should I be worried?

[cneos]

could be water, dirt or insect damage. Clean plant thoroughly with a rinse of soap, water and alcohol to prevent further problems.

[Buds!]

Originally Posted by cneos

could be water, dirt or insect damage. Clean plant thoroughly with a rinse of soap, water and alcohol to prevent further problems.

Do I mix one third dish washing detergent/water/ meth. spirit?
Does it need to be rised off?
Thank you!

[smweaver]

Buds, my vandas get the same spots each summer when they spend four to five months outside, and they grow and bloom just fine. Take a look a few times a day in the leaf axils and around the roots (eary morning, midday, before you go to bed). If you don't see any of our friends from the insect kingdom hanging around, then (in my humble opinion) it's nothing to worry about. Is the plant, overall, healthy? It looks like it is in the pictures you posted. We tend to think that our plants should never show the slightest signs of wear. But in nature, a completely blemish-free orchid (or any other type of plant) is probably a rarity. Have you ever seen pictures of vandas in the wild? Very few of them would win beauty contests, let alone pass muster by any number of discerning growers with a critical eye. Yet somehow they continue to thrive--in spite of no one being around to squirt them with insecticide, fungicide, or helpfully spread mayonaise on their leaves to remove unsightly spots (sorry, I saw that in another posting and found it a little humorous). Your plant looks healthy, so I would say you're being a decent enough guardian of its welfare already.

[Buds!]

Hi smweaver,
Thank you sooo much for reassuring me, you're a lifesaver!!! What would I do without you guys on the board!
I'll leave the vanda alone for the time being.
Now I can enjoy my weekend....
Cheers,
Buds!

ps. Mayo on the leaves! Sounds like they are making an orchid sandwich!

[cb977]

Just a word of warning here on the mayo idea:
the mayo can be used as a type of leaf-shine, removes water spots and such...but make sure you use a tiny, tiny bit and wipe off every last bit of it. If you leave an oily residue on the plant, it will literally cook!

[cneos]

As to the soap - water - alcohol mix - to make a quart: use 2 cups water, 2 cups isopropryl alcohol, and one tablespoon of liquid dish or hand soap, like Ivory liquid. You can use a baby's soft toothbrush or artist's brush to get into the nooks and crannies; rinse off any stray material that gets loosened in the process, otherwise it's ok to let it air-dry.

Re: mayo leaf shine ... besides cooking leaves, I've heard that too much mayo clogs the leaf pores. I have used the mayo method successfully but prefer Lemon Juice to diminish or remove 'salt' build-up on leaves; or Milk to polish dull leaves.

We've either got the makings for a facial or lunch!

Happy growing!

[cb977]

We've either got the makings for a facial or lunch!