Brassavola Nodosa needs help

[Jo Ann]

Hi, everyone unfortunately this is my first post and it has to be about a sick Brassavola Nodosa. Not quite a week ago I noticed this plant’s leaves were turning black at first I wasn’t to concerned I thought maybe its just shedding its older leaves, then I saw that its new growth was effected too and I got worried. I guess I should tell you about its growing environment. First off I bought it has my first baggy plant from Walmart. I planted it in grobetter Orchid mix, in an 8 inch wire basket lined with coconut fiber. It was hanging outside where it received morning light and some afternoon shade. It was growing great I could see new roots growing through the fibers and it was making new leaves with slight reddish spots. All was well. Then we started getting a lot of rain and this is where I blame myself. I believe that the container was to big the roots could not get tried up. So I took the plant inside where it would get a chance to get dry. So for the last 3 days the plant has been inside next to a window with light sun and a fan blowing near it. Its leaves were still going black and I continued to cut off the black infected leaves in hopes it would stop. Today I decided I better take it out of the container and as I suspected wood chips were still moist but not soggy. So I did a little research and I believe the plant may have,” black root fungus?” I’m hoping I got it out of the container in time; the roots are not mushy like from extreme over watering. But there was some damage. Well according to what I read humidity and water are how this fungus can get started and we have a lot of both here. I took the advice and decided to spray the plant with a liquid copper fungicide. Not exactly sure what to do next I placed the plant in a wire basket with no orchid mix just leaving the roots exposed and rehung it outside since the rain has stopped. If anybody has any other ideas I would be glad to hear them also if this poor plant does recover does anybody have a better way I can grow it outside.

Thanks for listening,
Jo Ann