Dembrodium black leaf drop, help

[pattieclemm]

She is in the garbage.... now keeping an eye on all plants thanks for the help. all of the pseudo bulbs turned purple and large black splotches all over the leaves threw everything plant, pot, and spikes away. I am totally sickened by this . the roots an rhizome looked fine. I don't get it. must be crown rot? if all plants were on same tray, can they all be infected/ I sprayed phy 20 on all in that room (10) other plants? I am in need of further expertice. An what about other rooms have (9) others. any advice.

[kindrag23]

Lots of fresh air with good circulation, try space them out a bit if can. Definitely keep an eye on them, black rot and bacterial infections can move like nobodies business. The ones in the other room should be okay if not exposed to the infected plant. But definitely keep an eye on it.

Make sure that before you use any tool that they are very sanitized. If you cut anything make sure to dab cinnamon on it. Other then that just continue to be careful.

Sorry you lost it I know that can be just heart breaking. Did your cattleya have a name? Maybe you could find one that looks close to it. I know it is not the same...sorry...I ordered two beautiful Cattleya's from Home Depot and they both died of black rot....I went slightly Postal with the bleach in my house....Good luck on the rest of your babies.

[pattieclemm]

i'm going bleach crazy myself. I am deeply saddened as it was a anniversary gift. I put a fan in that room today. for its name, the wrong tag was in the pot it had a Dem, label in it. I know it is a Cat. I am taking all advice to heart. I did use sterillll equip. but, my knife has a wooden handle, I took it out of the dishwasher, its very old and cracked. the container also was from the dishwasher. and I also have the flu. so I am a mess right now. everything is garbaged except her buddies, they look great so far[; fingers crossed. I will be better prepared next time I transplant. anything or do anything to them. thank you for your help.

---------- Post added at 10:22 PM ---------- Previous post was at 10:12 PM ----------

a few more questions; What exactly do you mean by exposed to? how close is to close? they all shared the same humidity tray, same table. do I have a critical threat. I added a fan and sprayed phyzan 20 on all. anything else besides watchful eye, tears and prayers.

---------- Post added at 10:26 PM ---------- Previous post was at 10:22 PM ----------

so sorry to hear about your babies from home depo. mine came from orchids by Hausermanns

[Orchid Whisperer]

Originally Posted by pattieclemm

i'm going bleach crazy myself. I am deeply saddened as it was a anniversary gift. I put a fan in that room today. for its name, the wrong tag was in the pot it had a Dem, label in it. I know it is a Cat. I am taking all advice to heart. I did use sterillll equip. but, my knife has a wooden handle, I took it out of the dishwasher, its very old and cracked. the container also was from the dishwasher. and I also have the flu. so I am a mess right now. everything is garbaged except her buddies, they look great so far[; fingers crossed. I will be better prepared next time I transplant. anything or do anything to them. thank you for your help.

---------- Post added at 10:22 PM ---------- Previous post was at 10:12 PM ----------

a few more questions; What exactly do you mean by exposed to? how close is to close? they all shared the same humidity tray, same table. do I have a critical threat. I added a fan and sprayed phyzan 20 on all. anything else besides watchful eye, tears and prayers.

---------- Post added at 10:26 PM ---------- Previous post was at 10:22 PM ----------

so sorry to hear about your babies from home depo. mine came from orchids by Hausermanns

Same humidity tray is pretty close. I would thoroughly wash the humidity tray, then wipe with a bleach solution and rinse/dry. If you had pebbles or marbles in the tray, either boil them, or disinfect with a bleach solution and rinse them.

[pattieclemm]

thanks will do

[kindrag23]

As for space im thinking the leaves dont touch for just a little added space. And the ones that were closest to tour cattleya def need to have a close eye on to be safe. The others in other rooms I would think would be okay. Sorry again for your losing your baby.

[Leafmite]

The black rot might not be a problem for any of your other orchids. It seems to mostly be a problem with cattleyas that are deficient in calcium. When I was losing most of my cattleyas to black rot, the only other orchid affected was my schoenorchis. Now that I ensure my cattleyas are planted on top of the medium and given a continuous source of calcium, I have never had that problem again. It was a terrible thing. For years, I had always used my pond water to water the plants and orchids and when I gave up the pond, I didn't realize that the new orchid fertilizer didn't have calcium.
Good luck!

[pattieclemm]

you are all so helpful, I cleaned and scrubbed my mist tray. chlorinated everything even the outsides of the remaining 9 pots and sprayed the heck out of them with phyz. 20, (all were on the same tray) and noticed 2 more of my catts. are infected 1 was the other 1/2 of the first I split ( my anniversary gift) and transplanted. and the 3rd is one that I bought at the same time as the first. when purchased them they both were bare root huge plants. when I bought them I noted they both have a couple of dried or shriveling pseudobulbs (I thought to be natural leaf death) was I wrong and were they diseased already? an I bought them on sale, from Hausermanns the new shoots are getting ready to flower. I threw one away pseudo and new shoots are purple /black,( this one I tossed) and cinnamoned the other one to death. I think. I am just sick, and getting sicker. I have 6 others I am worried about. I phyzaned them heavily. probably will kill them due them to toxicity I ordered calcium this a.m. I cant get to the store as I am disabled. you know when I bought these and planted them I used all new items or cleaned and dried in the dishwasher and rubber gloves (boxed). Im an R.N. pretty clean and meticulous. but I did use and old wooden hanlel knife (sterile dry dishwasher also) I'm stumped. before I planted them I saturated the roots soaked 30 min in phyz. 20. what else can I do to help save the others? any further advice, I'll try anything.you have all been so at thanks. lost 3 of 9. 6 left I am worried, their beauty is/was unbelievable. I am soooo unhappy.

[Leafmite]

How long have you had them? When you potted them, did you set the rhizome on top of your medium (it would have needed staking for stability)?
Wrinkled back-bulbs are quite normal. In high light, the leaves and growths often turn purple. Purple spots, too, are often common. Rarely, it might signal a nutritional issue. What fertilizer have you been using?
I am so sorry you are dealing with this.

[pattieclemm]

the 3 catts. are about 2.5 months old. yes, split and transplanted 2 weeks ago. Rhizome at level with mix.( kind 1/2 in and 1/2 out? and yes it was staked with a new bamboo stakes sprayed with phyzan 20. See pic in gallery first 2. some of the black/purple pseudo were . hard and a few felt squishey when I pulled on it slid off like a loose layer of gook and dark green sot bulb under the squishey part. color turned over night. looked like it was bruised. and 50 cent size black spots showed up over night on the middle of a couple of leaves. the leaves felt firm like are suppose toroots also looked g ood and no odor. food is" Normams Optimal orchid Nurtients) . (Normans orchids its a 20-16-15 mix with vit B from Orchids.com) I also use Miracle grow Orchid spray mist every 2 weeks I rotate so they get one or the other each week with watering if the plant needed watering. plus I mist every day a along with the humidity tray they all sit on. also use a plant light the room is about 80-84 degrees. I have other orchids for as long as 10 years. only lost one plant the whole time and the leaf and bulb color has been consistant green. one is sort of dark green and one is sorta lime green colored and the other 4 look green and healthy.........so far (knock wood). they have been dumped in a corner of our property. so I can keep an eye out. but the 1st went into the regular trash. the 2 outside a sitting on the ground , but the potting soil all went to trash.

---------- Post added at 06:14 PM ---------- Previous post was at 05:50 PM ----------

this is my first experience with catts. thier tag was wrong it had a dembro. tag in one and no tag in the other one. I may of lost it.

---------- Post added at 06:44 PM ---------- Previous post was at 06:14 PM ----------

possibly 2.5 to 4 months old, also when water it I run the water to flush for a min, the soil kind of shifts and floats. so its possible any number of reasons for the rot. my fault probably!