Toshie Aoki "Pizzaz" w/multiple discolorations and markings - Orchid Board

mpiggy · #1 09-23-2014, 11:08 AM

This "Pizzaz" has been a problem free and consistent bloomer for the past 3 years. I grow it on my south facing windowsill will other orchids that seem healthy.

On schedule, it bloomed this year but I started to notice brown discolorations at the top of the pseudobulb near where the leaf starts. But the discoloration didn't seem to grow or change so I let it be.

However, I had a small problem with mealy bugs this summer and decided I would try to solve the problem with a repotting of all of my orchids. I repotted this Pizzaz a month ago in a medium bark mix. At the time of repotting, I gave it a soak in physan, a dip in insecticide oil and left it on the deck overnight. A few days later poured hydrogen peroxide through the pot.

It gets occasional misting in a room with great ventilation.

This morning I noticed what looks like a bug may be munching on the leaves and pseudobulb. Then upon closer inspection, I noticed a white patch and some splotchiness on one leaf. I haven't seen any signs of snails or other bugs on any other plants...

I'm guessing the dark spot, white spot, splotchiness and bite marks are all unrelated. My green thumb is feeling wilty - how could I not have noticed any of this??

I'm thinking to transplant it into s/h which I have done for a few of my phals and oncidiums but felt that Pizzaz was growing so well that I shouldn't change anything about it's environment.

Any thoughts on what is wrong and what I can do to right the problem? Thanks!!

mpiggy · #2 09-23-2014, 11:50 AM

After writing the initial post just hours ago, I couldn't focus on work (I work from home) and examined the roots. To my horror, the roots were in bad mushy brown shape. When I had repotted a month a go, I trimmed the roots and had been left with a nice fist ball size of firm white roots.

It now appears that since the repotting the plant had been overwatered.

I had been misting the top surface of the plant starting after two weeks from the repotting. Perhaps that was too much water? It was growing in a plastic pot inside a clay pot. The clay pot had a saucer and occasionally I would water the saucer part in hopes of increasing humidity around the plant. Despite that there were some pebbles between the clay pot and plastic pot, water must have gotten absorbed into the plastic pot.

How many things can possibly go wrong with this poor plant? Now I'm looking at the roots (or lack thereof) wondering what I should do next? Help!

silken · #3 09-23-2014, 12:36 PM

You might save it if you can give the remaining root a soak in some seaweed water or KLN or SuperThrive. My preference being the seaweed.

I noticed it appears to be potted in quite a bit of moss. And then with the plastic pot surrounded by a clay pot, it likely had very little aeration to the roots. I have had good results using only medium bark for Cattleyas since they like to drain quickly and dry out. I know everyone's conditions are different , but seeing that much moss for Cattleya roots makes me think that's why the roots rotted. I hope it recovers as the bloom is beautiful.

mpiggy · #4 09-23-2014, 12:44 PM

Thank You Silken!

When you soak in seaweed water - how do you do it?
I have nori and other edible seaweed at home, but not a commercial seaweed product for plants.

I have some super thrive but never really needed it before. As for the moss, I had it at the top of the pot to make it look nicer... Sad that I may have killed this beautiful orchid for such a poor reason...

Will keep you updated.

silken · #5 09-23-2014, 12:51 PM

I just mix some up in water and soak the roots-not the crown of the plant. I leave it about 1/2 hour and then pot it. But I do use seaweed intended for plants so not sure how your other stuff will work. It's still seaweed so you could make a tea with it. SuperThrive has a shelf life so may not be as viable if it has been around for a while. But you could try that.

With so few roots this will need a fairly small pot and likely frequent watering. Or you could leave the root exposed and just briefly soak or mist it every day.

If the moss was only on top it may not have been the cause. But your picture of the media looked pretty fine and wet. I pot Cattleyas in clear pots with good drainage holes and the media definitely has air spaces in it. Good luck. Most orchids are pretty tough and it at least has some root left.

Leafmite · #6 09-23-2014, 01:19 PM

With Cattleyas, a rootless orchid isn't usually too much of a problem. I have acquired many that I discovered to be rootless when I went to pot them up in my own medium (the reason I like to do this immediately after I get them). You do, however, have to change your culture immediately. If you are unsuccessful growing Cattleyas in bark, try the expanded clay pellets or red lava rock and net/basket pots. I have found raising orchids to be much easier since I switched out of bark and use the basket/net pots. I stake (so that the orchid doesn't move in the pot and hurt the new roots) the rootless Cattleya on top of my medium and water the medium and not the plant. The new roots from the new growth will grow down into the medium. This is what has always worked for me. Good luck!

mpiggy · #7 09-23-2014, 03:56 PM

With what I had at hand, I have soaked the orchid in super thrive. During that soaking process, one pseudobulb fell off. There was no force that caused it - guessing somehow when I was removing the dead roots I unwittingly snapped it off.

I repotted both orchids in two baskets with some presoaked medium bark mix.

Over the weekend I'd like put one in s/h. Any suggestions on which I should experiment with?

Thanks!

silken · #8 09-23-2014, 05:38 PM

S/H should only be started when new roots are growing. The existing roots will die as they are not adapted to so much water. So I wouldn't do either one unless you see some new roots just starting.

campchi · #9 09-23-2014, 06:18 PM

Since you are rootless now, s/h would be possible...but then again, I have no success with s/h. Good luck