Vanda leaves turning silver w rust specks

[kkdcalgary]

dear all; i got this ascocenda about 3 months ago. The first month home it seemed quite happy growing new roots and leaves, then the roots stopped growing and now i've noticed the top leaves have started turning white/silver. I thought it was dehydration at first but now i have noticed there are tiny rust coloured specks on those patches. Is this a virus or parasite? Any recs appreciated!

Karen

[Dollythehun]

I'm betting spider mites. Rub the leaves with a white paper towel. Do you see red streaks? That silvering is usually an indication. Rinse it down through and apply a good miticide. Some people use alcohol, I go for chemicals.

[rbarata]

Yes, the silver might indicate mites.
I can't buy miticides (can't buy it without a qualification to use it) so I use a soup spoon of dish detergent diluted in 1 liter of water + 5% in volume of alcohol.
Spray the plant (especially the underside of the leaves) and medium, once a week for three weeks.

[Roberta]

A light horticultural oil can smother them (sure does sound like spider mites)... emulsify with a bit of dish soap) or Neem oil - but you will have to be persistent, treating once a week or so for 4 or 5 weeks. (You have to nail the generations, any one treatment only gets the adults) Bayer 3-in-1 does contain a miticide (how effective, I don't now)... insecticides don't get them, since they are arachnids not insects.

[kkdcalgary]

Unfortunately most of my plants have succumbed to this and it's a full infestation! My phals showed it the most aggressively. I never got webs so I'm pretty sure these are false spider mites (which are more aggressive apparently...great). I brushed all my plants with a peppermint-canola oil-soap-water mix and they seem to be doing alright. One of the phals needed multiple treatments. Fingers crossed.

[Roberta]

Even for the ones that seem to be OK, treat again...and again (at least 3 times at 1 week intervals) You can't get them all in one treatment, you especially won't get larvae and eggs. So even if they appear to be gone, they'll be back. The repeated treatments reduce the population each time, hopefully to the point of elimination. But once doesn't do it - no matter what product is used.