Paph Honey in SH possibly in stress - Orchid Board

rmack5 · #1 10-21-2008, 12:32 PM

I put the paph honey in SH a few weeks ago and it seems to be stressed. The leaves are turning brown from the center of the crown and leading to the end of the leave. But the new leaves coming form the center of the crown seem fine. I will try to get a pic soon. Is this normal?

slipperfreak · #2 10-21-2008, 03:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rmack5

I put the paph honey in SH a few weeks ago and it seems to be stressed. The leaves are turning brown from the center of the crown and leading to the end of the leave. But the new leaves coming form the center of the crown seem fine. I will try to get a pic soon. Is this normal?

It sounds like your plant might have crown rot.

rmack5 · #3 10-21-2008, 04:23 PM

Would the SH cause that?

slipperfreak · #4 10-21-2008, 04:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rmack5

Would the SH cause that?

It's possible... some people have better success with s/h than others. I would remove the browning leaves and then take the plant out of its pot, and look at the roots and the rhizome. Hopefully you don't have any soft, brown rot on there. If you do, you'll need to remove the affected tissue with a flame-sterilized blade and dust the wounds with cinnamon or powdered horticultural sulfur. If you end up with a plant having few or no roots, you can use the "sphag 'n' bag" treatment.

Ray · #5 10-21-2008, 06:20 PM

No, S/H will absolutely not lead to crown rot. Such rots come about from letting water stand in the leaf axils (the crown being the most common), especially as temperatures cool in the evening, leading to the ideal environment for the growth of bacteria and fungi.

Crown rot, therefore, comes about from improper watering (on the plant rather than in the pot only), improper timing (too late in the day to allow the leaf axils to dry out), or improper condition to allow such drying to occur.

slipperfreak · #6 10-21-2008, 06:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ray

No, S/H will absolutely not lead to crown rot. Such rots come about from letting water stand in the leaf axils (the crown being the most common), especially as temperatures cool in the evening, leading to the ideal environment for the growth of bacteria and fungi.

Crown rot, therefore, comes about from improper watering (on the plant rather than in the pot only), improper timing (too late in the day to allow the leaf axils to dry out), or improper condition to allow such drying to occur.

Well I stand corrected! I personally have never grown Paphs in s/h before but I know people who have lost Paphs who grew in s/h one way or the other... anyway, it does sound like crown rot regardless of what may have caused it, but a pic would help.

Bolero · #7 10-21-2008, 06:36 PM

I agree, crown rot comes from improper watering. If the night is cold and the water sits in the crown then it will rot. I found this out the hard way a couple of years ago when I started really getting into Paphs. Now I have the culture right and am very careful about how and when I water.

Paph Honey is a tropical hybrid and should have some good warmth all year round. If you water a plant like that when the weather is cooler then this can happen. But don't give up! It can take many attempts to get it right.

rmack5 · #8 10-22-2008, 11:29 AM

So what is the proper course of action. I will get pics this afternoon.

Bolero · #9 10-23-2008, 05:56 AM

Depends how bad it is, we would need to see the photo. If it's really bad then no hope.....but it's possible the plant can be saved.

When the picture comes through we will know for sure.