One day, the beautiful Venus, indulging in lovepleasures, dropped a shoe, which immediately turned into a delightful flower. This flower was called an orchid, since then it is considered a symbol of love and sexuality. Orchid has always been credited with magical properties: a love potion was prepared from its petals and seeds. And the woman who grew this flower secretly received the recognition of all the men around her. And even today, all lovers of indoor plants dream of having at least one orchid in their collection. After all, no flower can compare with its beauty. And those who have tried to grow this plant at home know that an orchid requires a reverent attitude, constant care and close attention. In addition, this flower is susceptible to various diseases, and in order to cure it, you will need maximum effort and patience. In this article, we will tell you which orchid diseases are the most dangerous, and we will try to describe effective methods of treating them.
Yellow leaves - what to do?
Yellowing of leaves is the mosta common problem among orchids. And first, let's figure out the reasons for this problem. Yellowing of the leaf occurs due to insufficient nutrition. That is, it practically does not receive the necessary substances for normal growth. There are several reasons for this. Firstly, it can be a natural process - some types of orchids shed old leaves during the dry season. Secondly, the cause of the disease can be fungal infections, which in turn occur due to excess moisture. Very often we buy an already infected plant and wonder why it disappears over time. After all, in the store the orchid looked quite healthy. The answer is simple: it means - it was not properly cared for and watered too much. At the first signs of infection, it is necessary to immediately begin treatment. The sooner you do this, the faster the plant will acquire its original appearance. The main thing to remember is that treatment will be needed not only for the leaves, but also for the roots of the plant. It is from them that the infection of the entire flower occurs. If you simply remove the missing leaf, it will not help. Over time, the plant will lose a second, third… And it will be impossible to revive it. So, let's get down to business. First of all, you need to dry the flower well. The whole thing - both the roots and the stem. This will slow down the growth of the infection. Take the flower out of the pot and leave it in a dry place for a day. Buy an antifungal drug (fungicide) and treat the orchid, following the instructions. As soon as the roots are completely dry, place the flower in new soil and try to carefully monitor the humidity. Never overwater the plant! In order to avoid the problem described above, follow some tips:
- Orchid loves well-lit places, so make sure that there is enough sunlight;
- Never put the plant in a pot. Otherwise there will be a stagnation of water, then diseases can not be avoided;
- Do not allow the pot of the orchid to stand in the water. After watering, check the pan and, if necessary, drain the water from it.
How to heal the roots of an orchid?
First of all, I would like to give you a little advice:When buying, always pay attention to the roots of the plant. This will not be difficult to do, since orchids are usually sold in transparent pots. If all the roots are dark brown, wilted in appearance - do not buy the flower! Most likely, it is already infected - such roots cannot be cured. The flower is doomed to die. Healthy roots are dense, have a greenish or silvery tint. If you have not managed to avoid problems with the roots, do the following:
- Spread a piece of polyethylene or newspaper on the table;
- Carefully remove the flower from the pot. It is not difficult to do this: take it by the stem and start rocking, holding the pot with the other hand;
- After pulling out the plant, shake off the roots well from the ground;
- Find the infected areas: in these places the roots will be sluggish, when pressed from them, liquid may pour out;
- Carefully remove the missing roots by cutting them with scissors up to the living tissue;
- Treat the plant with an antifungal agent;
- Take a new pot, previously disinfected with soap and fresh soil (buy ready in the store);
- Pour a layer of soil on the bottom of the pot, place the roots of the plant on top;
- Holding the plant with one hand, the second fill the gaps between the horses' soil.
It is important to remember that the orchid does not like too muchfrequent transplants. Experts recommend carrying out this procedure no more than once every two years. If there are no problems with the flower's health, the plant can be replanted once every three years.
Pests: types, prevention, treatment
Orchid diseases can occur not only because ofexcess moisture and fungal infections. This plant is very popular with various pests that can live both in the soil and on the surface of the flower. Let's consider what pests are scary for orchids.
- Falseworkers and scabbards
These insects attack orchids that have denseleathery leaves: phalaenopsis, cattleya, bulbophyllum. If you notice brown dots or growths the size of half a match head on the leaves of the plant, these are the females of these pests. Control measures are simple: clean the flower from parasites and spray with phytoverm, diluted according to the instructions. For prevention, wash the leaves of the plant with water once every 5-6 days;
- Chervets
This pest looks like a miniature fluffya white lump. And despite its innocent appearance, it is considered the most dangerous for orchids. The reasons for the appearance of the mealybug are different: it can fly in through the window along with dust and wind, it can be spread by ants, and it can also be transmitted from an already infected plant. Treatment: clean the leaves from the parasite and wipe them with a soft swab soaked in liquid soap. It is also necessary to spray the leaves and soil with Fitoverm: twice with an interval of a week;
- Whitefly
It would seem that what could be so terriblea small and seemingly harmless butterfly? In fact, this pest and its larvae suck the juices out of the plant. As a result, it begins to get sick and shed its leaves. It is easy to find: just shake the leaf and see how the flock flutters into the air. Treat as follows: wash the plant with a solution made from laundry soap (part soap and 6 parts water), spray the substrate with actellic. It is recommended to repeat the spraying in a week;
- Thrips
They look like black sticks with wings.When infected by these insects, dark spots and a silvery film appear on the leaves and stem. In addition, thrips also affect the roots of the plant (there are "constrictions" on them) and buds (black dots with tiny holes). Treatment is carried out with phytoverm or actellic. Spraying is carried out three times with an interval of 10 days;
- Spider mite
This pest is the scourge of many indoor plants.And the orchid is no exception. How to recognize: the leaves turn white, many small holes appear on them, as a result of which the leaf falls off. The buds are also susceptible to mites - they fall off without ever blooming. You can also notice a light, almost invisible web on the plant. The disease is treated with increased humidity: the pot with the plant is placed in a tray with water for several hours. Then it is necessary to spray with the same Fitoverm;
- Centipedes
They live in the ground.Moreover, even purchased soil can be contaminated with them. If you do not take action in time, all the plants in the house will suffer from this parasite. To get rid of them, you need to lure them out of the substrate. To do this, place the flower in a tray with water and wait for the pests to crawl out. They need to be caught and taken out of the room where the flowers are. After the procedure, it is advisable to transplant the plant into fresh soil, having previously checked it for parasites. Diseases and pests of orchids are, of course, unpleasant, but in many cases they can be fixed. The main thing is to detect the disease in time and begin treatment. We hope that our article will be useful to you, and your collection of these wonderful plants will delight the eye for a long time! We recommend reading:
