| Thanks for all the input on this urgent matter.
Crown Rot inspection: All of the roots coming directly off the bottom of the stem appear rotted, but the aerial and side roots are generally healthy. Dunno if this is normal rot (never seen a phal without at least some rotted roots) or the dreaded stem rot.
And yes -- my mistake on the physan. Fungicide/bactericide/virucide does not equal pesticide.
So what's the verdict: Crown rot or buggies? If crown rot, I'd think the Physan would be doing the job. (I also have another fungicide -- Daconil -- not sure if this is indicated for orchids.)
For bugs -- easy to imagine they're deep in the medium; the plant doesn't appear to have been repotted for a long time. The Bayer stuff sounds easy enough. The thing I want to avoid is repotting this plant unnecessarily when it has a couple of thriving tap roots deep in the medium and a really great spray of flowers showing. But I'd rather save the plant and lose the flowers, obviously.
Any spare thoughts and nondenominational prayers are entirely welcome. If I can't save this plant, I'm ready to give up entirely. It was doing so WELL. Grr.
Thanks, all, and please do reply with opinions on CR/bugs and which fungicide... or whether it would be bad to do a fungicide/pesticide course simultaenously.
...or, finally, if my best bet is to call the beautiful spray cut flowers and repot the dear. (This could give me the opportunity to try new media, which wouldn't be a bad thing...)
If you do advise repot, please share some advice beyond the firstrays, in particular: what to soak and/or prune to eliminate rot.
Orchid love,
Dan  |