[Cynthia, Prescott, AZ]

I am beginning to think that everyone that grows orchids should bite the bullet and buy some Phyton 27. It is a systemic bacteriocide/fungicide unlike Physan 20. I have had a major problem with a form of wilt that I have finally realized is a major killer in my greenhouse. It isn't until plants are dropping like flys everywhere that you finally come to the conclusion it isn't your mix, your culture, chance, and so on. The real eye openner was when a half dozen African violets located separately started to melt. I am spraying these plants every day with the max concentration of Phyton 27, and may still not be able to save them as I didn't spray often enough in the beginning. I know the company that makes Phyton 27 sells cases of 2oz bottles, so some where out there on the internet, one should be able to find the 2oz bottles for a little over $20. My next purchase coming up soon will be the quart size. I am using a 1/2 teaspoon to a quart for the max concentration, and am spraying anything suspecious every few days. No damage so far to the plants.

Watch out for Physan 20. I once caused a lot of strange results by watering my GH with water mixed with a little more than the recommended concentration of Physan 20. Didn't kill anything, but many plants show a white section in their leaves where they were in growth at the time of watering. One strange case of excess growth occured in a Laelia fidelensis, where the growing leaves got about 50 to 100% longer than normal.