White Spots on my Orchids

[delphiguy]

This evening when I got from work, I noticed that 2 of my orchids have
developed some white spots, im worried what may have caused this and this could cause them to wither and die. I would like to post some pictures of
them but I dont know how.

Still a newbie at this.

[brookn]

Hi, I believe that you have to have 5 posts to put up photos. If you go to the photography section, there are pointers on how to post photos.

[Rocinante]

Yes, delphiguy, one more post is required to upload photos. Once you have posted 5 times, you click on the little button that says "Go Advanced". Then you'll see a button that says "Manage Attachments" Click it. A little sub-window will appear that says Manage Attachments, and you will see many "Browse" buttons. Your pictures must be loaded onto your computer's hard drive, or you must attach your digital camera to your USB port. Click one of the "Browse" buttons and you will be able to search your hard drive or camera for the picture you want. Double click the picture you want, and the box next to the Browse button will fill with the HTML code for that picture. (Trust me) Now click the "Upload" button, and the picture will attach to your post.
That's the best I can explain it to you. White spots on the underside of leaves can be an insect disease called scale. But before alarming you with that information, it's best that you post a picture so that we can either confirm or deny that diagnosis. If it's scale, we'll tell you what to do next.

[delphiguy]

ic, thanks so this would make it my 5th post then?

[delphiguy]

Ok now that I have made at least 5 post here are the pictures of my orchids
one is a vanda and the other is a dendrobium.

[lmartiny]

Did you recently move them into higher light? Could be sunburn.

[delphiguy]

thats what i though at first also, thats why i moved the dendrobium to a shaded part, but
the vanda has always been there for about 5 weeks now.

[Stelios]

as spring or summer approaches light get more intence also it is not diagonal but more vertical. It looks like a sunburn to me too. Maybe water was on the leaves and acted like a lense?

[delphiguy]

i see, im from the philippines and its summer at the moment, so if i move them out of the
sun they'll still live? or are am i going to lose them?

[Stelios]

Oh sorry i didn't checked where you live. You are right south hemisphere has inverted seasons.

I haven't experienced any sun durns yet but my understanding is that it is possible to keep the leaf (sometimes the go black but it stays at a spot) but other times the leaf is lost. I would say provide some shade and wait to see what happens. I think that if a leaf is lost but the plant is healthy it can overcome it.

[delphiguy]

thanks stelios, my suspect is that either they got too much sun or too much fertilizer,
but i only fertilize once a week, so it must be the sun then. I have already moved the
dendrobium out of direct sun and placed it in the shade of the driftwood, the vanda i still
have to move to a shadier place. thanks for all the help.

[Stelios]

no worries.
I wouldn't recomend using so much fertilizer. Most people recommend fertilizing every 2-3 watterings. Also if you fertilize every time you watter salts might affect the root system, make sure you wash any fertilizer left over with a good wattering.

[Rishad Kalarikkal]

But I dont think that Vanda is so tender against sunburn..

[lmartiny]

I would ease the Vanda into a more protected area but still give it bright light, but no direct rays of sun. I'd avoid water on the leaves while the injured area toughens up some so you don't end up with a fungus getting to its weaker spots. I'm not very experienced but that is what I would try.
I'd tried to move my small ones to brighter light and one started to burn. Our oaks are losing their leaves and the protection disappeared as the trees shed.

[delphiguy]

thanks for the tip lmartiny i'll definitely try that.

[11Orchid126]

It's hard to tell what the dendrobium is potted in. It looks overpotted. Dens like very tight shoes. Dens also like a lot of sun, as much as cattleyas. Putting the plant in a smaller pot will require putting it in a larger sleeve to stabilize it.

The spots may be sunburn or they may be from spots of water with hot sun burning through them. Otherwise the leaves of the den look good, but very dark green, as though they weren't getting quite enough light previously and then suddenly got lots. Sunburn can happen on a plant that likes a lot of sun if the plant is introduced to the sun too suddenly. Plants are like people and need to get tanned gradually. The plant may have been in a spot that was slightly shaded and then for some reason the sun's rays slanted and burned it.

[PhalPal]

I can only speak for the Dendrobium, but it looks like it sunburned through water spots. I did this to a Dend Kingie last summer and only the newer, more tender leaves where water was sitting burned while in direct sunlight.

[delphiguy]

thanks for the help. I bought it from a shop that is shaded and the lady told me that
I should place it in direct light and plenty of water so thats what I did, but since that
happened i have moved it indoors near the window just until it recovers and then gonna
bring it back outside but this time im going to do it gradually.

I just want hope that this guy would live and produce blooms.

thanks

[delphiguy]

i got some bad news, this morning when I got up, I noticed that my Dendrobium has
just died, the top portion of it just fell to the ground because the middle part has rotted
and it cannot support the weight of it. So I took it out of the pot and I noticed that
there is still part of it that is not rotten, about an inch above the roots, so I cut it from
there and did the spag and bag method hoping that it would still live.

the vanda on the other hand, the bottom 2 leaves have completely turned yellow, but
im still hopeful that it would live.

In my disappointment I forgot to take some pictures to document my mistakes.

[lmartiny]

Well darn. Maybe you can reroot that den.

[delphiguy]

thanks, crossing my fingers as i type this.

[digitalgate]

your vanda is quarter terete . I grow mine in full sun so it is not possible for it to be sun burn. It seem like fungus attack. When is the last time you apply fungicides? Right now you can only apply systemic fungicides and out of the sun. May be you should only introduce it to morning sun from 7am to 9am , let it regrow roots then you put it back into full sun. It look like a combination of mechanical damage and fungus attack. If it spread then it is fungus problem. It could be quite some time as your roots seem bad right?

[CulpableCaptive]

Originally Posted by delphiguy

Ok now that I have made at least 5 post here are the pictures of my orchids
one is a vanda and the other is a dendrobium.

It could take a few weeks for heat damage to show up on orchid leaves and as odd as this may sound, it looks to me like those spots were caused by direct contact with something hot.

The Vanda has a section of the second leaf with damage but right above it the underside of the leaf has a small spot.
I don’t think the underside of the leaf would have gotten that spot from sunlight or water droplets (I don’t believe water droplets ever cause damage in sunlight – since the sun usually comes out after it rains, but that is a personal opinion).
I believe the same is true of the Dendrobium. Direct heat contact.
It looks to me like something hotter than the surrounding air and/or water touched those leaves (plants) at some point. The spots are too localized and specifically placed.

Just a thought to consider....................

[amersault]

i haven't kept Vandas so i'll just comment on the other plant.

i wouldn't worry so much about the Den.

even if the main plant died, it might still put out basal growth later down the line.

as you've now moved it to a shadier location, keep it there to acclimate and let it adjust. i know it's summer now so just try to keep it humid (if you've got a humidity tray, even better). come the June - Dec rains, you can move this to a brighter but protected location again. a good drenching by the rain never hurts it.

good luck and fingers crossed on your waiting game!

[kmarch]

The white patches on the leaves of the second plant is definitely sunburn. Several of my outside orchids have this right now s a result of our 43-46C heat wave.

Originally Posted by delphiguy

thanks stelios, my suspect is that either they got too much sun or too much fertilizer,

If they had been over fertilized, they would have black leaf tips so I don't think they've been over fertilized.

Different orchids prefer different light levels and they can get too much sun and burn. Keeping them out of burning light won't kill them. Just the opposite, it will prevent them form being killed but the burning sun.

[delphiguy]

thanks, the sunburn on both orchids appears in about 2 days, thats why I was so surprised
when I first saw it. thanks a lot for pointing out that sunburn is imposible for a vanda.

So I really dont know what happened to these plants, and about fungicides, i havent been
using fungicides on my orchids, i didnt even know that i should use fungicides. Now, the
vanda look terrible the yellow spots have spread throughout the whole plant, now i'm
thinking of just cutting the whole plant to its roots and do a spag and bag method.
will these work for a vanda?

thanks.

[lmartiny]

Oh, gosh. I don't think I'd cut it yet. See if you can nurse it first. Are you soaking your roots for hydration? Also, treat with a fungicide and/or insecticide mix. If its not cold there put it back outside and put it in dappled sun and keep an eye on it. Hopefully someone with more experience will have comment.

[kmarch]

It just occurred to me that the one whit white spots could be sunburn created from droplets of water on the leaves burning only the area where the water drop was.

[delphiguy]

Its too late now I have already cut the leaves. I am not giving up yet I will keep you guys
posted on what happens next. Thanks