To Cut or Not To Cut???

[patlee]

I just got a Doritaenopsis in the mail called Elfin King. The grower's blurb said it was a "compact grower" and so it is not very large. The flower is a breathtaking
ultra-violet. It has just opened the first of six buds and therein lies the problem. It has a nasty bacterial infection on one leaf. I sprayed it with Bayer 3 in 1 and that seems to have dried the mess up and stopped the spread. But has it really stopped the spread?

The blooms on this plant are awesome and I don't want to put the plant at risk by not cutting off the leaf. At the same time, there are five other buds I would really like to see open. Should I cut the leaf off now? Will the other buds still bloom? If the weather ever warms up, would another treatment with the Bayer 3 in 1 be enough for now?TIA!!

[kmarch]

If the spot is dry and not spreading I think you're ok. You could cut the dead stuff off but I'd be reluctant to open up a wound in the plant which could serve to give bacteria another "in" into the plant. Given it has just been shipped through the mail and therefore stressed a little, I think I would be inclined to do as little as possible.

[PhalPal]

I like to remove as much infected area as I can and then treat the rest of the plant. If it has enough other leaves to sustain the plant it shouldn't effect your blooms, where a spreading bacterial infection certainly will.

[patlee]

Thanks for such a fast response! It seems I caught you two online at just the right time

PhalPal, I will only have three leaves left if I cut the infected leaf off. And since the Bayer seems to have things under control, I will probably do what Kmarch suggests and watch closely, but not remove the leaf until the blooms are finished up. Actually, I think I just wanted to hear another Geek say that it would probably be okay to leave it for a while...

Thank you both, and thank goodness for this forum

P.S.-PhalPal, Love your "blue ribbon" banner--Way to go!!

[articuno75]

Patlee, BA 3 in 1 is systemic and will slow infection in the plant from the in side out. It should be fine. You can leave the leaf and let it fall off naturally.

[patlee]

Thanks, Jenny--that is just what I wanted to hear! I would hate to miss out on those blooms--they are sooooooooo beautiful The color is incredible!!