Rot or Death?

[latsyrc]

One of the leaves on my phal is turning yellow, starting at the base of the plant. It doesn't seem like it's a fungus or rot, but I'm not sure. What does normal leaf death look like compared to a lousy attack of fungus? (I know it's not sunburn, by the by.)

[janet_a]

speed, for one thing. how long is it taking to turn yellow? rot will do it nearly overnight. if it's taking its own sweet time, then it's normal.

i have one plant with a leaf that's been yellowing basically since i got it; another one that i repotted on 4/8 (which triggered it) has a leaf that finally this morning is completely yellow, but still strongly attached to the plant. (both phals)

[latsyrc]

Sigh. Okay, so it's crown rot. I squirted the snot out of it with fungicide and repotted it in a dryer mix. And chopped off the lovely flower stalk that was in full bloom (sniffle sniffle). What do I do now?

if it is crown rot i'd say plan the funeral. rare to survive it. perhaps a basal keiki will grow, if it does it will be a long time till it flowers. sooo hope it isn't crown rot.

[janet_a]

what duhdog said i'm afraid. i've only had one survive, and it's still in orchid ICU. i immersed it in hydrogen peroxide for fifteen minutes at a time 3 or 4 times. then i dunked it in enough cinnamon to make it a candidate for a cinnabon shop. still don't know if it's going to make it.

i hear that physan 20 is good for this; i finally got up the courage to buy a bottle but i'm still afraid to use it.

[Cynthia, Prescott, AZ]

Physan 20 is a little better than dish soap. I use it on my hands at about double strength. It is not systemic, and would probably be good as a preventative, if not used too often, but is a fungicide, not a bacteriocide. The only thing I know that is systemic and good for rot as well as fungus, is Phyton 27, but be prepared to pay dearly for it, and I am not too sure how effective it is. My 8 oz bottle cost me $53. Cynthia, Prescott, AZ

I have heard that pouring straight hydrogen peroxide on the plant several times, a few days apart might help.

[latsyrc]

Well, surprise surprise--I let it be for a while, watered it every once in a while, and durn if the thing hasn't put out some cute little new leaves. I'm so pleased.

good for you! u probably know this by now but i never mist or water my phals after noon, try to keep the water out of the crown ad much as possible,crown rot sucks.

[Deannie53]

My newly acquired phals base leaf turned yellow (it took about 2 weeks) When it got bright yellow it jusy fell off. The rest fof the plant is doing quite well. Something to worry about?

[ScottMcC]

probably not. this has happened to a few of the older leaves of my phals, and as long as the rest of the plant looks good, you should be in business. of course, you might want to take a quick peek at the roots if there's no contraindications to doing so...

[latsyrc]

Nothing to worry about if it took about 2 weeks to yellow. That's just normal aging of a leaf. If it yellows super quick, like in a day, THAT's a problem.