brown spots on leaves

[smmurphy73]

I have an orchid that recently had a leaf get a brown spot on that spot darkened and then the whole leave turned brown and then died. Another leave did the same thing. I now have a 3rd leave that had just developed one brown spot and am sure the same thing that happened to the other leaves will happen to this leave and the other leaves that are left on the plant. I do not know whatto do to save this plant. There are no resources in which to visit where I live or get anything to treat the plant with so aI am desperately seeking advice. Thank you.

[Miklic]

I thjnk you have a fungis. Try a fungazide but if that don't work then you may have to section the plant and throw away the infected part.

[smmurphy73]

Thanks for the info. Any advice on what type of fungicide to use. I live in a smaller town with very limited, if any, orchid products. Any natural items that can be used in this regard?

[brookn]

Cinnamon spray might work. Also please update your location in the user cp. Thanks. You probably need a fan on it for air circulation. You can also use peroxide just pour it on the spots, follow with the spray.

Cinnamon extract 1\2-1 tsp
2-3 drops liquid dishsoap
1 quart water
shake to mix.

[jay]

We should ask what type of orchid do you have? There are some orchids that are deciduous and lose their leaves.

Also, how old is your orchid? Some Oncidium types get brown spots on the leaves. Not sure why, but I have several with them.

Has your orchid gone through a change in climate recently? Just bought it, moved rooms, recent change in local climate?

Any pictures would really help with diagnosing. Hope we can get to the bottom of this.

[smmurphy73]

Thank you for your help. It is a Lc. South Esk 'Catherine' cattleya orchid. I bought it last June in 2007 in Florida and brought it home to Indiana. I had it in one of my windows that gets more sun but still not too much. It was doing fine until about a couple of weeks ago. I water with a orchid fertilizer mixed with water after allowing it to dry out between waterings. I have read different information that sounds as though it could be what I have going on. It does sound like a fungus and I have read that I should cut out the spots with a sterile and sharp razor blade and put cinnamon powder on the cut. I am not for sure if this is the best course of action or not and what to do what is best in order to help keep my plant alive and healthy. It was the most beautiful plant with beautiful healthy green leaves and when it was in bloom, it was a fantastic site. I have read the fdifferent repies but with this added nformation I have provided, what steps do you recommend now. On another note, I have four other orchids as well. They are different kinds and have not bloomed in quite some time. One is a dendrobium, variety unknown, the other two are Phalaenopsis with one being a P. Sogo Yukidian variety and the other is unknown to me, and the last is a orchid that grows in Florida that a friend who lives there gave me. It has small orange flowers when it blooms, which my plant has not bloomed, and she said it was and orchid but none as I have every seen. It grows in the soil down there, for all I know it may not actually be a real orchid. Any advice on how to treat my unhealthy Catherine and how to get my others to bloom would be greatly appreciated.

[brookn]

More light for the Catt. and Dend., patience with the Phal (okay with all of them). Sometimes orchids will skip a bloom season after being brought into a home environment. Going from a greenhouse to a home can be hard on them, and depending who the middle man was, they may have not treated it all that well to begin with. Some Phals bloom in the winter, some in summer, depends on when it was in bloom when you purchased it somewhat. At first it may only bloom 1 time per year.

Sounds like fungus on the Catt. I stand by my recomendation, fan, peroxide, spray, more light. As to your plant from FL I can think of a couple it might be, but would need to see a pic, I am thinking Epidendrum. It would hep to have pics and we need to know your location so that we can give you more specific advice, your location can be updated in the User CP top left corner.

[smmurphy73]

Thank you for the info. I have updated my CP. How do you upload photos so I can show you pics? Also, I will do as recommended by you with the cat. Should I cut out the brown sposta s I read on the other or just fan, peroxide, more light and cinnamon spray? Do you have a suggestion as to what type of light I can put on it to add more since I have no other naturally occurring lighting option.

[Brooke]

Take a fine point felt tip marker and circle the brown spot. If the brown spot goes outside the marked line, it is a fungal or bacterial problem. If the spot doesn't grow, it is probably just an aging thing.

If it is a bad problem, it will grow outside the line within 24 hours.

Brooke