back from boarding - did my plants pick up a pest?

[dipasquo]

I had a dozen of my orchids boarded by a local - reputable - orchid grower. Since getting them back two weeks ago I have noticed some trouble on a few of them.

Den. cuthbertsonii has dropped one of its last three remaining leaves (I've been holding vigil for this plant for the better part of a year)

Ctna. "Why Not" yellowed a leaf, which didn't bug me at first because I think it's the oldest PB, but now another leaf is yellowing in quick succession. This worries me a little bit more.

Dendrochilum glumaceum is showing black spotting on a number of leaves and today I noticed a number of small flying insects buzzing about it.

I hope that these plants did not pick up some illness while at day care. Maybe I'm overblowing it and the yellowing is due course, or simply a short term reaction to the change of scenery and back. Any thoughts, based on the pictures attached? Thanks,

Dan

[Hummer344]

Could be that the plants are reacting to two changes in environment in a short period of time.

[abneofelis]

dipasquo,

I too am from the bay area. Would you mind telling me where you boarded them? I've been to shelldance, white oak, and a few others in the area, I can tell you that the boarded plants in these places never look "great"; more often look like they're just limping along. Most boarding greenhouses have pockets of good conditions and pockets of so-so conditions. Looks to me like fert burn mixed with too much sun. The black spotting is most likely fungal. Fungal infections will prey on a sickly plant more readily, and it could have been the shock of simply transferring them. Though, even an "at risk" plant wont develop the spots if it's getting proper circulation. Perhaps you should complain to the owners that boarded them for you.

[solay]

Just like kids, you send them to school and they come back with lice or the sniffles! LOL. Hope it's just a case of shock from changing environments. I am also curious where you left them. Thanks.

[Ellen]

Did you trim the leaf on the dendrochilum or did the boarding place? It looks as though there may have been a pre-existing condition on that one.

[dipasquo]

The leaf has been trimmed that way since I got it last November (from the same grower that boarded the plants). There was some sunburn on the tips and I think that got a bit worse. The other spots on the Dendrochilum have not changed at all in the past few days so I hope that's a good sign.

On the Ctna. "Why Not" the leaf that is pictured all-yellow is now blackening a bit and shriveling. Hopefully it will fall off cleanly. It is the other leaf that is worrying me since it continues to yellow and blacken a bit, and is spreading downwards. Should I cut top of that leaf off before it goes any further in case it is a fungus or virus spreading?

abneofelis I had the plants boarded at White Oak in Pacifica. I know what you mean about the plants not looking so great when they're on the tables, but the ones that I've purchased from them have always been healthy. I also figured that they have such a big boarding business that I can't imagine they would keep for very long if problems there were common. I guess we'll know more in time if this is a problem that resulted from boarding, the stress of having been moved, or simply natural coincidence.

[Cynthia, Prescott, AZ]

Don't see any real problem, but the Catt hybrid may have a little sunburn on the edge of the leaf that is only partially yellow. Looks like they may have had it up against a window.

[abneofelis]

Hmm, white oak orchids is the best in the bay from what I've seen. Nice, responsible people . Well, I'm sure if they did have some identifiable disease, the people @ w.o.o. would compensate you. In fact, I'm going there next weekend to binge! (I'm going to be taking some pics for a post after the fact)

[dipasquo]

The all-yellowed leaf dropped yesterday, "cleanly" as far as I can tell. The yellowing on the other leaf has continued but I'm optimistic at this point that while I may lose two leaves in close succession, the problem won't extend beyond that. The black spotting on the Dendrochilum has not progressed to my eye.

Enjoy your trip to White Oak and thanks to everyone for their input!

[dipasquo]

Been keeping a close eye on Ctna. "Why Not"; the second leaf continues to yellow but it appears that a clean margin is developing where the leaf connects to the PB. That, combined with a spike growing rapidly from PB growth that started earlier this year, AND the recent discovery of another PB growth starting gives me hope that this plant is and will stay healthy.

[missann]

Just to be on the safe side, you should treat it for fungus, bacteria, and bugs if you haven't already. Also, the roots look ok on the top, but you maybe should try to push some of the potting mix around and check the roots to make sure they are not rotting. I use bayer flower and something insect spray for gnats. We get them really bad up here and that bayer stuff in the blue bottle really works for them. You may want to put some cinnamon on the spots-if that is a fungus, it will kill it, but be careful that you don't burn the leaves. Don't use a whole lot. Good luck with that. Also, if all the tips are getting "burnt" it may be because it is getting too much food, or that there is a build up of salts in the pot. Leach the mix in case there is too much of either of these.

[Orchidementia]

Originally Posted by dipasquo

Been keeping a close eye on Ctna. "Why Not"; the second leaf continues to yellow but it appears that a clean margin is developing where the leaf connects to the PB. That, combined with a spike growing rapidly from PB growth that started earlier this year, AND the recent discovery of another PB growth starting gives me hope that this plant is and will stay healthy.

Wow, that's great! I got the same plant from the same grower a few weeks ago, so it's really nice to see another one do so well (though I'm sure you had a lot to do with its success).