I don't understand THIS!!!! Fungus again!

[FLaCo]

I don't understand this...I really don't. For the past 2 weeks I have kept two fans on both sides of my orchid shelf. The fans have been blowing air 24/7. Last week on Friday I mist every single plant with Dithane M-45. Yesterday, I overlooked to see my plants and how they were doing...everything seemed fine. This morning I wake up with my cup of coffee (I'm off today because of Tropical Storm Fay) and notice black wilted leaves on one of my Catts. A catt that was healthy...this whole time...it would receive circulating air...and I still get this...WHAT GIVES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Three healthy new growth from the bottom GONE...

I resprayed M-45 this morning and I am hoping it doesn't spread. Although, with T.S. Fay's rain already hitting us...humidty is going to sky rocket once again.

I need to vent...sorry.

[tizzycat]

Damien, seems like you're doing all the right things. Hang in there.

Hope you weather the storm without any damage.

[solay]

Sorry to hear that. It is frustrating when you try everything to prevent something and it happens anyway. I'll keep my fingers crossed it's the last of it and that it won't spread. Good luck with the strom too and stay safe.

[christinek]

The only thing I can say is it's got to be the area in which you live Damien.. Hot and humid and alot of moisture. Great for fungus and mushroom growth.. Good luck hon!

[Brooke]

Have you ruled out bacterial rot?

Brooke

[FLaCo]

How would I be able to rule out Bacterial rot?

?

[FLaCo]

Another one bites the dust...=(

[janet_a]

i think some of these rots are spore driven; a fan simply spreads the spores around. i never had any type of rot til i brought in a little phal violacea from a GH that shall remain nameless. i isolated it for the requisite 2 weeks, then put it with the rest of the plants, fan going about 18 hours a day at the time. a few months later it died of crown rot. over the next year or so i lost 4 or 5 more plants to rot. i even managed to nurse one back to health, only to have it get rot again. it's VERY frustrating. i've got the fan running 22/7 now, and haven't had a rot case in a while; i'm keeping my fingers crossed.

hang in there.

[kmarch]

To clarify, that which we usually refer to as "rot" i.e. crown rot and others, are usually bacterial not fungal.

Fungal problems, at least in my personal experience and among my orchid mates, respond well to fungicides and increased air circulation along with things like no misting and watering in the morning so foliage is dry when it gets dark and cooler.

For this reason I suspect your problem FlaCo might be bacterial though it is difficult to say without seeing the plant. Bacterial infections are usually wet, perhaps blistery or resulting in mushy leaves or stems/canes/pseudobulbs. Bacterial infections also tend to spread very quickly, destroying a leaf or cane in a matter of days.

Incontrast, fungal infections are usually "dry" to the touch and advance rather slowly.

[Ron]

Hi Damien.
At lot of what we can offer to help depends on a good Photo of the problem.
As you have said

Three healthy new growth from the bottom GONE...

.
I suspect not fungal but as Kevin has said "Bacterial infections".
This to my knowlege is mainly cause by excess watering on the crown of the plants or more importantly in the potting mix.
I usually get roasted by people who visit my orchid house on how open a mix I use on all my orchids, Catts, Phallies, Paphs, Cymbids etc.
But, yes But, I very rarely get all the fungal or bacterail rot problems.
I rarely or never use any chemical for the control of these problems.
Catts, I find like to dry out between watering and I use a 15 mm bark only and have had very good success over the years.
Look at what is causing the problem first and solve it by fixing it this way.
I use fans 24/7 but not directly on the plants, just to keep good circulation around the plants.
Hope this does not sound as if I am having a go at how you grow your plants, but as an attempt to help solve the problem.
That is what I hope this site is all about, helping out.
Cheerio
Ron

[FLaCo]

Ron, kmarch, thanks for the reply. Tomorrow I will post some pics of the last plant. I must say that for now it is just Catts. Everyone else...is healthy.