My Phal. Naples Nights

[shiningrock]

I received this orchid on April 13, 2008 and repotted it on the 15th. It had four leaves when I got it and a new one starting to grow. Now it has six leaves.

I have one concern with this plant. There are spots on the sixth (new) leaf near the crown. I would describe it as a discoloration. There is a little punctuation in the middle of it which lets some liquid out when squeezed. But otherwise it's not soft. This is happening on some other phals I have. All these phals are looking quite healthy, but I am very concerned about the spots. So please, can anybody identify the problem??

Do I need to separate the plants from the others? Will they be a total loss?? So far, I have a total of 4 plants showing this problem.

I have gnats flying around and I never thought they could cause any problems to the plants. Could it be the gnats??

Please help.

[articuno75]

Shiningrock, I have the same issue as well with the gnats and spots. I'm thinking that it's the problem as I have been looking for mites and don't find any. (My Naples Nights is also creating a lot of sap from the bites as well.) I just did a complete plant bath on half of my orchids and will do the others tomorrow. I noticed that there was gnats in the medium and some larvae as well while flooding and soaking pots. (uber YUK!!!!) Brookn's Recipe does the job on these boogers.

[patticake]

I have gnats, but I don't have those marks. Maybe my gnats are eating something else...

[shiningrock]

So this is another orchid which is starting to have the same problem. It's my oldest orchid (NOID). Spots are always appearing on the newest leaf only and with time it seems to liquified more and more. On the two smaller ones I cut the leaves just below the affected area. One of them looks like it helped but on the other one it might be affecting the crown now.

[FLaCo]

Shining, what your growing condition? Indoors, outdoors, near a window, under light, if outdoors in what part of the world are you at?

[shiningrock]

I have my orchids indoors at the corner of a room with two skylights, double sliders facing east and a double window facing south. I don't use any lights.

[articuno75]

The only other little bug that I have buzzing around are flies. I think it's both causing the problem.

[patticake]

Originally Posted by shiningrock

I have my orchids indoors at the corner of a room with two skylights, double sliders facing east and a double window facing south. I don't use any lights.

How beautiful!! I would love a room like that!

[shiningrock]

Originally Posted by articuno75

The only other little bug that I have buzzing around are flies. I think it's both causing the problem.

So how should I deal with it? Just give it a bath in Brookn's recipe: 10 drops dishsoap,1/2 tsp. cinnamon extract, and 2c. tepid water?

Thanks

[articuno75]

That's what I've been doing. I make the recipe a wee bit stronger and have been soaking/bathing the 'chids in it.

I notice about every three weeks the cycle starts up again, so that's when I start over. I guess I'll have to bath my dirty babies more often, LOL

[shiningrock]

Originally Posted by patticake

How beautiful!! I would love a room like that!

Patti - Thank you. I feel very lucky to have this room.

Jenny - Thank you, I'll try that. How strong do you make it? More dish soap or cinnamon extract?

[articuno75]

Both.

If you use it for a bath to dunk the medium increase both. Soak the pots for 15 or so minutes. Flush well. I use three tablespoons soap and about 1 1/2 tablespoons of extract to a gallon of water.

[butt0n]

I think I'm going to have to do this too; I only started getting gnats once I started buying Neos...unfortunate. At, first I didn't think they were going to do much to the plants, until one of my Phals showed signs of something nibbling on it. Also, normally, other than gnats, are there any other bugs, other than spiders, that make webs?

[articuno75]

Mites can make webs.

[Brooke]

I don't believe fungus gnats eat foliage. Fungus gnat larvae will eat tiny young roots but not foliage.

Shiningrock please do a google search and look up pseudomonas bacteria (hope I spelled that right). The soft mushy part on your leaf that oozes sounds like that could be it. It is contagious to other plants but only by sap to sap contact, not by sitting next to each other.

Therese fungus gnats don't spin webs, only spiders do that. Check for spider mites and spider mite damage and if you decide you don't have spider mites, it could just be a baby spider checking out your plants for the stray bug straggler and helping you.

I don't bother real spiders (harmless of course) in the g/h and enjoy them because they will eat bad bugs. It is entertaining to watch the babies grow up plus my toad needs live food too :>)

Brooke

[butt0n]

Maybe it is a spider since I haven't found any mites...I'll have to look again.

[shiningrock]

Originally Posted by Brooke

I don't believe fungus gnats eat foliage. Fungus gnat larvae will eat tiny young roots but not foliage.

Shiningrock please do a google search and look up pseudomonas bacteria (hope I spelled that right). The soft mushy part on your leaf that oozes sounds like that could be it. It is contagious to other plants but only by sap to sap contact, not by sitting next to each other.

I was worried it might be a bacterial infection. Now that means I will have to cut the affected leaf and it still doesn't guarantee the plant will make it. Not exactly good news, but thank you for possible idetification of the problem.

Now I gotta go quarantine!!

[articuno75]

I'm updating this thread to show you the little gnats that I'm talking about that bites the leaves of the plants and leaves pock marks and discoloration. I get these in and have to treat/bathe the babies when they appear. I haven't seen them for a month or so now, but when I do my plants know it and show it and tell me about it!!!

I finally got a pic of one of these little boogers biting my Den!!! Now in a couple of days that spot will ooze sap then a crater/pock mark will appear.

The pic isn't the best as these little guys are tiny and yes they fly!

[norris]

It's hard to tell from that photo, I wonder if it's some type of Thrip? I know that they can be plant pests. Google Thrip and see if it looks like that.

[articuno75]

I thought thrips left a sheen on the leaves and destroyed plants at a rapid pace?
These don't. I just get pock marks once in a blue moon, and that's frustrating. My Dens look,,,,well did look, fake. They were so clean.

Gotta bathe the babies again......

[NicC]

the initial problem on this thread looks like bacterial infection to me. Ideally one would cut it out and Cinnamon the cut edge. Since this is so close to the crown, might try heavy cinnamon application top and bottom and watch not more that a couple of days before doing surgery.
If you believe it is bacteria, might try flooding media with hydrogen peroxide. Plan to repeat the hydrogen peroxide in a few days. Can also wet the other leaves with hydrogen peroxide.
Some people use listerine (yellow kind but I'm not sure why) but I have found the hydrogen peroxide not to hurt the plant. Never tried listerine.
Nick

[Brooke]

Jenny I don't know what your bug is but it isn't thrips.

Brooke

[shiningrock]

I've been trying to fight a bug infestation for the last five months and my Naples Nights suffered a set back. I hope it will pull through. It looks very unsightly because I had to cut part of the leaf out very close to the crown. The cut healed well. I had a new leaf coming and it had been growing for last couple of months until it toppled over and fell off the washer (during a bug spraying treatment). So the newest leaf has a tear. As you can see I am putting this plant through a lot. It is still hanging in there though and I hope it's going to get better. Here are some pics (view at your own risk!).