I experienced this while growing outdoors for the summer ( plants are outdoors from June to October only, here in zone 6). The only thing that ended this for me was intense fertilization with magnesium and ( especially) calcium. Preventative with anti fungals help ..but really increasing those particular portions of their nutrition, was instrumental in prevention.
I use diluted Neem which I've been told has antifungal properties among other things. Someone on the orchid Reddit thread suggested putting one or two cinnamon sticks into the bottle of Neem to add that additional antifungal ingredient. It seems to work for fungal infections on my dendrobiums.
Yeah, terrible !!! I've never experienced black rot as I do not get any rain during warm temperatures. Once the spores have spread into the air it is very worrysome. I hope you can control it. I heard someone (I guess it was Rick L in the day, but I am not sure) that black rot atatcks orchids lacking in calcium. As you said it attacks mostly softened structures, supplementing with more calcium seems logic. What do you think?
Hi. Yes I have been feeding with calcium supplements so I am not sure if maybe it's not enough or that it's really unavoidable if rain gets to the Brassavola for three weeks almost everyday. It seems to happen every year on the B. Little Star but I had been able to avoid the rot previous years by keeping in dry and away from rain but I just didn't have my cover pergola this year. Thanks for watching.
Hi! Sorry for the late reply. I gave it some more thought about the calcium. I truly think all the orchids are getting enough calcium. They don’t need much and I have added in my routine adding calcium and magnesium in every other feeding or so. Also I use tap water so I think there’s a some soluble calcium in it too. I think that the orchid stayed wet too long is the real issue for me. I noticed the ones that had rot where all in the shadiest spots.
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I experienced this while growing outdoors for the summer ( plants are outdoors from June to October only, here in zone 6). The only thing that ended this for me was intense fertilization with magnesium and ( especially) calcium. Preventative with anti fungals help ..but really increasing those particular portions of their nutrition, was instrumental in prevention.
Thanks for sharing your experience!
I use diluted Neem which I've been told has antifungal properties among other things. Someone on the orchid Reddit thread suggested putting one or two cinnamon sticks into the bottle of Neem to add that additional antifungal ingredient. It seems to work for fungal infections on my dendrobiums.
I like that idea, safer than commercial fungicide. Thanks for the ideas.
Yeah, terrible !!! I've never experienced black rot as I do not get any rain during warm temperatures. Once the spores have spread into the air it is very worrysome. I hope you can control it. I heard someone (I guess it was Rick L in the day, but I am not sure) that black rot atatcks orchids lacking in calcium. As you said it attacks mostly softened structures, supplementing with more calcium seems logic. What do you think?
Hi. Yes I have been feeding with calcium supplements so I am not sure if maybe it's not enough or that it's really unavoidable if rain gets to the Brassavola for three weeks almost everyday. It seems to happen every year on the B. Little Star but I had been able to avoid the rot previous years by keeping in dry and away from rain but I just didn't have my cover pergola this year. Thanks for watching.
Sorry about the black rot. I do agree that calcium would help.
Hi! Sorry for the late reply. I gave it some more thought about the calcium. I truly think all the orchids are getting enough calcium. They don’t need much and I have added in my routine adding calcium and magnesium in every other feeding or so. Also I use tap water so I think there’s a some soluble calcium in it too. I think that the orchid stayed wet too long is the real issue for me. I noticed the ones that had rot where all in the shadiest spots.