Catt leaf tip trouble - help?

Hey orchid crew!

This is my first post, although I have been lurking/learning on this forum for a couple of weeks. I am a fairly new grower and was wondering if any of you orchid gurus could offer some guidance with my new 'baby'?

I bought a Blc. Golden Tang last week that seemed to be quite healthy - in bud with additional sheaths and new growths... But noticed yesterday that several leaf tips seemed to be browning, and tonight the problem has definitely spread. The affected parts are very dry and have dark brown spots as well as teeny tiny white spots. (I'll attach some pictures.)

I'm growing under lights, so no sunburn... Maybe fertilizer burn? I have watered once with rain water (no fert), but the top of the media was a little crusty white with salt build-up when I bought it. I haven't repotted. I'm in dry dry Telluride CO, so rot seems unlikely but ?

It's blooming now - should I cut the spike, unpot, and check the root situation? Trim the sad leaves and spray with fungicide? I'd gladly sacrifice the flowers to save the plant!

Thanks in advance for looking!

Kelly

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Hi Kelly!

You have fertilizer burn. You do not need to unpot the orchid right now, but do run lots of fresh water through the medium to remove salt build up. That is what causes the leaf tips to turn brown and die like this. After the bloom is done, then repot in fresh medium and be sure to feed properly. 1/4 strength and flush the pot with water the next time.

Welcome to the forum!

Oh yeah, you can take a clean razor blade or sterilize a knife and trim the brown tips off just behind the dead part if you don't like the brown tips. Just make the cut like a "v" and it will look like your leaf again. Seal the cut with some cinnamon to keep out infection.

Also, just to be safe, spray for spider mites. The shiny silver spots could be mites, but I am not sure from the photo.

Cheers,
BD

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We could learn a lot from crayons: some are sharp, some are pretty, some are dull, some have weird names, and all are different colors....but they all exist very nicely in the same box. ...Hmmm? .

Thanks BD!

I'll do as you suggest - mites though, yikes! I hadn't thought of that! I will spray just in case - better safe than sorry.

I so appreciate the help!

Kelly

Hi Kelly-
I am not sure about the mites, I just noticed the silver little spots on the leaves and thought better safe than sorry. Since this is a new purchase, you really have no way of knowing how it was grown, so anything might be possible.

Cheers,
BD

__________________
RVO's OrchidTalk Forums - "Bringing People Together to grow Orchids Better" Help support our Community: Donate or Become an OrchidTalk Subscriber today!
We could learn a lot from crayons: some are sharp, some are pretty, some are dull, some have weird names, and all are different colors....but they all exist very nicely in the same box. ...Hmmm? .

Ok, gotcha. I think you're right though - I'll spray just in case, so that I don't risk any critters getting on the other plants.

Thanks again for the advice!

Kelly